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12-14 Somerset St

Portola, SF 94134 5920002 2 units · 3 fl · 1965

This building has a higher-than-average number of open problems nearby. Few open issues; problems get fixed quickly. A reasonable bet for a smooth tenancy.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Portola
At or below average
avg 1.8
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Portola average of 1.8.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 12-14 Somerset St rent-controlled?

San Francisco's Rent Ordinance caps rent increases and provides eviction protection for most residential units built before 1979 with 2+ units. Here's how this building scores.

Built before 1979
Built 1965
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH1
Likely rent-controlled. Building age and unit count suggest this property falls under San Francisco's Rent Ordinance.

Based on SF Assessor records. Not legal advice — confirm with the SF Rent Board.

Building characteristics
Units2
Floors3
Year built1965
Total area3,710 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot5920002
Ownership

Registered owner per SF Assessor-Recorder (secured roll).

Owner name
Lau Hing Gin & Sandy Ow
Mailing address
2242 35th Ave San Francisco CA 94116
Last sale
032416

Landlord portfolio

Other SF properties this owner holds, with risk grades for each.

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

All street addresses sharing this blocklot that are covered by this report.

14 Somerset St, San Francisco, CA 94134
12 Somerset St, San Francisco, CA 94134
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 12-14 Somerset Street in Portola is a three-story, two-unit residential building constructed in 1965, currently owned by Lau Hing Gin & Sandy Ow. The building has undergone several significant improvements over the years, including a complete reroofing project in late 2024 costing $5,000, major interior renovations in 2015 that added three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and various living spaces on the first floor, and electrical upgrades in 2011 to separate common area services with a 200-amp installation. Notable concerning incidents include three building complaints filed in October 2024 regarding unpermitted construction work and sidewalk occupation, and a building violation in February 2019 related to inadequate heating in occupied rooms, though this issue was abated within nine days.

The property has experienced various maintenance and compliance issues in recent months, particularly in late 2024 and early 2025, with numerous reports of garbage and debris on sidewalks (seven separate reports), sidewalk defects indicating potential infrastructure concerns, and a traffic signal damage incident. While most of these issues have been resolved through appropriate channels, the frequency of garbage-related complaints suggests an ongoing maintenance challenge. The building's history shows consistent upgrading and maintenance work, including the relocation of gas meters in 2016 and various electrical improvements, though some recent work has prompted complaints about unpermitted construction activity. The owners have demonstrated a pattern of maintaining and upgrading the property, as evidenced by the 2015 renovation project and recent roofing work, though there are notable concerns about recent unpermitted work and infrastructure maintenance based on the most recent complaints and violations.

AI-generated · may contain errors · check the source data tables below

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Risk rating

How 12-14 Somerset St's risk score is calculated

We trained a model on 7 years of SF DBI inspection data — notice of violation filings, complaint history, and owner track records. It estimates the probability that DBI inspectors will issue a Notice of Violation at this address in the next 12 months. Lower % = safer.

What the score means for you

Grade A–B — Low risk

DBI rarely finds violations here. Strong maintenance history and a clean complaint record.

Grade C — Moderate risk

Some past violations or complaints on record. Worth asking the landlord about any open issues before signing.

Grade D–F — High risk

Elevated violation and complaint history. DBI has found issues here before and is statistically likely to again.

Neighborhood percentile
85th percentile

Out of 255 buildings in this neighborhood, 38 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
88%
No DBI
violation
12%
DBI violation
likely
Model explanation

What's driving this score

The three data points that most influenced this building's risk rating — ranked by the weight the model placed on each one.

Neighborhood location

Precise location is a proxy for neighborhood-level risk — some SF blocks have systematically higher DBI activity.

Neighborhood location

Precise location is a proxy for neighborhood-level risk — some SF blocks have systematically higher DBI activity.

Building permits, owner's portfolio

Permits pulled across all of this owner's buildings over 7 years.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 78.6%
Moderate concern 16.3%
Severe concern 5.2%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

12-14 Somerset St apartment reviews

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The story over time

12-14 Somerset St event timeline

Violations, complaints, fire incidents, permits, and buyouts — most recent records in order.

2024
Building Permit Nov 04
Reroofing like for like. torch down. no work to (e) roof structural sheathing. work done.
$5,000 · Complete
DBI ComplaintOct 17
Date last observed: 15-oct-24; time last observed: 10am; identity of person performing the work: multiple - from neighbors to c; exact location: main bldg; building type: residence/dwelling work w/o permit; ; additional information: reported this yesterday and now they have a big truck occupying the sidewalk. still no action.;

See all 5 events

Full history back to 2024 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 12-14 Somerset St apartments

13 SF public datasets for this parcel — permits, violations, complaints, fire records, 311 calls, planning records, and buyouts.

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