Fair Shot Housing

Affordable housing lotteries in the San Francisco Bay Area

The San Francisco Bay Area has 117 open affordable housing listings on Fair Shot Housing right now: 14 lotteries, 37 waitlists, 64 first come listings and 2 Section 8 or public housing waitlists. Posted rents run from $554 to $4,248 a month and homes for sale are posted from $189,000 to $661,257. The next application deadline is Oct 6, 2026.

See which of these I qualify forAll Bay Area listingsAll San Francisco listings

Closing soon in the San Francisco Bay Area

These have the nearest application deadlines.

Photo of 3300 Mission
Closes todayFor rent

3300 Mission

San Francisco, CA

Income-restricted rental · Lottery

$554–$838/mo

34 homes · Studio

Drawing of Woodlands Newell. No photo available.Drawing, not a photo
Closes todayFor rent

Woodlands Newell

East Palo Alto, CA

Income-restricted rental · Waitlist

$1,103–$3,903/mo

Studio–4 bedrooms

Closes tomorrowFor sale

3569 Rocking Horse Court BMR resale

Dublin, CA

Home for sale · Lottery

$661,257

1 home · 4 bedrooms

First-time buyers only
Drawing of Helios Corner. No photo available.Drawing, not a photo
Closes tomorrowFor rent

Helios Corner

Berkeley, CA

Income-restricted rental · Waitlist

$1,485–$2,292/mo

Studio–2 bedrooms

Seniors 62+
Drawing of Highwater. No photo available.Drawing, not a photo
Closes tomorrowFor rent

Highwater

Redwood City, CA

Income-restricted rental · First come

$2,000–$3,300/mo

8 homes · Studio–2 bedrooms

Drawing of Hismen Hin-Nu Terrace. No photo available.Drawing, not a photo
Closes tomorrowFor rent

Hismen Hin-Nu Terrace

Oakland, CA

Income-restricted rental · Lottery

$1,544–$2,953/mo

7 homes · 1–4 bedrooms

Quick facts for the San Francisco Bay Area

Open listings
11714 lotteries, 37 waitlists, 64 first come listings, 2 Section 8 or public housing waitlists
Median starting rent
$1,758 a monthThe middle of the lowest rent posted for each rental that posts one.
Rent range
$554 to $4,248 a monthLowest to highest rent posted across rentals.
Price range for homes
$189,000 to $661,257Homes for sale that post a price (50 for sale in total).
Income limit, 2 people
$17,565 to $206,500The most a household of 2 can earn a year. Based on the 112 listings that post it.
Online applications
65 of 117Listings with an online application.
Where applications are posted
housing.sanjoseca.gov, housing.sfgov.org, housingbayarea.mtc.ca.govThe sites most listings here link to.
Next deadline
Oct 6, 202634 listings with a deadline still ahead.
Data last checked
Oct 6, 2026

Every figure is worked out from the open listings above and changes as listings open and close. Each program sets its own income limit, often as a share of the area median income (the middle income in the area), so limits differ from listing to listing.

Apply-direct buildings in the San Francisco Bay Area

Besides the open listings above, the San Francisco Bay Area has 1,421 apply-direct buildings. There is no lottery to enter: you call the building (or the local housing office, for public housing) and ask if its waitlist is open. What is an apply-direct building?

326
Section 8 building
29
Public housing
1,064
Tax-credit building
290
Senior building
87
Building for people with disabilities
See these buildings by city

We count buildings in the counties that make up the San Francisco Bay Area. A building can be in more than one group, so the groups add up to more than 1,421. The list comes from HUD, the federal housing department (public housing, Section 8, senior and disability buildings, and tax-credit buildings), downloaded October 5, 2026. It does not say whether a waitlist is open, and some waitlists are closed or years long.

Questions about affordable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area

What kinds of affordable housing listings are open in the San Francisco Bay Area?

The San Francisco Bay Area has 14 lotteries, 37 waitlists, 64 first come listings and 2 Section 8 or public housing waitlists open right now. Each listing says whether it is a lottery, a waitlist or first come.

How much does affordable housing cost in the San Francisco Bay Area?

Posted rents in the San Francisco Bay Area run from $554 to $4,248 a month, and the median starting rent is $1,758. Homes for sale are posted from $189,000 to $661,257. Rents in income-restricted rentals are usually set by a program formula tied to the middle income in the area (the area median income) instead of the market, so they are often lower than similar homes nearby.

What income do I need to qualify for affordable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area?

Among the 112 listings in the San Francisco Bay Area that post an income limit, the most a household of 2 can earn a year ranges from $17,565 to $206,500. Some programs also set a minimum income, and limits are higher for larger households. Both differ from listing to listing. The free qualify check compares your household with the income limit and rules on each open listing.

Can I apply online for affordable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area?

65 of the 117 open listings in the San Francisco Bay Area have an online application. Listings here link to housing.sanjoseca.gov (46 listings), housing.sfgov.org (44 listings) and housingbayarea.mtc.ca.gov (15 listings). Check each listing for any application fee the program states, and be careful with anyone who asks you to pay to enter a lottery.

When is the next housing deadline in the San Francisco Bay Area?

The next application deadline in the San Francisco Bay Area is Oct 6, 2026, and 34 open listings have a deadline still ahead. Listings without a deadline, such as waitlists and first come listings, stay open until the program closes them.

How lotteries, waitlists and first come work

All 117 open listings in the San Francisco Bay Area

The open listings we have here, with their kind of housing and how you get in. Open one to see its deadline, rent or price, income limits and how to apply.

Keep looking

Fair Shot Housing is not a government agency. Listing details come from public agency sources; always confirm them with the program before you apply.