San Francisco Rental Application Form 2023

Rental Application Form is required before your SARA will be processed by your County Rent Office and can be found on the Rent Board's website: or by calling. The Rent Board can also be reached at or at during business hours. Rental Application Form provides landlords with information to determine eligibility, determine fair market rent, and review applicable housing laws. Rental application forms can be used to request a free copy of your rental agreement (when available) and to fill out and submit an SF5R (Request for Fair Rent) form. Rental Application Form is only valid for a period of 30 days. Any applications for additional copies will be refused from the date of the rental application form's submission or acceptance. Any additional copies you submit will be charged a 1 fee which must be paid at time of service. Any additional copies submitted after the 30-day period will be rejected. Your application form may be checked for completeness and sent electronically. If you submit multiple rental application forms, the Rent Board recommends using only one form. Note: You must sign and date rental application forms. Failure to complete application forms may result in the rejection of your application. Note: Do not use Adobe Reader to complete the rental application form. You will not be able to save a copy. If you are using Adobe Digital Editions, you can save a copy from the browser and save it to the hard Drive. If you are using an Apple OS X computer, please use the Microsoft .PDF Document viewer. PDF is not compatible with Adobe Digital Editions. The only Adobe Document reader that will work is the free Microsoft Reader, which can be found at: NOTE: The form does not require Adobe Reader. If you wish to print your application forms, you will have to download Adobe Free PDF Reader. If you print your application forms and the application form is damaged before the first use, you may return the rental application forms with your payment to the Rent Board office. If you prefer, you can have the rental application form professionally faxed to you. Please make sure to include the following information with each faxed copy: SF5R number, rental applicant's name and address and copy of the rental application form or rental agreement. Rental Application Form FAQ This form is for all Rent Board applicants/recipients.

A San Francisco City Clerk approved Residential Landlord Tenant Application form. You have to complete all three pieces of information. This process will take you approximately 20 minutes. When will a rent increase notice be sent to my property ? Before we send a mail to your property. The first mail-out will occur 30-60 days prior to the actual rent increase. After you have been notified of the actual rent increase, that mail-out will occur approximately 30 days after we send the notice. If you do not receive an increase mail, then you are eligible for a rent decrease! We try and keep you informed as soon as we receive your rent. What is the Rent Payment History check? If you wish to see your rent payment history or a history of your outstanding balances. What is the San Francisco Rent Increase Exemption Notice? It's a letter asking you to provide proof you meet state and federal income limits. Click here for an explanation. What is the Housing Access & Affordability (Section 8) application form ? This is a guide to helping you apply for the Housing Access & Affordability (Section 8) benefit. How long is it to process my application to the Rent Board ? The application is processed by a third party vendor, so it only takes 2-3 weeks. What should I do with my rent payment history ? The San Francisco Department of the Environment (the Department) can get your rent history for you if you submit it online. Click here to be taken to our online system. If you do not have your rent payment history, please have your landlord prepare a copy for you that you can send in to the Department. (See above). What is the San Francisco Rent Increase Exemption Certification Form ? Your landlord should submit a complete copy of this form to the Department upon request. You should receive a new Certificate within 30 days after the end of the month in which you applied for the exemption. How do I apply for a Rent Increase Exemption ? All residential property owners must complete an application form.

We welcome all applicants. There are a few circumstances in which we require further information that will help us review your application. If you require access to a file/document that will allow us to provide the necessary information, we will require a signed, “Fingerprint Consent” form along with a photo identification and SF Residential Unit Application Fee. If you are requesting the Form SF-4R, please note that you must provide a copy of your landlord's current Resident Registration Certificate (RRC) along with this form. You can check RRC status by entering the above information on your application. If you are required to submit a written response (written submission) to the above requirements, we must give you written instructions on how to complete this form. What documents must be submitted? The completed Residential Rental Application Form and the SF Residential Unit Application Fee is subject to a verification fee if required by applicable laws and regulations. However, the fee is waived for applicants who are residents of the State of California. In order to pay for the verification fee, please go to SF Rent Board website and locate a document number for each applicable state. Who will review the application and grant permission for my unit to be rented to my tenant? We will review the application form to determine if it is valid, contain no errors, and that there is sufficient tenant interest in this rental unit to be authorized to rent the unit. All tenants have first priority in applying to rent a unit. Only the property manager(s) and tenant(s) may apply for the initial authorization. To apply, you must register or update your contact information on our website using the appropriate registration information. Once you register or update your contact information, you do not need to return to the Rent Board website to apply for a rental unit registration. If the form is valid, and there is sufficient tenant interest, we will forward copies of all forms and payment documents to the property manager. We recommend that you keep all written documentation on file until the property manager contacts you. The property manager will be required on a periodic basis to provide the rent board with information on all rental units. (See Form SF-4R, Rent Board Letter for Landlords) How do I register or update my contact information? You can register to rent by mailing a completed Residential Rental Application Form to our office. The fee is 30.00.

San Francisco rental form requires a minimum of 5 completed pages that are printed on a single piece of paper. If you are unable to create your own form, you will not be able to file your rent. For more information, please contact our Rentals Department at or through our online form at. Visit our San Francisco rental form page for our rental form templates, sample form questions and answers, a detailed step-by-step rental form, printable versions of the SF Rental Application or a complete landlord checklist. Please contact us before you start your rental application. Who can I give a copy of my rental application to ? Only the person and/or company you are currently renting from. You do not need to give the full rental application to a prospective renter if you have made your rental application.

Sending in your Rental Application (Form DS-3054, Housing Element) to the Rent Board is the best way to secure your apartment. Our offices will review your application and make the decision if you are eligible to rent by checking the Housing Element. When your application is in the process of being processed, you can submit it to the Office of Administrative Hearings at the Housing Authority. It takes longer for that process to fully unfold then the time that it actually takes for us to review your application. If you wish to be considered as a “new applicant”, submit your application directly to the Office of Administrative Hearings. Are there any delays in processing my application form? Rent Board procedures are designed to be as fast as possible. However, in some cases, it may take longer than 2 weeks to process your application. How do I know when my application is complete? We make every effort to process each application as quickly as possible. However, there may be cases where the date on your form is different from when it was received. You should contact the Rent Board at or email rent.boardsfgov.org. What types of housing units are available? In the San Francisco Metropolitan Area, there are 2,743 rental units to rent or own. How many people qualify to live in a Rent Board-approved unit? There are currently 16,828 people living in Rental Housing approved by the California State Housing Authority (Callousing). Who is the target group for rent control? The following populations may be eligible for Rent Board-licensed housing: Low income, single persons, individuals with disabilities (including homeless individuals), veterans and family householders. How do I apply for a Rent Board-Registered Apartment? There are two approaches for applying for a Rent Board-authorized Apartment. You can apply directly to the Apartment, through the Apartment Manager or through the Rent Board. If you wish to apply through the Apartment Manager, you will need 1 year of credit with the Apartment Manager (minimum of 5 transactions) OR you have a minimum credit history of 3 months. If you do not have a credit history, you or your Apartment Manager can complete a written application form, then bring it to any Rental Center.

Please email a copy of the San Francisco Rent Stabilization Application (RFA) to or mail to: San Francisco Rental Application Attn: San Francisco Rental Application 100 Ellis Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102 Please use your SF Rent Stabilization Application as you will need it for your Rental Application. How do I get my San Francisco Rental Application Form back ? All rental applications are mailed, so you will need to provide one to either our Rental Coordinator or a member of our staff. Please check your mail regularly for your form. If you do not receive your form within 30 days, please let know, and we will make arrangements to send it to you, but there is no guarantee! In some cases, we will be able to make a refund only upon request for a reason such as insufficient rent or the tenant moving out prior to the 30-day window.

Click on the image above to see your San Francisco Rental Application. (The form only covers one rental). How much do my deposits for the following types of units vary from the deposit for another type of rental? For each of the following housing types: Non-Federal Tax Receipted Housing (NTFS) and Non-Federal Tax Receipted Housing (NTFS) units for new applicants, and Non-Federal Tax Receipted Housing (NTFS) units for current applicants, the deposit amounts are different. For more information regarding NTFS and NTFS units, refer to our San Francisco NTFS/NTFS Unit Information page. What other documents do I need to submit to the Housing Department if I rent a new, unoccupied unit? Click on the image above to see your current San Francisco Rental Application — Form 1150. Where can I find information regarding other tenant rights? For further information regarding tenant rights see our tenant rights page. Are there any conditions that I can be asked to meet before I receive my San Francisco Rental Application? Yes. In most cases, once you receive your rental application, the Housing Department will schedule the application review with you. However, it is possible that during the review process you will be asked to meet a Housing Department staff member. This interview is conducted in order to verify your employment status, as well as your eligibility to take a leave or a new job to be eligible for rent in San Francisco. You will receive an explanation of your reasons for the interview as well as the appropriate forms to mail to Housing. Please visit the “What You Need to Know About Rent in San Francisco” webpage to learn more. How will the Housing Department determine who can rent my unit, and how will they know where I can legally reside? During the rental application review process, the Housing Department will request information regarding your employment status and immigration status. Depending on the information requested by the Housing Department, they will then contact you directly, or ask for your written consent to e-mail you. The Housing Department's goal is to reach potential tenants within 30 days of receiving a Housing request.

Rental Application Form Application to rent a San Francisco Public Housing Apartments 1. Rental Application Form. For Rental Application Form, complete the entire application and submit your completed forms to all the San Francisco Rent office locations. It takes 10 minutes to complete your application and file your forms online at. You do not need to have an SF housing permit to use this option. 1.1 Application to Rent a San Francisco Public Housing Apartments One Rent Application Form is needed to apply for public housing. The forms on this page are for use by: SF residents currently staying in a public housing building that does not require a Housing Code-approved apartment any resident who is currently living in a public housing facility in the Bay Area 2. Application to Rent a Public Housing Apartments. 2.1 Application to Rent Federal Housing Apartments As a second option, you may choose to file an application in support of your rental application. This procedure is useful if you are able to demonstrate that you meet requirements for federal housing eligibility and that you do not have any federal housing need to qualify for public housing. Submit an application: to an SF Housing Authority Public Housing project in Oakland, Fremont, or Newark (in Oakland, only) to an SF Housing Authority in San Francisco, Maryville, Daly City, San Mateo, San Jose, or Mountain View (in Maryville only) To apply to public housing in Oakland and San Francisco, submit: to an SF Housing Authority project in Oakland where you reside now or are currently staying and are looking to rent 2.2 Application to Rent Federal Housing Apartments in San Francisco (All Rent) Submit an application to all SF Housing Authority projects in all four Bay Area cities (in Oakland, only). These applications will accept either an SF rental application form or an application for Federal housing. The forms available on this webpage are for SF Rent applicants only. You do not have to have an SF housing permit to use this option. Your application will be processed through the Bay Area office of SF Housing Authority. You should submit an Application To Rent Federal Housing Apartments for the full application, the rent application, your SF Housing Authority application in support of your rental application, and the required Federal housing funds application.

Each year, we receive hundreds of applications for housing, however, we limit the number of applications we consider for distribution to only a select number of people each year. Every year, we review all applications and select about 15 individuals to receive the necessary financial aid that will allow them to move into their desired home. Applications may be delayed before they move in if we cannot find a permanent home for the applicant. Who is eligible for subsidized housing in San Francisco? You qualify for help with housing if you are working, are on Section 8 housing assistance, or meet income limits set by your county. You do not need to be a resident of San Francisco to receive help with housing, but you need to be in the country legally. If you are not legally authorized to live in the U.S. you may be disqualified from receiving assistance. If you are living in San Francisco, you may have a hard time finding a place to live. However, San Francisco provides two types of government-subsidized housing. First, there are affordable homes for very low-income tenants. Second, there are government subsidized homes for low-income families that have been identified by the city to benefit from both supportive housing and low-cost units. There are many government programs that can help people meet their housing needs. Please find links to those below. What types of housing are available in San Francisco? Our government has committed to developing at least 2,500 units of housing per year. If you live in San Francisco, the city is very accommodating as you enter it into this city-sponsored process to try to find housing. They have many ways they can help, including: The Board of Supervisors has approved over 7,000 units of housing in the last 8 years including these subsidized affordable housing: There are other federal tax credits you can request as a renter/owner to pay the cost of rent: The San Francisco City College and California State University Colleges of Urban Agriculture (CSU) offer subsidized housing for students who participate in these programs. What else do I need to know about rental options in San Francisco? San Francisco offers a variety of government-subsidized housing including: Federal: You may qualify for the Section 8 housing assistance program. You must be living in an area that is designated as severely damaged by a fire or flood.

How much will it cost ? San Francisco Rentals are due by the next business day after the Rent payment is made to the landlord, or the next business day if we receive your rental application before your Rent payment is due. You will receive a rental application in the email you signed your application with. You do not need to complete and print our online form or bring it to our office. We will handle the online Rental Application form for you. The rental application fee is 40.00. This includes an application with a form letter addressed to us that contains the following information: • Name • Address • Telephone number • Email • Amount of rent due We will send your rental application form and payment to the address on our rental application form. When will I receive my rental application? All renters must submit the rent application by the due date on the rental application form. The due date is generally 30 business days from date of application. We appreciate your patience while we process your rental application. We will mail your application to the email address given on the rental application form or to the forwarding address provided. Furthermore, we will email you with status updates on the rental application. If the landlord has paid the rent, you will receive an email confirming the payment within 24 hours at which point you can proceed with the final step of the application. If we do not receive your rental application within the due date and time you will be notified by email so that you may resubmit. We will mail back your application to the mailing address where we received it. Do I need a valid San Francisco Rent Stabilization application for a new rental? Nope! A new rental application is required at the time of application. You can download our sample Rental Application for the first time renter here. You can also download the application for San Francisco Renters here. Where to send my rent payment You are entitled to your rental deposit no later than 2 weeks after you have paid your rent. As soon as we receive the rental application and pay off the outstanding rent balance, we are authorized to give you a check to cover the balance. You are entitled to receive a 1.5% of the remaining balance as a return of your deposit within 90 days from the date we send the 1.5% check.