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1487-1493 South Van Ness Ave

Inner Mission, SF 94110 6526014 8 units · 2 fl · 1902

This building has significantly more problems than most nearby buildings. A handful of unresolved issues. Worth a careful walk-through and pointed questions.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Compared to a typical building in Inner Mission
Above average
avg 2.6
8
FewerMore

This building has 8 novs (7y), above the Inner Mission average of 2.6.

Rent & eviction protection

Is 1487-1493 South Van Ness 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 1902
2 or more units
8 units
Property type
Multi-Family Residential
Zoning
RM1
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
Units8
Floors2
Year built1902
Total area9,408 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot6526014
Ownership

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

Owner name
Philip & Jean Ishimaru Fmly
Mailing address
66 Domingo Ave Berkeley CA 94705
Last sale
052819

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.

1487 South Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
90 Virgil St, San Francisco, CA 94110
1491 South Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
1493 South Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
86 Virgil St, San Francisco, CA 94110
84 Virgil St, San Francisco, CA 94110
1489 South Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
88 Virgil St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The property at 1487-1493 South Van Ness Ave is a 2-story, 8-unit multi-family residential building located in San Francisco's Inner Mission neighborhood, built in 1902 and currently owned by Philip & Jean Ishimaru Fmly. The building has undergone several significant improvements over the past decade, including a complete reroofing in 2015 costing nearly $57,000, and a comprehensive kitchen remodel in 2013 that included electrical, plumbing, and window repairs totaling approximately $62,000. In 2015, permits were filed for the voluntary installation of attic draft stopping to better subdivide attic spaces between units across both buildings on the lot.

The building has experienced multiple regulatory and safety inspections over the years, with the most recent significant concerns occurring in 2023, when violations were identified regarding gas shutoff tools and security viewer installation. These violations, along with several others related to fire safety and interior conditions, were officially abated by May 2023. Previous violations from 2013 noted issues with rodent infestation, security features, and fire safety equipment, all of which were also eventually resolved. The property has recently faced ongoing challenges with waste management, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls between 2023-2024 regarding improper toter storage and garbage maintenance, with enforcement actions being taken in these instances. Historical complaints show a pattern of maintenance and safety issues being addressed over time, including past concerns about bathtub fixtures, sub-basement conditions, and routine housing inspections, with all issues being properly closed once resolved.

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

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Risk rating

How 1487-1493 South Van Ness 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
14th percentile

Out of 2380 buildings in this neighborhood, 2047 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
33%
No DBI
violation
67%
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.

Building size

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

DBI tenant complaints (past 7 years)

Formal complaints tenants filed with DBI about this building over 7 years.

DBI complaint rate, owner's portfolio

Per-building complaint rate across the owner's portfolio.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 30.9%
Moderate concern 59.1%
Severe concern 10.0%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

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The story over time

1487-1493 South Van Ness Ave event timeline

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

2026
DBI Complaint Jun 05
Back door is broken.
Housing Inspection Services

See all 8 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 1487-1493 South Van Ness 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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