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If you own or want to buy a multi-unit building in San Francisco, 2026 is not a year to skip your zoning homework. The city rewrote large parts of its zoning map through the Family Zoning Plan, which took effect January 12, 2026 [12], state lawmakers layered new rules on top [17][18], and lawsuits have been filed challenging the plan [14].
San Francisco zoning determines what you can build, how many units you can add, and how much a property is worth to the next buyer. Get it wrong and you can lose a deal, overpay for upside that never shows up, or learn after closing that a "legal" unit isn't legal at all.
This guide translates San Francisco zoning laws into plain English for owners figuring out what they can add to a lot they hold, and buyers doing due diligence on a 2 to 4 unit or larger multi-unit building before they write an offer. We'll cover RH and RM zoning districts, the 2026 Family Zoning Plan, state laws like SB 9 and SB 423, how zoning interacts with rent control and the Ellis Act, and a checklist to run before you make an offer.
Allison Chapleau is widely regarded as San Francisco's top multi-unit Realtor [1], and she is a Senior Vice President at Compass Commercial Brokerage [1]. She has more than 24 years of San Francisco multi-unit experience and 300+ multi-unit and mixed-use buildings sold [2], and the Off Market Podcast introduced her as having closed well over $1 billion in property [3]. From 2021 to 2025, she was the #1 listing agent in San Francisco by number of 2-4 unit listings (78 vs 36 for the second-ranked agent) and by number of 5+ unit listings (115 vs 92), per Broker Metrics using San Francisco MLS data [1]. Her practice covers multi-unit, mixed-use and commercial properties [2], 1031 exchanges, owner-occupied multi-unit purchases, and court-supervised probate, trust and partition sales [1], with 30+ court-supervised sales [2]. Read more on her about page. That experience matters most when a building's value depends on what zoning allows.
What Is Zoning in San Francisco, and Why It Matters to Investors
Zoning is the set of local rules that control three things on any lot: what use is allowed, how many units can go there, and what physical shape a building can take. The San Francisco Planning Code spells all of this out [4], and SF Planning reviews projects against it.
For an investor, zoning answers the questions that decide a deal. Can you split a lot? Can you add a unit to a building you already own? Can you convert a garage into livable space? Each answer changes what a property is worth.
One distinction trips up a lot of buyers: zoning and rent control run on two different sets of rules. Zoning lives in the Planning Code and controls buildings and land use. Rent control lives in the Rent Ordinance and limits how much a landlord can raise rent for existing tenants [21]. A building can sit in a zoning district that allows six units and still be fully rent controlled for the tenants living there today. Confusing the two is one of the costliest mistakes we see in offers on multi-unit property here.
If you're still getting oriented on the asset class, our guide on defining multifamily property types is a good starting point.
San Francisco's Residential Zoning Districts, Decoded
San Francisco's residential zoning includes two main families: RH districts and RM districts, with very different unit limits and building forms [5][6].
RH districts are house-form zoning. The Planning Code describes them as areas of houses and small multi-family buildings, usually with one, two, or three units with separate entrances [5].
- RH-1(D): detached single-family houses on wider, larger lots; side yards are required on lots 28 feet and wider. Base density is one unit per lot, or one unit per 3,000 square feet of lot area, with no more than three units per lot [5].
- RH-1: single-family houses on 25-foot-wide lots without side yards. Base density is one unit per lot, or one unit per 3,000 square feet of lot area [5].
- RH-1(S): similar to RH-1, but up to two units per lot are allowed if the second unit is 600 square feet or less, or one unit per 3,000 square feet of lot area, with no more than three units per lot [5].
- RH-2 zoning in San Francisco allows up to two units per lot, or up to one unit per 1,500 square feet of lot area [5].
- RH-3: allows up to three units per lot, or up to one unit per 1,000 square feet of lot area [5].
RM districts step up in density, mixing house-form buildings with apartment buildings [6].
- RM-1 (Low Density): a mix of RH-type dwellings and apartment buildings, with a maximum density of one unit per 800 square feet of lot area [6].
- RM-2 (Moderate Density): one unit per 600 square feet of lot area [6].
- RM-3 (Medium Density): predominantly apartment buildings, one unit per 400 square feet of lot area [6].
- RM-4 (High Density): almost exclusively high-density apartment buildings, one unit per 200 square feet of lot area [6].
Those figures come from the current zoning control tables in Planning Code Sections 209.1 and 209.2 [5][6]. Accessory dwelling units can be added on top of them under Planning Code Sections 207.1 and 207.2 [5][6]. Confirm the actual zoning and any parcel-specific overlay on the SF Property Information Map before you assume a unit count [31].
There's also a citywide rule that changed the math on every RH lot. Since late November 2022, Planning Code Section 207(c)(8), the Residential Density Exception in RH Districts, allows up to four units per lot, and up to six on a corner lot, not counting accessory dwelling units [7][8]. It comes with conditions: the owner must have owned the lot for at least one year before applying (with limited credit for certain inherited ownership), the project must not cause a substantial adverse change to a historic resource, the project can't also use a density bonus under Sections 206.5 or 206.6, and at least one resulting unit must have two or more bedrooms or be at least one-third the floor area of the largest unit on the lot [7]. The new units also become subject to rent control, which we'll get to.
RTO, NC and Mixed-Use Districts Investors Should Know
A few other zoning districts show up often in multi-unit deals. In the Residential Transit Oriented districts, RTO-M and the new RTO-C district use form-based density, while RTO-1 allows one unit per 600 square feet of lot area as of right, with Conditional Use authorization above that [9]. RC-3 and RC-4, the Residential-Commercial districts, provide for residential uses with supporting commercial uses [9]. Neighborhood Commercial (NC) districts include NC-2, which the code describes as linear shopping streets where the controls provide for mixed-use buildings, with most new commercial development permitted at the ground and second stories [10].
Zoning history is part of why inventory here stays tight. For more, see why there are so few multi-unit buildings for sale in San Francisco.
Density Decontrol vs. Form-Based Limits: What Sets the Cap on Your Units
This concept trips up a lot of buyers and owners in San Francisco zoning right now.
Traditional zoning caps a lot's unit count with a number: one unit per so many square feet of lot area. The alternative is form-based density, sometimes called density decontrol, which SF Planning describes as limiting residential density by the allowable building size rather than the size of the lot [12]. Here, the building's height, bulk and setbacks set the limit instead of a specific unit count. If a building fits inside the allowed envelope, the unit count inside is largely up to the owner.
Form-based density doesn't apply everywhere. In the current code it applies in districts such as RTO-M and RTO-C [9], and to eligible Housing Choice-SF projects in the R-4 Height and Bulk District created by the Family Zoning Plan [5][11]. Outside those programs, RH-2 and RH-3 lots run on the numeric formulas above [5].
Zoning labeled RH-2 does not automatically mean only 2 units are legally possible. Between the RH density exception [7], ADU rules [20], and the Family Zoning Plan's Housing Choice-SF program [11], an RH-2 lot can sometimes support more, once you check which layer of rules applies.
State Laws That Override Local San Francisco Zoning
California has layered state housing law on top of local zoning districts, and San Francisco isn't exempt from most of it. Some of these laws expand what you can build beyond what local RH or RM zoning allows.
- SB 9 (2021): Allows duplexes and lot splits for certain parcels in single-family zoning. Status: In effect. SF Planning applies it in the RH-1, RH-1(D) and RH-1(S) districts, and properties are ineligible if existing rent-controlled units would be altered or demolished, if the site had rental tenants in the prior three years, or if there was an Ellis Act eviction in the prior 15 years [15]. See SF Planning's Planning Director Bulletin No. 8.
- SB 423 (2023): Extended the streamlined, ministerial approval process for qualifying housing developments in Government Code Section 65913.4. Status: In effect; the section now remains in effect until January 1, 2036 [16].
- State Density Bonus Law: Density bonuses on a sliding scale of up to 50% for most projects, depending on the share and income level of affordable units, with larger bonuses for 100 percent affordable projects and for projects that add more affordable units, plus incentives, concessions and waivers [17]. Status: In effect, with a 2025 amendment (SB 92) limiting concessions for commercial floor area and for hotel uses in mixed-use projects [17].
- SB 79 (2025): Sets statewide minimum height and density standards near major transit stops. Status: Took effect July 1, 2026 [18]. San Francisco adopted its own Alternative Plan approach [18].
- State ADU law (Government Code Section 66310 and following): Requires ministerial approval of certain accessory dwelling units on lots with single-family and multifamily dwellings [19]. Status: In effect. San Francisco also runs a Local ADU Program, which can allow more ADUs on some multi-unit lots [20].
HCD's April 2026 density bonus fact sheet lays out the state framework [17]; see HCD's density bonus guidance. Mayor Daniel Lurie signed San Francisco's SB 79 implementing ordinance on May 8, 2026. It adopts an Alternative Plan that applies citywide, so no parcel is subject to SB 79's default heights and densities, while some parcels qualify for a new density and height exception under Planning Code Section 207.11 [18].
The San Francisco Family Zoning Plan: What Changed and Where
The Family Zoning Plan is a major rewrite of San Francisco zoning, tied to a state mandate. Under state law, San Francisco must plan for at least 82,069 housing units between 2023 and 2031, almost three times its previous Regional Housing Needs Allocation, and it had to approve a compliant rezoning plan by January 31, 2026 [12].
The full Board of Supervisors adopted the plan's ordinances on December 9, 2025, and Mayor Daniel Lurie signed them December 12, 2025 [12]. They took effect January 12, 2026 [12]. SF Planning says the plan is calibrated to create realistic capacity for the 36,200 new units required under state law [13], focused on the western and northern parts of the city, in and near state-designated Housing Opportunity Areas; over the past 15 years, only 10% of the city's new housing was built in those western and northern areas, even though they cover over 50% of its land area [12]. SF Planning's capacity factsheet, written for the proposed plan, said that on sections of the busiest streets, like Market, Geary, Van Ness and Lombard, a small share of properties would see height limits rise by five or more stories [13].
Height allowances vary by location. The adopted map allows mid-rise (6 to 8 stories) and high-rise (9 or more stories) housing on major transit and commercial streets, with high-rise generally permitted at major intersections, transit hubs and the portions of corridors with the most frequent transit service [12]. Residential areas off those corridors can add units within the existing height limit (typically 4 stories), properties near selected commercial streets can get an extra floor (up to 5 stories), and corner lots and opportunity sites larger than 8,000 square feet can go up to 6 stories [12]. The plan also created Housing Choice-SF, a local bonus program with form-based density for eligible projects in the R-4 Height and Bulk District [5][11], and a new RTO-C district [9]. Projects that demolish any residential unit on a site with three or more existing rent-controlled units are ineligible for Housing Choice-SF [11].
If you own a building under legacy RH-2 or RH-3 zoning near one of these corridors, note this: the zoning label on paper may not have changed, but what you can add to it may have shifted. That gap is where unclaimed value can sit right now.
Two caveats matter. The plan has faced legal challenges, including a suit by neighborhood groups alleging inadequate environmental review and a suit by pro-housing groups alleging the plan falls short of the city's Housing Element commitments [14]. Check the status of those cases before relying on provisions they could affect. And capacity is not a production forecast: SF Planning notes that changing zoning to allow more housing doesn't mean all those units will be built [13].
Full details live on SF Planning's Family Zoning Plan page, and SPUR's writeup on how the plan got passed covers the politics. To see where upzoning lands across the city's districts, our district explorer breaks it down by neighborhood.
How Zoning Interacts With Rent Control and the Ellis Act
This is where a lot of San Francisco zoning content stops short, and where an owner or buyer can get burned.
Many residential units built on or before June 13, 1979 have both rent control and eviction protection under San Francisco's Rent Ordinance [21]. Units built after June 13, 1979 can have eviction protection without rent control [21], and some may still be covered by the statewide Tenant Protection Act, AB 1482 [21], which limits increases over any 12-month period to 5% plus the change in the cost of living, or 10%, whichever is lower, and exempts housing issued a certificate of occupancy within the previous 15 years [22].
Every owner adding units under new zoning needs to understand this point. Owners using the RH density exception must sign a recorded regulatory agreement that subjects the new units to the Rent Ordinance [7]. Under the Local ADU Program, when the lot includes rental units and Planning Code waivers are granted, the new ADUs are also subject to rent control through a regulatory agreement [20]. Added units don't rent at market rate forever, so build that into your numbers.
New density allowances also aren't a shortcut around tenant protections. Removing tenants still requires a just cause under the Rent Ordinance, such as an Ellis Act withdrawal of all rental units in a building or a good-faith demolition, each with its own rules [24]. And under Planning Code Section 317, a project that removes one or more residential units, or unauthorized units, through demolition, merger or conversion generally requires Conditional Use authorization, with limited exemptions outside the Priority Equity Geographies Special Use District for projects that meet strict criteria, such as no tenant-occupied units, no evictions of certain types or buyouts in the past ten years, no rent-controlled units in the past ten years, and adding at least one more unit than is demolished [23].
If you're weighing a sale of a rent-controlled asset instead of adding to it, our guide on selling a rent-controlled building in San Francisco walks through what's specific to that side of the transaction.
Legalizing Unwarranted Units Under Current Zoning
Some San Francisco buildings have an extra unit that was never permitted, such as a converted garage or basement in-law unit. San Francisco's Dwelling Unit Legalization Program gives owners a path to bring that unit into compliance instead of losing it [25].
To qualify, the unit must have been built without a permit before January 1, 2013 [26], and only one unwarranted unit per lot can be legalized under the program [25]. Units can't be legalized after certain evictions: owner move-in evictions filed after March 13, 2014, if the notice was served within five years before the legalization permit application, or other no-fault evictions filed after March 13, 2014, if the notice was served within ten years before it [25].
The process starts with the Department of Building Inspection, which confirms eligibility, and owners can get an estimate of legalization costs through an informal, no-fee screening with DBI staff [25]. Before submitting a building permit application, owners must file a Project Application with SF Planning and receive a Planning Approval Letter [25]. The program waives certain Planning Code requirements, including density, rear yard, open space, exposure and parking, but all Building Code life-safety requirements must still be met [25].
On rent control, SF Planning states that a unit that was subject to the Rent Ordinance before legalization remains subject to it after legalization [25]. If you're unsure of a unit's status, verify with the Rent Board before you rely on it.
Owner-occupants working through RH-2 or RH-3 properties can run into this exact question. Our page on owner-occupied multi-unit strategies covers how that plays out. Heirs inheriting a property with an unwarranted unit may face the same question, worth reading alongside our resource on probate, trust and partition sales.
The 2 to 4 Unit Line, and Why It Changes Everything
Zoning tells you how many units a lot can hold. The number you land on then shapes how the property gets financed, appraised and sold, and the break comes at five units.
Buildings with 2 to 4 units stay on the residential side of lending: Fannie Mae, for example, uses Form 1025, the Small Residential Income Property Appraisal Report, for traditional appraisals of two- to four-unit properties [27]. At 5 or more units, the property moves into multifamily lending, which Freddie Mac describes as financing for rental properties with 5 or more units [28]. Lenders in that space focus mainly on the income the building produces.
Adding a fifth unit under new zoning capacity can push a building across that line. Sometimes that helps, since income-based valuation rewards strong rents. Sometimes it hurts, since the buyer pool shrinks and the financing changes. Running that math before you build is the difference between adding value and adding a problem.
Unit count also matters for condo conversion. The lottery categories in Subdivision Code Section 1396 cover buildings of two to six units (five- and six-unit buildings only in limited circumstances), each with owner-occupancy requirements, plus certain community apartments [29]. Section 1396.5 suspended that lottery, and it resumes only when conditions tied to replacement housing for Expedited Conversion units are met [29]. Confirm current eligibility and lottery status directly with SF Public Works before you build conversion timing into a plan.
What to Check Before You Make an Offer on a Multi-Unit Property
Zoning research belongs in your due diligence timeline, not after you've removed contingencies. Before you write an offer on a multi-unit building in San Francisco, work through this list.
- Look up the parcel's zoning district, height and bulk district, and any overlay on the SF Property Information Map, by address or Block and Lot number [30].
- Use SF Planning's Find My Zoning tool, then open "Zoning Information" for district uses, zoning maps and guidelines [30].
- Confirm whether the parcel qualifies for the RH density exception, and whether an added unit would carry a new rent control obligation [7][20].
- Check whether the parcel sits inside the Family Zoning Plan area, and whether the extra capacity depends on provisions facing litigation [12][14].
- Check whether SB 79 or the new Planning Code Section 207.11 exception applies, using the Transit-Oriented Residential Development Areas section on the Property Information Map [18].
- Ask whether the building has any unwarranted units, and whether they've been through the Dwelling Unit Legalization Program.
- Verify when the building was built to know whether existing units fall under rent control, AB 1482, or neither [21].
- If you plan to add units, confirm rear yard, front setback and height and bulk requirements under Zoning Administrator Bulletin 5 [32].
- Ask about the status of any pending permits on the property.
- Check the exact Planning Code text through the full code rather than relying only on summaries [4].
- For 2 to 4 unit properties, confirm which appraisal and lending track applies, since it changes financing and future resale value.
Zoning upside is only real if you can price it correctly. Our guide on how to value an apartment building in San Francisco shows how to turn development potential into an actual number.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are zoning laws in San Francisco? San Francisco zoning laws are Planning Code rules setting the allowed use, unit count, and height, bulk and setbacks for a lot [4]. SF Planning reviews projects against them citywide.
What is RH-2 zoning in San Francisco? RH-2 zoning allows up to two units per lot, or up to one unit per 1,500 square feet of lot area [5]. Since late 2022, RH-2 lots that meet the conditions of the RH density exception can have up to four units, or six on a corner lot, not counting ADUs [7], so it doesn't always mean just two units anymore.
How many units can I build on an RH-1 lot in San Francisco? RH-1 base density is one unit per lot, or one unit per 3,000 square feet of lot area [5]. Under the RH density exception, a qualifying RH-1 lot can have up to 4 units, or 6 on a corner lot, with a one-year ownership requirement and historic resource review [7].
What's the difference between RH and RM zoning in San Francisco? RH districts keep a house-scale form, with base limits of one to three units per lot depending on the subdistrict (or a lot-area ratio) before the density exception [5]. RM districts allow denser apartment buildings, running from one unit per 800 square feet of lot area in RM-1 to one per 200 square feet in RM-4 [6].
How do I find out the zoning of a property in San Francisco? Search the address or Assessor's Block and Lot number in SF Planning's Find My Zoning tool or the SF Property Information Map, then select "Zoning Information" [30].
What is the San Francisco Family Zoning Plan and when did it take effect? It's a rezoning that is one of the key implementation actions of San Francisco's Housing Element. Mayor Lurie signed it December 12, 2025, and it took effect January 12, 2026, adding housing capacity mainly in the city's northern and western neighborhoods [12].
Can I add an ADU to a multi-unit building in San Francisco? Yes. Under San Francisco's Local ADU Program, an existing building on a lot with 4 or fewer legal dwelling units can add 1 ADU plus 1 detached ADU, and one on a lot with 5 or more can add unlimited ADUs plus 1 detached ADU [20]. The State Program offers ministerial review, but state law can prevent the City from applying rent control to some State Program ADUs, and the two programs can't be combined [20].
Does SB 9 apply in San Francisco? Yes, for eligible parcels. SF Planning accepts SB 9 applications for duplexes and lot splits in the RH-1, RH-1(D) and RH-1(S) districts. Properties are ineligible if existing rent-controlled units would be altered or demolished, if the site had rental tenants in the prior three years, or if there was an Ellis Act eviction in the prior 15 years [15]. See SF Planning's Planning Director Bulletin No. 8 for the full criteria.
How does zoning affect rent control in San Francisco? Zoning and rent control are separate systems that intersect in one key way. Units created under the RH density exception are made subject to the Rent Ordinance through a recorded regulatory agreement [7], and Local ADU Program units can be too [20].
Can I legalize an unwarranted in-law unit in San Francisco? Yes, through the Dwelling Unit Legalization Program, as long as the unit was built before January 1, 2013 [26]. The process starts with the Department of Building Inspection and also requires SF Planning approval [25].
What is density decontrol in San Francisco zoning? Density decontrol, or form-based density, replaces a numeric unit cap with a limit based on a building's size, set by its height, bulk and setbacks [12]. If a project fits the envelope, its unit count is largely up to the owner.
How does zoning affect the value of a multi-unit building in San Francisco? Zoning sets the ceiling on how many units a property can hold, which shapes what a buyer pays. Confirmed room to add units under current zoning can raise value, as long as those units are priced with rent control status in mind.
Ready to Buy or Sell With Zoning on Your Side
San Francisco zoning changed significantly over the past year [12][18], and owners of multi-unit property may not yet know what it means for their building. That gap is where deals get won and lost.
Allison Chapleau is widely regarded as San Francisco's top multi-unit Realtor [1], with more than 24 years of San Francisco multi-unit experience and 300+ multi-unit and mixed-use buildings sold [2]. Her sales include 625 Scott Street, a 42-unit building on Alamo Square that sold for $18,050,000 in August 2022 [33], which The Real Deal's August 9, 2022 article title called "San Francisco's Biggest Multifamily Deal of 2022" [33]. From 2021 to 2025, she was the #1 listing agent in San Francisco by number of 2-4 unit listings and by number of 5+ unit listings, per Broker Metrics [1]. She sells multi-unit properties across all 10 San Francisco districts [1] and handles partition, probate, and trust sales throughout San Francisco [34]. See the full record on her notable sales page.
If you're weighing what your building is worth under the city's current zoning, request a property valuation grounded in what your parcel allows today. If you're on the buying side, browse available multi-unit properties to see what's on the market now.
Sources
- Allison Chapleau, About page: "Senior Vice President at Compass Commercial Brokerage"; #1 listing agent in San Francisco by number of 2-4 unit listings, 2021 to 2025 (78 vs 36), and by number of 5+ unit listings (115 vs 92), per Broker Metrics, San Francisco MLS data 1/1/21 to 12/31/25; "specializes in selling 2-4 unit, 5-14 unit, and larger multifamily properties across all 10 San Francisco districts"; "trusted for probate, trust, and partition court-supervised sales, 1031 exchanges, and owner-occupied multi-unit purchases." https://www.allisonchapleau.com/about/allison-chapleau. Also listed on her Compass agent profile as "#1 Listing Agent 2-4 Units and 5+ Units in San Francisco 2015-present (MLS)." https://www.compass.com/agents/allison-chapleau/
- Allison Chapleau, homepage: "For more than 24 years, Allison Chapleau has helped San Francisco owners sell multi-unit, mixed-use, and commercial properties," "300+ Multi-unit and mixed-use buildings sold," and "30+ Court-supervised sales." https://www.allisonchapleau.com/
- Off Market Podcast, "From Surfing to $1B in Sales: How Allison Chapleau Became San Francisco's Top Multi-Unit Agent" (Goliath Data). https://goliathdata.com/from-surfing-to-1b-in-sales-how-allison-chapleau-became-san-francisco-s-top-multi-unit-agent and episode on YouTube, host introduction at 0:12 ("has closed well over a billion dollars worth of properties"). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIa6DlnVaLA
- San Francisco Planning Code (American Legal Publishing, 2026 S-96, current). https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_planning/0-0-0-17747
- San Francisco Planning Code Section 209.1, RH (Residential, House) Districts: district descriptions; Table 209.1 rows for Side Yard, Dwelling Unit Density, Housing Choice-SF (Section 206.10, R-4 Height and Bulk District), and notes (6) (ADUs per Sections 207.1 and 207.2) and (11) (up to four units, six on Corner Lots, per Section 207(c)(8)). https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_planning/0-0-0-20077
- San Francisco Planning Code Section 209.2, RM (Residential, Mixed) Districts: district descriptions and Table 209.2 Dwelling Unit Density row (one unit per 800, 600, 400 and 200 square feet of lot area for RM-1 to RM-4). https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_planning/0-0-0-56337
- San Francisco Planning Code Section 207(c)(8), Residential Density Exception in RH Districts, subsections (A) through (G); history note: Ord. 210-22, File No. 210866, Eff. 11/28/2022. https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_planning/0-0-0-19952
- SF Planning, New Planning Code Summary, "Four-Unit Density Exception for Residential Districts" (Board File 210866, Ordinance 210-22, effective date listed as November 27, 2022). https://sfplanning.org/sites/default/files/documents/legis/code-summaries/2021-010762PCA-4_Unit_Density_Exception.pdf
- San Francisco Planning Code Sections 209.3, RC (Residential-Commercial) Districts, and 209.4, RTO (Residential Transit Oriented) Districts, including Table 209.4 Dwelling Unit Density row (RTO-1: one unit per 600 square feet as of right, C above; RTO-M and RTO-C: Form-Based Density). https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_planning/0-0-0-20086
- San Francisco Planning Code Section 711, NC-2 Small-Scale Neighborhood Commercial District. https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_planning/0-0-0-25507
- SF Planning, Planning Director Bulletin No. 11, Housing Choice-SF Program (last updated 09/10/2026): "Sites within the R-4 Height and Bulk District are eligible"; "Projects that include demolition of any residential unit(s) on a site with more than two (i.e. three or more) existing rent-controlled units are ineligible. (Section 206.10(b)(9))." https://sfplanning.org/resource/planning-director-bulletin-no-11-housing-choice-sf-program
- SF Planning, "Family Zoning Plan" (signed December 12, 2025; ordinances effective January 12, 2026; adopted by the full Board of Supervisors December 9, 2025; 82,069-unit RHNA; January 31, 2026 state deadline; 10% of new housing over the past 15 years in areas covering over 50% of the land; adopted heights; form-based zoning definition). https://sfplanning.org/sf-family-zoning-plan
- SF Planning, Factsheet: "Rezoning Capacity Calculations" ("realistic capacity" for 36,200 new units; height increases on the busiest streets "like Market, Geary, Van Ness, and Lombard"; changing zoning "doesn't mean all those units will be built"). https://sfplanning.org/sites/default/files/documents/citywide/FZP-Factsheet-Capacity-Calculations.pdf
- San Francisco Chronicle, "Mayor Lurie's 'Family Zoning' plan sued by YIMBY groups" (February 12, 2026), describing the pro-housing groups' suit and the earlier suit by local groups over environmental review. https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/lurie-family-zoning-plan-lawsuit-21347804.php
- SF Planning, Planning Director Bulletin No. 8: Streamlined Housing Development (last updated 06/24/2026), https://sfplanning.org/resource/planning-director-bulletin-no-8-streamlined-housing-development, and SB 9 Application Packet (V. 12.31.2025), eligibility criteria. https://sfplanning.org/sites/default/files/forms/SB9_MinisterialApplication.pdf
- California Government Code Section 65913.4, subdivision (v): "This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2036." https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=65913.4.&lawCode=GOV
- California Department of Housing and Community Development, Housing Law Fact Sheet, "State Density Bonus Law" (April 2026), including Legislative Highlights (SB 92, 2025). https://www.hcd.ca.gov/sites/default/files/docs/planning-and-community/density-bonus-law.pdf
- SF Planning, "Senate Bill 79 Implementation in San Francisco" (implementing ordinance signed May 8, 2026; Alternative Plan applies citywide; Section 207.11), https://sfplanning.org/project/senate-bill-79-implementation-san-francisco, and Factsheet: "Family Zoning Plan and Senate Bill 79" ("California Senate Bill 79 (SB 79) takes effect July 1, 2026"). https://sfplanning.org/sites/default/files/documents/citywide/fzp-sb-79-compliance.pdf
- California Government Code Section 66323 (Chapter 13, Accessory Dwelling Units, Sections 66310 to 66342). https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=66323.&lawCode=GOV
- SF Planning, "Accessory Dwelling Units" (Local Program limits; regulatory agreement and rent control for Local Program ADUs; State Program rent control limits; programs cannot be combined). https://sfplanning.org/accessory-dwelling-units
- City and County of San Francisco, Rent Board, "Learn about San Francisco rental laws." https://www.sf.gov/learn-about-san-francisco-rental-laws
- California Civil Code Section 1947.12 (AB 1482), subdivisions (a)(1) and (d)(4). https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1947.12.&lawCode=CIV
- San Francisco Planning Code Section 317(c), Loss of Residential and Unauthorized Units Through Demolition, Merger, and Conversion (as amended through Ord. 245-25, Eff. 1/12/2026, and later). https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_planning/0-0-0-22516
- San Francisco Rent Ordinance (Administrative Code Chapter 37), Section 37.9(a)(10) (demolition) and 37.9(a)(13) (withdrawal of all rental units, Ellis Act), Rent Board version updated June 29, 2026, https://www.sf.gov/reports--rent-ordinance; and Rent Board, "Evictions pursuant to the Ellis Act." https://www.sf.gov/information--evictions-pursuant-ellis-act
- SF Planning, "Dwelling Unit Legalization Program FAQ" (last updated 05/10/2026). https://sfplanning.org/resource/dwelling-unit-legalization-program-faq
- San Francisco Planning Code Section 207.3(b)(1): dwelling units "constructed prior to January 1, 2013 without benefit of permit." https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_planning/0-0-0-58650
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B4-1.2-01, Appraisal Report Forms and Exhibits (Form 1025: "For traditional appraisals of two- to four-unit properties"). https://selling-guide.fanniemae.com/sel/b4-1.2-01/appraisal-report-forms-and-exhibits
- Freddie Mac Multifamily, "What We Do" (finances "multifamily rental properties with 5 or more units"). https://mf.freddiemac.com/about/what-we-do
- San Francisco Subdivision Code Section 1396(b), Annual Conversion Limitation, https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_subdivision/0-0-0-2868, and Section 1396.5, Suspension of the Lottery. https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/san_francisco/latest/sf_subdivision/0-0-0-2860
- SF Planning, "Find My Zoning" (search by address or Assessor's Block and Lot, then select "Zoning Information"). https://sfplanning.org/resource/find-my-zoning
- SF Planning, Property Information Map. https://sfplanninggis.org/pim/
- SF Planning, Zoning Administrator Bulletin 5: Buildable Area for Lots in RH, RM, RC, and RTO Districts (last updated 05/08/2026). https://sfplanning.org/resource/zoning-administrator-bulletin-5-buildable-area-lots-rh-rm-rc-and-rto-districts
- Allison Chapleau, 625 Scott Street listing ("$18,050,000," "42 Units on Alamo Square Park," "Sold August 2022"), https://www.allisonchapleau.com/listing/625-scott-street; and The Real Deal, "Alamo Square Trophy Property is San Francisco's Biggest Multifamily Deal of 2022" (page title; published August 9, 2022). https://therealdeal.com/san-francisco/2022/08/09/sfs-biggest-multifamily-sale-this-year-totals-18m/
- Allison Chapleau, "Partition, Probate & Trust Sales": "Allison Chapleau handles partition, probate, and trust sales throughout San Francisco." https://www.allisonchapleau.com/properties/san-francisco-probate-trust-and-partition-sales
