Market overview
AvalonBay, Equity, and a long tail of independent landlords own most of the inventory. The San Francisco Rent Board limits annual increases on covered units (~1.4% for 2026).
Top neighborhoods
- SoMa: Class-A high-rises. Premium pricing.
- Mission: Mix of small landlords and rent-controlled buildings.
- Sunset: Mostly single-family and small multifamily.
Tenant law cheat sheet
California: AB 1482 caps annual increases statewide at 5% + CPI (max 10%) on covered units. Local SF rent control is stricter for pre-1979 buildings.