Free SF apartment background check

498 Hoffman Ave

Noe Valley, SF 94114 6502032 3 units · 2 fl · 1900

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 Noe Valley
At or below average
avg 1.2
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Noe Valley average of 1.2.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 498 Hoffman 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 1900
2 or more units
3 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.

Building characteristics
Units3
Floors2
Year built1900
Total area3,956 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot6502032
Ownership

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

Owner name
James Christopher Mcdermott
Mailing address
Mcdermott James Christopher 498A Hoffman Ave San Francisco CA 94114
Last sale
031398

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The three-unit multi-family residential building at 498 Hoffman Avenue in Noe Valley, owned by James Christopher Mcdermott, has experienced several significant events and renovations over its history. Most recently, in 2014, the first-floor unit received a new forced air heater, and plumbing improvements were made including a drainage pump replacement and gas furnace installation. A notable incident occurred in 2013 when foundation work was conducted, rendering one unit temporarily uninhabitable, which resulted in building violations that were subsequently resolved. In 2012, a substantial renovation was carried out to remove an un-permitted lower/basement floor rental unit, requiring extensive work on the foundation, floors, and walls at a cost of $48,000. The building has undergone various other improvements including reroofing (1999), window and roof reinforcement work (1998), and comprehensive repairs to walls, plumbing, and electrical systems (1986).

The property has been the subject of several planning and permit applications, most notably a recent proposal to flatten the existing roof to improve livable height standards and potentially add a roof deck. This proposal includes addressing current window height issues and improving the building's visual appearance and structural integrity. The building's history shows consistent maintenance and upgrades over the years, though the removal of the un-permitted rental unit in 2012 was a significant event in its renovation history. Additionally, there was one documented tenant buyout in 2022 for $36,000, involving one tenant, though the circumstances and context of this buyout are not detailed in the records.

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

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Risk rating

How 498 Hoffman 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

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
39th percentile

Out of 1879 buildings in this neighborhood, 1146 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
69%
No DBI
violation
31%
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.

Estimated permit spend (past 7 years)

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

Owner's portfolio size

Number of SF parcels this owner is registered on — larger portfolios have distinct risk patterns.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 65.3%
Moderate concern 23.1%
Severe concern 11.6%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

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The story over time

498 Hoffman Ave event timeline

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

2026
Building Permit Jun 03
Utilize existing unconditioned attached studio/workshop space on the ground floor as a 795 sq ft adu. add a full kitchen to one of the rooms in order to convert this space to an adu.
$32,000 · Filed
Building PermitJan 27
Flatten (e) roof to bring upper level to livable ht standards and windows to code. additional outdoor deck space to be added with new roof.

See all 5 events

Full history back to 2022 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 498 Hoffman Ave apartments

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

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

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