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1521 Church St

Noe Valley, SF 94131 6593021A 2 units · 2 fl · 1904

This building has a substantial enforcement record over the last seven years, but recent activity points to a low risk of further maintenance problems in the next 12 months. Read the records below before you sign. Ask which issues were resolved, get repair commitments in writing, and inspect the unit yourself.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Noe Valley — not a forecast
Above average
avg 1.2
16
FewerMore

This building has 16 novs (7y), above the Noe Valley average of 1.2.

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 1521 Church 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 1904
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 1904
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 built1904
Total area1,976 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot6593021A
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
451 Chatham Rd Burlingame CA 94010
Last sale
July 09, 1999

Landlord portfolio

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

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Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The two-unit residential building at 1521 Church Street in Noe Valley, owned by Sibley Ford S III, has experienced several significant plumbing-related issues over the past few years. Most notably, from 2017 to 2018, there were multiple incidents involving wastewater discharge onto public sidewalks, with violations recorded in May 2017 and October 2018 - both of which were eventually abated in April 2020. These incidents, occurring under the jurisdiction of both Housing Inspection Services and the Plumbing Inspection Division, were serious enough to warrant monitoring fees and involved exposed plumbing causing public safety concerns.

The property, constructed in 1904 as a two-story flats and duplex building, has had several infrastructure maintenance events recorded, including a reroofing permit from 1997 (now expired). More recently, in March 2019, there were notable sewer-related incidents involving backups that required multiple responses from PUC Sewer Operations, including the replacement of a ten-foot section of main and lateral line, though these were resolved through completed field work. The building's surrounding area has seen various municipal service calls for general maintenance issues, including a pavement defect (August 2019), multiple street cleaning requests (November 2019), and most recently, a garbage and debris issue from July 2024. A temporary moving sign request from March 2022 is currently showing as open.

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

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Risk rating

How 1521 Church 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
81stpercentile

Out of 1879 buildings in this neighborhood, 357 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
88%
No DBI
violation
12%
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 age

Older buildings tend to have more maintenance challenges; SF's pre-1906 earthquake housing stock carries distinct risk.

Building permits, owner's portfolio

Permits pulled across all of this owner's buildings over 7 years.

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

1521 Church St apartment reviews

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On the map

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The story over time

1521 Church St event timeline

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

2025
311 Request Sep 12
Not offensive
pole

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 1521 Church St apartments

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

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How 1521 Church St compares to the neighborhood

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