Free SF apartment background check

1-5 Lowell St

Croker Amazon, SF 94112 6469015 8 units · 2 fl · 1960

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years. Our model still sees a moderate chance of maintenance problems in the next 12 months, from the owner's wider portfolio and the surrounding area rather than from anything recorded here. 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 Croker Amazon — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 2.9
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Croker Amazon average of 2.9.

The bar and the rating point different ways because they measure different things: the bar counts DBI violations already on file, the rating forecasts the next 12 months.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1-5 Lowell 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 1960
2 or more units
8 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
NC2
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 1960
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
Units8
Floors2
Year built1960
Total area5,272 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot6469015
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
380 West Portal Ave Ste G San Francisco CA 94127
Last sale
July 19, 2019

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.

5 Lowell St, San Francisco, CA 94112
1 Lowell St, San Francisco, CA 94112
3 Lowell St, San Francisco, CA 94112
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 1-5 Lowell Street property is a two-story, 8-unit multi-family residential building constructed in 1960 and currently owned by 1-5 Lowell LLC. The building has undergone several significant improvements over the years, most notably a seismic retrofit completed in 2016 that brought the building into compliance with San Francisco's mandatory soft-story retrofit requirements at a cost of $95,000. Other major renovations include a complete electrical upgrade in 2004 (replacing fuseboxes with circuit breaker panels), reroofing work in 2002, and a general code compliance update in 1985. The building has maintained a regular schedule of housing inspections, with routine inspections recorded in 1999, 2001, 2004, 2006, and 2011.

The property has experienced several fire safety-related issues in the past, including violations for combustible storage, fire escape obstructions, and gas meter requirements in 2001 and 2004, though all of these violations were promptly addressed and abated. A central alarm system certification requirement was issued in 2004 and appears to have been resolved. Recent activity at the address has primarily consisted of external maintenance issues, including multiple reports of sidewalk parking violations and street cleaning needs in 2024, as well as recent garbage and debris concerns. The building's most recent fire alarm system inspection was conducted in 2005-2006 with corrections made. The property has successfully completed its soft-story retrofit requirements and received the corresponding Certificate of Final Completion (CFC) as a Tier 3 building.

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

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Risk rating

How 1-5 Lowell 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

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
29thpercentile

Out of 119 buildings in this neighborhood, 84 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
64%
No DBI
violation
36%
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.

Number of units

The number of units affects how the model reads complaint and violation totals — more units means more potential sources.

Neighborhood location

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

Building size

Total floor area — a proxy for building scale and the number of systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) that can fail.

12-Month risk forecast
Moderate failure risk 36%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

1-5 Lowell St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

1-5 Lowell St event timeline

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

2026
311 Request Mar 02
Garbage and debris
other loose garbage debris yard waste

See all 5 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1-5 Lowell St apartments

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

Side by side

How 1-5 Lowell St compares to the neighborhood

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

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