Free SF apartment background check

230 Lowell St

Croker Amazon, SF 94112 6490003 6 units · 3 fl · 1914

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 Croker Amazon
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.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 230 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 1914
2 or more units
6 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.

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 1914
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
Units6
Floors3
Year built1914
Total area4,251 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot6490003
Ownership

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

Mailing address
Ben Lew & Angela Ma Po Box 320632 San Francisco CA 94132
Last sale
031308

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 6-unit apartment building at 230 Lowell Street, located in Croker Amazon, is a 3-story structure built in 1914 and currently owned by 230 Lowell Street LLC. The property has undergone numerous maintenance and renovation projects over the years, with the most significant work occurring in the 2000s. Major improvements included a roof replacement in 2007, window replacements in 2007, and various unit renovations in 2006-2008, including kitchen and bathroom remodels. The building has faced several compliance issues, particularly in the early 2000s, with multiple violations regarding fire safety systems, security requirements, and maintenance matters, though all these violations were officially abated by June 15, 2001. There were also complaints about illegal modifications and unpermitted work in 2006-2008, and some tenant complaints about heating, plumbing, and maintenance issues during this period.

In recent years, there have been ongoing concerns about parking violations near the property, with multiple citations issued between 2024-2025 for vehicles blocking driveways and parking on sidewalks, though enforcement officers were unable to locate the violators in some cases. A noise complaint was registered in July 2024 that remains open as of the latest information. The building's electrical systems were updated in 2009 with a 400-amp service installation, and various maintenance work has continued to be performed, with the most recent building permit activity from 2015 being for street space use.

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

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Risk rating

How 230 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

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
63th percentile

Out of 119 buildings in this neighborhood, 44 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
76%
No DBI
violation
24%
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.

Number of units

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

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

Dollar value of permits pulled at this address — large recent spend can signal deferred-maintenance catch-up.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 72.7%
Moderate concern 9.3%
Severe concern 18.0%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

230 Lowell St apartment reviews

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8 found
The story over time

230 Lowell St event timeline

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

2025
DBI Complaint Sep 09
Date last observed: 08-sep-25; time last observed: 09/02/2025; identity of person performing the work: ben lew, landlord. 3101 san jo; unit: 2; exact location: main bldg; building type: residence/dwelling water intrusion; other housing; ; additional information: in january 2025, a sewage leak from the bathroom of the neighboring unit caused significant damage in my apartment. the leak affected the kitchen linoleum floor, the bathroom, and the carpet in the living room. while you came to remove the water with a machine, no further repairs were made. the apartment-particularly the carpet-continues to have a strong odor of human waste, and the kitchen flooring remains damaged. this is not the first time the unit has suffered water damage due to plumbing issues. in 2011, the kitchen flooded because of a plumbing failure, and the carpet has been affected by water damage on more than one occasion.;
Housing Inspection Services

See all 1 events

Full history back to 2025 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 230 Lowell St apartments

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

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