“Where should I apply for Section 8 housing assistance in San Francisco?”

Short answer: Apply through the San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA). When SFHA opens its Section 8/Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waitlist, applications are submitted online.

Details:

• Where to apply when open: SFHA’s online portal (MyHousing). SFHA lists this portal in its HCV Waitlist FAQ. (sfha.org)
• Current status (as of October 15, 2026): SFHA shows the HCV/Section 8 waitlist is CLOSED. SFHA’s Project‑Based Voucher (PBV), RAD, and Public Housing waitlists are also closed. The most recent lottery window listed was May 7–21, 2025 (for RAD/PBV/Public Housing, not HCV). (sfha.org)
• Who runs Section 8 locally: San Francisco Housing Authority, 1815 Egbert Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124; Customer Care: (415) 715‑5200; general HCV information and contact appear on SFHA’s site. (sfha.org)
• If you need options while the HCV list is closed:
• Check DAHLIA, San Francisco’s official affordable‑housing portal, for non‑Section 8 (BMR/lottery) rentals and get email alerts for new listings. (housing.sfgov.org)
• Look at other nearby Public Housing Agencies (San Mateo, Alameda, Oakland, etc.) in case their HCV waitlists are open; HUD’s PHA directory and contact page can help you find and contact them. (hud.gov)

Want me to check today which Bay Area PHAs have Section 8 waitlists open?

I'll look up the official Section 8 application process for San Francisco.

Early results point to the Housing Authority — I'll verify the official details and current waitlist status.

The waitlists look closed, so I'll gather the official contact details for applying.

I found the office address — now I'll open the official Housing Authority site to confirm.

Apply through the Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco (SFHA) — the agency that operates the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) / Section 8 list.

Where to apply / contact

San Francisco Housing Authority - Customer Care Center Address: 1815 Egbert Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124 Phone: (415) 715-5200 E-mail: customercare@sfha.org

Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

Main website: sfha.org for more information.

In-person help at the same address:

Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco - Address: 1815 Egbert Avenue Hours: Weekdays: 8:00am-5:00pm Phone: (415) 715-5200

Important: Waitlist is currently CLOSED

Current SFHA wait list statuses list:

• Housing Choice Voucher (HCV)/Section 8 - CLOSED
• Project Based Voucher (PBV) - CLOSED
• Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) - CLOSED
• Public Housing - CLOSED

That means you cannot submit a new Section 8 application right now. You must wait for SFHA to announce a new opening.

Most recently, the Authority accepted online applications for the Rental Assistance Demonstration/Project-Based Voucher (RAD/PBV), and Public Housing waitlists between May 7, 2025 - May 21, 2025.

How applying works when it opens

• 1.Online only: Applications can be received from 05/07/2025 starting at 8:00 AM to 05/21/2025 ending at 5:00 PM. After 5:00 PM on 05/21/2025, the waitlist lottery opening will automatically close.

• 1.Lottery, not first-come: Within 30 days of the waitlist application closing, the Authority will use a lottery to randomly draw 24,000 names from the list of applications submitted. Applying for the lottery does NOT guarantee a place on a RAD/PBV or Public Housing waitlist.

Check the SFHA Waitlist page at sfha.org/housing-programs/waitlist for the next opening, and use the Waitlist Lottery Look Up: link to check status of a submitted application.

If you need a special voucher

The Authority also administers housing programs that require the applicant to be referred by a supportive service agency. These include:

• Emergency Housing Voucher Program
• Family Unification Program
• Foster Youth to Independence Initiative
• Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing

For those, you do not apply directly — you must go through the referring agency.

If you are already on a list and have a change of address, phone number, income, or family size, they must notify the Authority within 10 business days of the change by letter or in person at 1815 Egbert Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124.

You should apply for Section 8 housing assistance through the San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA), and when the Housing Choice Voucher waitlist is open, the application is online only.⁵¹⁰¹¹

• The SFHA runs the Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program for San Francisco.⁵
• The SFHA waitlist page says the HCV/Section 8 waitlist is currently closed, so you can only apply when it reopens.¹⁰
• When open, applications are submitted through the SFHA online waitlist application, not in person.¹¹¹
• SFHA’s main office is at 1815 Egbert Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124, and its customer care line is (415) 715-5200.⁴¹⁰¹⁵

If you want to check whether the waitlist has reopened or get help with eligibility, contact SFHA directly or monitor its waitlist page.⁸¹⁰²⁰

In San Francisco, the Section 8 program—officially known as the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program—is administered by the San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA).

1. The San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA)

• Website: sfha.org
• Application / Portal Link: sfha.myhousing.com
• Phone: (415) 715-5200
• Office Address: 1815 Egbert Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124

Important note about the Section 8 waitlist: The tenant-based Section 8 voucher waitlist is typically closed. When SFHA opens its waitlist, it usually announces a short online lottery window (often lasting only 1–2 weeks). Check the SFHA website regularly or subscribe to local alerts so you know when a lottery opens.

2. Check the DAHLIA Portal (SF Housing Portal)

Because the general Section 8 voucher list is often closed, the fastest way to access subsidized or below-market-rate (BMR) rental housing in the city is through DAHLIA, run by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD):

• Website: housing.sfgov.org
• DAHLIA lists active lotteries for affordable apartment complexes, senior housing, and project-based subsidized units (where rent assistance is tied directly to the building rather than an individual voucher).

3. Consider Other Bay Area Housing Authorities

You do not have to live in a specific city to apply for its housing authority's waitlist. Many applicants apply to open waitlists across neighboring Bay Area jurisdictions, such as:

• San Mateo County Housing Authority
• Oakland Housing Authority
• Housing Authority of the County of Alameda (HACA)
• Contra Costa County Housing Authority

(Note: If you receive a voucher from another county, you may be required to live in that county for the first 12 months before transferring or "porting" the voucher to San Francisco.)

4. Immediate or Emergency Assistance

If you are at immediate risk of eviction or experiencing homelessness, traditional Section 8 is rarely fast enough. You can reach out to:

• SF ERAP (Emergency Rental Assistance Program): Dial (415) 653-5744 for eviction-prevention rent relief.
• SF Coordinated Entry / 311: Call 311 to be connected with access points operated by the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH).

Apply through the Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco (SFHA), which administers the federal Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program locally.

Official site: sfha.org Waitlist status page: sfha.org/housing-programs/waitlist

As of the latest information on that page, the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV)/Section 8 waiting list is closed, along with the Project-Based Voucher (PBV), RAD, and Public Housing lists. When a list opens, applications are usually accepted online for a short window and selection is typically by lottery, not first-come, first-served. Check the official waitlist page regularly, because openings can be brief.

Contact SFHA Customer Care (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.):

• Phone: (415) 715-5200
• Email: customercare@sfha.org
• Address: 1815 Egbert Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124
• TTY: (415) 467-6754

Applications are always free. Do not pay anyone or any website to apply or “get you on the list.”

Some other SFHA programs (such as Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing/VASH, Emergency Housing Vouchers, Family Unification, and Foster Youth to Independence) are referral-only through partner agencies, not open public applications. For city affordable-housing lotteries that are separate from Section 8, see the DAHLIA portal via SF.gov.

Applying for Section 8 in San Francisco

Section 8 (now called the Housing Choice Voucher program) in San Francisco is administered by the Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco (SFHA). Here's where and how to apply:

Main Contact

The SF Housing Authority Section 8 Housing Department is located at 1815 Egbert Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124, phone 415.715.3280, fax 415.715.3287. You can also reach them by phone at 415-715-5200 to ask about applying.

Important: Waiting List Status

Keep in mind that SFHA's Section 8 waiting list typically operates on a lottery system, not first-come-first-served, and it opens only periodically rather than staying open year-round. The most recent known opening accepted online applications for the Housing Choice Voucher waiting list starting October 23, 2023 and closing November 6, 2023, with applications accepted online only, and placement on the waitlist being lottery-based, not first come, first served.

As of the last confirmed update, the SFHA last accepted Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list applications from October 23, 2023 until November 6, 2023, with no notice of when this waiting list will reopen. Because these windows are infrequent and unpredictable, it's worth checking SFHA's official site regularly or calling them directly to find out if the list is currently open.

How to Apply When the List Is Open

• Applications are accepted online only, and the online application is open 24 hours a day during the application period, with no fee for completing the application or receiving assistance with it.
• If you want help with your application, you can ask your local PHA office for hands-on assistance — they'll walk you through the process and ask for official documentation like pay stubs and Social Security numbers.

Other Helpful Resources

• SF Planning Department's Housing Resources page (sfplanning.org/housing-resources) — offers assistance from a housing counselor and language support, and the Housing Rights Committee of SF created a guide providing information and how to get assistance with Section 8 Vouchers.
• SF Apply — the city's portal for 100% affordable housing applications (separate from Section 8, but a useful related resource).

Eligibility Reminder

To qualify for Section 8 housing in San Francisco, tenants must earn below 50% of the median income in the San Francisco metro area. Income must not exceed 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for San Francisco, unless you're already receiving assistance from another housing authority, in which case it can be up to 80% AMI.

Bottom line: Call SFHA directly at 415-715-5200 or 415-715-3280, or check their website regularly, since the waitlist opens only occasionally via a lottery system rather than being continuously open for applications.

In San Francisco, Section 8 is the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program administered by the Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco (SFHA). You apply through SFHA, not directly through HUD. sf.gov sfha.org

Current status: SFHA’s waitlist page lists Housing Choice Voucher (HCV)/Section 8 as CLOSED, along with Project Based Voucher, RAD, and Public Housing waitlists. So there is no open Section 8 application right now. sfha.org

When SFHA reopens the Section 8/HCV waitlist, you would apply online through SFHA’s website/applicant portal. Watch the SFHA waitlist page for reopening announcements. sfha.org

Contact SFHA:

• Address: 1815 Egbert Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124
• Phone: (415) 715-5200
• Email: customercare@sfha.org
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM

sfha.org

For other rental opportunities while Section 8 is closed, SF.gov says you can view listings and apply on the DAHLIA San Francisco Housing Portal, and you can contact organizations such as Catholic Charities SF, Compass Family Services, and Hamilton Families about rent subsidies. sf.gov