Free SF apartment background check

12-20 Santa Rosa Ave

Mission Terrace, SF 94112 6796012 3 units · 2 fl · 1900

Nothing on record for this building in the last seven years. Our model still sees a moderate chance of maintenance problems in the next 12 months, from the owner's wider portfolio and the surrounding area rather than from anything recorded here. No public enforcement record to go on. Walk the building, ask the current tenants how repairs get handled, and get any promises in writing.

NOVs (7y) vs. neighborhood
Records already on file, against a typical building in Mission Terrace — not a forecast
At or below average
avg 2.3
0
FewerMore

This building has 0 novs (7y), at or below the Mission Terrace average of 2.3.

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 12-20 Santa Rosa 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
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 1900
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
Units3
Floors2
Year built1900
Total area2,535 sq ft
Property typeMulti-Family Residential
Tax statusHome Owners
Blocklot6796012
Ownership

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

Owner name
Mailing address
12 - 20 Santa Rosa Ave San Francisco CA 94112
Last sale
June 20, 1991

Landlord portfolio

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

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Multiple entrances & addresses

Included addresses

All street addresses sharing this blocklot that are covered by this report.

12 Santa Rosa Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112
20 Santa Rosa Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112
Augrented Insights
Initial analysis

The 12-20 Santa Rosa Avenue property is a two-story, three-unit multi-family residential building located in Mission Terrace, constructed in 1900 and currently owned by Tong Wai Jer. The building has a concerning history of unauthorized unit conversions, with multiple complaints and enforcement actions between 1997 and 2009 regarding an illegal ground floor unit, and more recently, an active complaint from 1997 about an illegal basement unit. The property has experienced significant habitability issues in the past, particularly in 1995, with multiple tenant complaints about inadequate ventilation, water leaks, electrical issues, and safety concerns including lack of proper egress in bedrooms. While some of these historical issues were addressed, as evidenced by the removal of the illegal ground floor unit in 2000, the building's maintenance history shows recurring infrastructure concerns.

Most recent concerns center around external maintenance issues, particularly with the sidewalk, as evidenced by multiple 311 calls in 2024 regarding tree root damage to the sidewalk. There have also been recent incidents involving blocked driveways and street cleaning matters, though these are more related to external property management than building conditions. The most pressing current issue appears to be the ongoing tree root damage affecting the sidewalk, which remains an open concern as of late 2024. The building's permit history shows some maintenance and improvement work, including kitchen and bathroom remodeling in 1985, installation of a garage driveway in 2006, and efforts to address illegal units, though many of these permits are now expired. The property's records reveal a pattern of historical maintenance challenges and unauthorized modifications, with the most recent issues primarily relating to exterior conditions rather than internal unit habitability.

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

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Risk rating

How 12-20 Santa Rosa 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

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
22ndpercentile

Out of 149 buildings in this neighborhood, 116 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
51%
No DBI
violation
49%
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.

Neighborhood (ZIP code)

The ZIP code captures local housing market and enforcement patterns that affect all buildings in the area.

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
Moderate failure risk 49%
Estimated probability of receiving a DBI Notice of Violation in the next 12 months. Model: full_hgb_balanced.
Apartment reviews

12-20 Santa Rosa Ave apartment reviews

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On the map

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Buildings nearby
8 found
The story over time

12-20 Santa Rosa Ave event timeline

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

2023
311 Request Feb 28
General cleaning
Other Loose Garbage

See all 1 events

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

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Every record we have

Full data for 12-20 Santa Rosa Ave apartments

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

Side by side

How 12-20 Santa Rosa Ave compares to the neighborhood

This building against comparable properties in Mission Terrace. Toggle filters to narrow the peer group.

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