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636-638 Russia Ave

Excelsior, SF 94112 6278048 2 units · 2 fl · 1947

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years, and our model puts it at a low risk of maintenance problems over the next 12 months. No public enforcement record to go on. Walk the building, ask the current tenants how repairs get handled, and get any promises in writing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Excelsior — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 1.4
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Excelsior average of 1.4.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 636-638 Russia Ave 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 1947
2 or more units
2 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RH2
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.

Statewide backstop · AB 1482

California Tenant Protection Act of 2019

Even when a building isn't covered by local rent stabilization, the statewide Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) may still apply. It caps annual rent increases and requires the landlord to state a legal reason to end most tenancies.

15+ years since occupancy
Built 1947
Annual rent increase cap
5% + CPI, max 10%
Just-cause eviction
After 12 months
Local rent control likely takes priority. This building appears to fall under the local ordinance above, which is stronger than AB 1482. Where a local just-cause ordinance applies, its rules govern instead of the state cap.

AB 1482 does not apply to single-family homes and condos unless owned by a corporation, REIT, or an LLC with a corporate member; to owner-occupied duplexes; or to deed-restricted affordable housing. The Act is in effect until January 1, 2030. Not legal advice — see the California landlord–tenant guide.

Building characteristics
Units2
Floors2
Year built1947
Total area1,850 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot6278048
Ownership

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

Mailing address
638 Russia Ave San Francisco CA 94112
Last sale
September 04, 2015

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

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

636 Russia Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112
638 Russia Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The Wong Henry & Lam Shirley-owned duplex at 636-638 Russia Avenue in the Excelsior neighborhood is a two-story multi-family residential building constructed in 1947. The property underwent significant improvements in 2016, including comprehensive renovations on both floors. The first floor saw the creation of new partition walls to enclose existing workshop/storage spaces, installation of a new half bathroom, relocation of water heaters and furnaces, structural upgrades to the exterior wall including plywood and anchor bolt installation, and an electrical panel upgrade at a cost of $23,000. The second floor renovation, costing $4,000, involved bathroom remodeling including a new vanity, as well as upgrades to lighting and outlets in unit 636.

The 2016 improvements were accompanied by the appropriate plumbing (installation of new bathrooms and water heaters) and electrical permits (including lighting, outlet replacements, and service panel upgrade), all of which have been marked as complete. An earlier electrical modification from 2004 was also recorded for a garage door operator installation. The building's maintenance history includes several 311 calls, with the most recent in October 2021 reporting hazardous materials (specifically, oil/paint/liquids) that were resolved by DPW, and earlier incidents in 2016 and 2015 relating to general street cleaning and an abandoned vehicle, respectively. A notable planning record indicates an attempt to create new rooms in an existing open garage space, though documentation specifies limitations on bathroom and wet bar installations, though it remains marked as closed in the records.

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

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Risk rating

How 636-638 Russia Ave'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

Lower risk — safer than most nearby

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

Typical — about average for the neighborhood

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

Higher risk — riskier than most nearby

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

Neighborhood percentile
87thpercentile

Out of 337 buildings in this neighborhood, 44 are predicted to be safer. The band is relative to this neighborhood, so a share of every neighborhood falls in each colour.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
82%
No DBI
violation
18%
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.

Construction spend, owner's portfolio

Estimated permit value across all of this owner's buildings.

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

The ZIP code captures local housing market and enforcement patterns that affect all buildings in the area.

12-Month risk forecast
Low failure risk 18%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

636-638 Russia Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

636-638 Russia Ave event timeline

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

2023
311 Request Dec 06
Bulky items
Boxed or Bagged Items

See all 1 events

Full history back to 2023 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 636-638 Russia Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 636-638 Russia Ave compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Excelsior. Toggle filters to narrow the peer group.

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Cancel anytime · Data sourced from SF Open Data, DBI, SFFD, SF Rent Board & Planning

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