10/12/2026
San Francisco Housing Outlook
After decades helping clients navigate San Francisco’s ever-changing housing landscape, I’ve seen first-hand how affordability and supply are tightly linked in our city. A recent scorecard placed San Francisco in the F-grade group when it comes to balancing local affordability with homebuilding activity—a tough but honest assessment of the challenges we face. The evaluation weighed both current attainability for local households and whether new construction is keeping up with demand. It’s no surprise that permitting volumes and the pricing of new versus existing homes played a big role in the results.
The big takeaway for us: when zoning is more flexible and permitting processes are streamlined, we can make real progress on access and opportunities for buyers. As someone who’s guided clients through everything from first-time purchases to complex short sales, I know how critical it is for our market to support future homeowners by making building easier. For those looking ahead, it’s clear that cities prioritizing new construction and smart policies will open more doors for residents over time.