Free SF apartment background check

172-178 28Th St

Noe Valley, SF 94131 6600018 4 units · 2 fl · 1908

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 172-178 28Th 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 1908
2 or more units
4 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 1908
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
Units4
Floors2
Year built1908
Total area2,600 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusNone
Blocklot6600018
Ownership

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

Mailing address
2032 Mezes Ave Belmont CA 94002
Last sale
030921

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.

172 28th St, San Francisco, CA 94131
174 28th St, San Francisco, CA 94131
178 28th St, San Francisco, CA 94131
176 28th St, San Francisco, CA 94131
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 4-unit, 2-story multi-family residential building at 172-178 28th Street in Noe Valley, built in 1908, has undergone several significant renovations and improvements over the past decade. The most recent concern involves active safety issues with the exterior stair steps, filed as a complaint in December 2024. Recent substantial improvements include a 2021 kitchen remodel and furnace installation in unit 178 ($35,000), and a 2020 sewer line replacement from building to house trap. Earlier renovations from 2016 focused on cosmetic updates to units 172 and 176, including new bathroom fixtures and kitchen cabinets ($33,000). The building has maintained its infrastructure with a 2017 electrical service upgrade to 200amp with 5 meters, and various plumbing improvements including a wall heater replacement in 2016.

The property has a documented history of addressing violations and ensuring safety compliance, though a cluster of fire safety violations was recorded in February 2011 related to garbage receptacles, combustible storage, and fire extinguishers, which were all abated by March 2011. This routine inspection led to several required improvements that appear to have been successfully implemented. The building's maintenance record shows regular attention to both common areas and individual unit updates, with all recent building permits marked as complete. While there have been various 311 calls regarding the property, including hazardous materials and sidewalk cleaning issues, these have all been resolved promptly.

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

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Risk rating

How 172-178 28Th 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
52th percentile

Out of 1879 buildings in this neighborhood, 902 are predicted to be safer.

RiskiestSafest
Predicted 12-month outcome
79%
No DBI
violation
21%
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.

Building age

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

Property class: multi-family flat

2–4 unit flats (class F) are a common SF building type with their own maintenance and complaint patterns.

12-Month severity forecast
No violation 57.0%
Moderate concern 20.9%
Severe concern 22.2%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months at each severity level. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

172-178 28Th St apartment reviews

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The story over time

172-178 28Th St event timeline

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

2024
DBI Complaint Dec 30
Exterior stair steps issue, safety concern
Housing Inspection Services

See all 7 events

Full history back to 2020 — violations, complaints, permits, buyouts, and fire incidents.

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Every record we have

Full data for 172-178 28Th St 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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