How to Find Affordable Housing in San Francisco

San Francisco is expensive to rent in. That part isn’t news. But expensive doesn’t mean hopeless, and most of the advice online is either vague or a few years out of date. Below is the practical version: where to look, what the rules actually are, and how to give yourself an edge without moving an hour outside the city. 

Quick answers 

• Lowest-rent neighborhoods with good transit: Dogpatch, Bayview, Visitacion Valley, Excelsior, Outer Mission, Glen Park 

• Rent control applies to apartments in buildings with two or more homes, built on or before June 13, 1979 

• If your home is rent controlled, your rent can go up 1.6% this year. On $2,500 rent, that is about $40 more a month.

• If it is not, state law still caps most increases at 10% a year and requires a legal reason to evict you.

• Income-restricted housing: apply through the DAHLIA portal, run by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development 

• Sharing a two-bedroom usually lowers your monthly cost more than changing neighborhoods does 

What counts as affordable housing in San Francisco? 

Affordable housing means two different things here, and mixing them up costs people time. 

The first is lower-cost market-rate housing: ordinary apartments that happen to rent below the city average, usually because of location, building age, or how long a home has sat vacant. Anyone can rent these. Most people searching for affordable housing want this. 

The second is Below Market Rate (BMR) housing, which is income-restricted, priced under market, and administered by the city through an application and lottery process. You have to qualify by household income and household size. 

If you are not sure which one applies to you, start with market-rate. The BMR process runs on its own timeline and is worth entering in parallel rather than waiting on. 

Which San Francisco neighborhoods have the lowest rents? 

Rent tracks demand, so the fastest way to lower yours is to look where fewer people are looking. The Mission, Pacific Heights, and the Marina stay expensive because they stay popular. These neighborhoods run cheaper and still connect to downtown: 

• Dogpatch – waterfront, industrial-turned-residential, on the T-Third line 

• Bayview – among the lower average rents in the city, T-Third access, more space per dollar 

• Visitacion Valley – quiet and residential at the southern edge, T-Third and Caltrain nearby 

• Excelsior – family-oriented, strong food scene on Mission Street, BART at Balboa Park 

• Outer Mission – more square footage for the money, BART at Balboa Park 

• Glen Park – a middle option, quieter and residential, with its own BART stop and a short ride downtown 

The tradeoff is usually commute time or fewer restaurants and bars within walking distance. These neighborhoods vary block to block, so walk the actual streets before you decide, ideally once on a weekday evening and once on a weekend. 

Does getting a roommate actually lower your rent? 

Yes, and usually by more than any other single change you can make. A room in a shared two- or three-bedroom typically costs well below a studio in the same neighborhood, and utilities and internet split across more people on top of that. 

A few things to handle up front. Everyone living in the home should be named on the lease and screened as a co-tenant, which protects you if a roommate leaves and keeps your tenancy in good standing. Ask the property manager how they handle adding a roommate later, since policies differ and some buildings do not permit arrangements where an unapproved person moves in. Agree on how you will split rent, deposit, and utilities before you sign, not after. 

How does rent control work in San Francisco? 

San Francisco rent control generally covers apartments in buildings with two or more homes, built on or before June 13, 1979. For covered homes, your landlord can raise the rent only once every 12 months, by a percentage the Rent Board sets each year. 

For March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027, that allowable increase is 1.6%. The prior year it was 1.4%. The figure is tied to Bay Area inflation and has stayed well below what the open market does. 

Four things worth knowing: 

• Coverage follows the building, not the tenant. Two similar apartments on the same block can have completely different rules based on construction date. 

• Single-family homes and condos are generally exempt from rent increase limits under Costa-Hawkins, though eviction protections still apply to most San Francisco tenants. 

• Listings almost never advertise rent control, even when a home qualifies. It is on you to ask. 

• You can verify a building’s construction date yourself on the city’s Property Information Map, and the SF Rent Board has counselors who answer tenant questions at no cost. 

Even outside local rent control, California’s AB 1482 caps annual increases on many newer homes at 5% plus regional inflation, capped at 10% total, and requires a just-cause reason for eviction. You may have more protection than you think. When something seems off, check with the Rent Board rather than taking anyone’s word for it. 

How do you qualify for below market rate (BMR) housing? 

BMR homes are priced below market and reserved for households under a set income threshold, which changes by household size and is published annually as a percentage of Area Median Income. 

Start at the DAHLIA housing portal, which lists BMR rentals, lotteries, and current income limits. The San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development administers the program. 

These listings run on application windows and lotteries rather than first-come availability, so get into the system before you need to move. There is no cost to apply and no downside to being in the pool early. 

What do you need to apply the same day? 

In this market, speed matters more than search volume. Good listings move in days, and the applicant who is ready usually gets the home. Have these assembled before your first tour: 

• Photo ID for every adult applicant 

• Proof of income, typically recent pay stubs, an offer letter, or bank statements if you are self-employed 

• A recent credit report, or willingness to authorize a check 

• Contact information for your last one or two landlords 

• Guarantor or cosigner details, if you plan to use one 

• Funds available for the deposit and first month 

Set listing alerts instead of refreshing manually. Ask directly about move-in specials, since some buildings discount the first month or reduce the rate on a home that has been sitting. 

What should you ask before signing a lease? 

• Was the building built on or before June 13, 1979? 

• What is included in rent, and what is billed separately? Water, trash, parking, and storage are common add-ons. 

• What is the deposit, and under what conditions is it returned? 

• How are maintenance requests submitted, and what is the typical response time? 

• What is the policy on adding a roommate later? 

• Is renters insurance required, and at what coverage level? 

• Are there fees beyond rent, such as an annual Rent Board fee split between tenant and landlord? 

Get the answers in writing where you can. A property manager who answers these clearly is usually a property manager who handles the rest of the tenancy the same way. 

Working with a property manager directly 

Searching listing aggregators means competing with everyone else who found the same post at the same time. Going straight to the company that manages the building removes a step. 

Brick + Timber manages homes across San Francisco, Berkeley, and Parkmerced. Current availability, pricing, and photos are on rentbt.com. Tell us your budget and the neighborhoods you are considering, and we can point you toward what fits. 

See homes available now 

Frequently asked questions 

What is the cheapest neighborhood to rent in San Francisco? Bayview, Visitacion Valley, and the Excelsior generally have the lowest average rents among neighborhoods with direct transit access to downtown. 

How much can rent go up in San Francisco each year? For rent-controlled homes, 1.6% between March 1, 2026 and February 28, 2027. For homes covered by AB 1482 instead, 5% plus regional inflation, capped at 10%. 

How do I know if my apartment is rent controlled? Check the building’s construction date on the San Francisco Property Information Map. If it was built on or before June 13, 1979, has two or more homes, and is not a condo or single-family house, it is likely covered. The SF Rent Board confirms status by phone at no cost. 

Do I need to earn a certain amount to rent in San Francisco? Most property managers look for gross monthly income around three times the rent, though a guarantor or additional deposit can work as an alternative. Requirements vary by building. 

How long does it take to find an apartment in San Francisco? Renters with documents ready usually secure something within two to four weeks. Renters who assemble paperwork after they start touring typically take longer, because well-priced homes are claimed within days.