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Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco
Official application routes, service-area details, contact information, and HUD-reported program data for this San Francisco housing agency.
Independent directory: CalculateBenefits is not SFHA or HUD. Recorded source-check date for the agency-specific details below: 2026-11-02.
Is the San Francisco Section 8 waiting list open?
As of Nov. 2, 2026, SFHA's website said the list was closed.
Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
Closed
What the agency's site said on Nov. 2, 2026. See the notice →
Waiting lists open and close without much notice. Applying is free; only SFHA can take an application or tell you your place on a list.
Start with the official agency
Visit the official SFHA website →
Housing applications and waiting-list registration are free. A third party cannot guarantee approval or move you ahead on a waiting list.
What this agency serves
The Housing Authority serves the City and County of San Francisco. It runs Housing Choice Vouchers, project-based vouchers, special voucher programs, and two public housing sites.
- Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
- Project-Based Voucher / Rental Assistance Demonstration (PBV/RAD)
- Public Housing (Plaza East Apartments and North Beach Place)
- Special programs (Emergency Housing Vouchers, Family Unification, Foster Youth to Independence, Mainstream, VASH)
- Family Self-Sufficiency and Homeownership
Housing Choice Voucher application
SFHA posts the status of each waiting list on its Waitlist page. If you applied in a past lottery, use the Waitlist Lottery Look Up link on that page to check your application. People with a voucher who are searching for a unit, or who are on a waitlist, can email [email protected].
What SFHA said when we checked on . Waiting lists open and close; check SFHA's official site or call for the current status.
Public housing application
Public housing covers two sites: Plaza East Apartments and North Beach Place. The last application window was May 7–21, 2025. SFHA then drew names by random lottery to place people on the RAD/PBV and Public Housing lists. Applying did not guarantee a spot.
What SFHA said when we checked on . Waiting lists open and close; check SFHA's official site or call for the current status.
Income limits for San Francisco County
HUD fiscal year 2026 limits (pulled July 27, 2026) for San Francisco County, where SFHA's main office is.
| Household | 30% (extremely low) | 50% (very low) | 80% (low) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $44,150 | $73,550 | $117,700 |
| 2 people | $50,450 | $84,050 | $134,500 |
| 3 people | $56,750 | $94,550 | $151,300 |
| 4 people | $63,050 | $105,050 | $168,100 |
Section 8 vouchers generally use the 50% limit, and agencies must give most new vouchers to families at or below 30%; families up to 50% can still qualify. The 80% limit applies to public housing. Limits differ by county; use the income-limit checker for the county you live in.
Source: HUD income limits. Check 5 to 8 people or another county →
Other help in San Francisco
Heat and utility bills
San Francisco–Peninsula Energy Services (LIHEAP) · (415) 416-6660
Gives a once-a-year LIHEAP credit on gas, electric, wood or propane bills, and emergency help with a shutoff notice. Apply online through its LIHEAP portal.
Checked Nov. 2, 2026.
Food
Use its Food Locator to find weekly free groceries, senior food boxes, emergency food, or help signing up for CalFresh.
Checked Nov. 2, 2026.
Facing eviction
Bay Area Legal Aid · 800-551-5554
Free civil legal help for qualified low-income Bay Area residents, including housing problems. Call the Legal Advice Line; have your papers and notices ready.
Checked Nov. 2, 2026.
Everything else
2-1-1 Bay Area (San Francisco County) · 211
Dial 211 for free, private help finding local services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Checked Nov. 2, 2026.
These are separate organizations, not SFHA and not CalculateBenefits.
Contact SFHA before you visit
General inquiries: (415) 715-5200
Central office: 1815 Egbert Avenue, San Francisco, California 94124
Published hours: Mon - Fri: 8:00AM - 5:00PM; Sat - Sun: Closed
The Housing Authority takes questions by phone, email or in person, 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, at 1815 Egbert Avenue. It encourages people to use phone or email first. TTY users can call (415) 467-6754.
From CalculateBenefits, not SFHA
Waiting-list news by email
Get our free emails. If this agency's main Section 8 waiting list opens and we see it, we email the people who signed up here. Some lists close before we can send. To sign up, you take our free benefits check. You give your name and email and answer a few questions. A phone step is optional. Then you see offers from partners. Your information may be shared with or sold to marketing partners. They may also contact you (how we use it). Signing up does not apply for housing or put you on any waiting list.
Because you've turned on a privacy opt-out, we don't offer this sign-up here. Check the agency's own site for openings.
Before and after you apply
- SFHA checks eligibility for people picked in the lottery once their name reaches the top of the list.
- The head of household must be at least 18, or a legally emancipated minor.
- Household income must be under the income limits, and adults must pass a criminal background check.
- Have Social Security numbers for your household, or be ready to certify that you don't have them, at the first eligibility interview.
- If you are not a current voucher holder and have general questions, email [email protected].
HUD-reported assistance
These figures are HUD reporting-data snapshots, not a count of openings. Equal inventory and occupied counts do not prove that no future opening is possible. Waiting-list status comes from SFHA, not this dataset.
HUD public housing designation: Standard Performer. Standard Performer means the agency met HUD's overall and individual-indicator minimums but did not qualify as a High Performer. It is an operating assessment, not a customer-review rating.
HUD directory dataset retrieved 2026-07-20; record last updated 2026-04-07. Read the data methods and limitations.
Agency and data sources
Related: All California housing agencies · California income limits and Fair Market Rents · How Housing Choice Vouchers work · Section 8 waiting lists at large agencies.