Researcher Mapped San Francisco Rent-Controlled Housing
A new independent analysis provides a detailed look at the 166,000 rent-controlled units in the city.
Updated on Sept. 27, 2026 in Apartments
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In summer 2026, researcher Neil Rao released a comprehensive map of San Francisco rent-controlled housing by analyzing 463,000 public records. This project addresses the lack of an official, consolidated inventory from the city government.
Why it matters
Understanding which units carry rent-control protections helps tenants navigate lease renewals and provides clarity on local housing affordability. The research offers a clearer picture of tenant rights compared to the city’s official estimates of 166,000 protected units.
The analysis includes 174,000 mapped units out of roughly 250,000 total rentals in San Francisco. Rent-controlled units are generally capped at 1.6% annual increases, while units built after 1979 follow state law with a 5% base cap plus inflation.
The players
Neil Rao
An independent researcher who performed this study after volunteering with housing-insecure residents.
San Francisco Rent Board
The local agency that manages tenant protections and official public records for rent-controlled properties.
San Francisco Planning Department
The city department responsible for maintaining official estimates of the local housing stock.
The details
Rao processed diverse data including annual disclosures, move-out notifications, and tenant complaints from the San Francisco Rent Board to geocode these units. By using the AI tool Claude to synthesize these 463,000 records, the project visualizes where protections apply for buildings occupied before June 1979. This provides a clearer view of housing stability than the previous lack of a centralized city inventory allowed.
Timeline
The rent control ordinance established a cutoff date of June 1979.
The Ellis Act, which allows landlord exits from the rental business, passed in 1985.
A state law capping rent increases for newer units passed in 2019.
The data analysis project was conducted in Summer 2026.
The Home Front
This project fills a gap in the local housing landscape left by the city’s lack of a centralized inventory for units covered by the 1979 rent ordinance. It highlights the difficulty residents face in verifying protections when official data is dispersed across various agency records.
If you rent in San Francisco, check your building’s certification date to see if it predates June 1979, which may qualify your unit for rent control. Verify your specific status by requesting information on your unit's history through the San Francisco Rent Board.
The takeaway
Reliable data on rent control status is essential for tenants to ensure they are not overpaying on annual rent increases. Always retain copies of your original lease and any annual rent-adjustment disclosures provided by your landlord to verify that increases align with local caps.
Further reading
Learn more about local rental regulations at San Francisco Apartments.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The San Francisco Standard.
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