East Cut Senior Housing: 120 Lottery Apartments From $324 a Month at 272 Folsom Street

Published October 16, 202619 min readBy VoucherMatch Editorial Team

Rendering of a nine-story apartment building in cream and dark gray panels on a street corner, with a glass-walled ground floor, street trees and people on the sidewalk, and an orange tower beside it — Rendering of 272 Folsom Street, San Francisco, from the corner of Folsom and Beale streets. The orange tower drawn beside it is on the eastern half of the block, the site of Lark Landing. The view is from the October 2022 schematic design printed in the City's loan evaluation, so details of the finished building may differ. Photo: Mithun, project rendering in a City document, via City loan evaluation for Transbay Block 2 West, April 7, 2023 (schematic design sheets) (cropped from the page and enlarged).

Quick answer272 Folsom Street is a new nine-story building of 151 apartments for people 62 and older in San Francisco's East Cut. The City filled 120 of them through a DAHLIA lottery on September 19, 2025, at rents from $324 for a studio to $1,440 for a one-bedroom, and the record marks all 120 occupied. Another 30 are for formerly homeless seniors, by referral. Applications are closed; the listing allows a waiting list of up to 500 households. DAHLIA says vouchers can be used, and the building's criteria say nothing more about them.

Last checked: October 6, 2026, against the DAHLIA listing, the building's Resident Selection Criteria (August 2025), the City's April 2023 loan evaluation and May 29, 2024 release, the Housing Authority's 2026 payment standards and utility allowances, building permit 202208019628 and the City's guide to applying. The listing and the selection criteria set the rules.

272 Folsom in numbers

120apartments filled from the lottery, in a nine-story building of 151
62the minimum age, for every member of the household
$324the lowest rent, for a studio
5,057lottery applications, about 42 per apartment
60lottery apartments priced at the two lowest levels
0 of 120lottery apartments the record still marks available

What Was Built at 272 Folsom Street

272 Folsom is a nine-story building of 151 apartments for seniors on the western half of Transbay Block 2, at Folsom and Beale streets: 120 were filled by lottery, 30 are for formerly homeless seniors and one is the manager's.

Names and addresses: City records call it Transbay Block 2 West, and the building permit uses 200 Folsom Street. DAHLIA lists it as 272 Folsom. The borrower in the loan evaluation is Transbay 2 Senior LP.
Sizes: 39 studios and 111 one-bedrooms, plus a two-bedroom for the manager.
Team: Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC) developed and manages it. Mithun is the architect and Swinerton the builder in the loan evaluation.
Street level: three shop spaces totaling 2,945 square feet, according to the loan evaluation.
Land: the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII), the successor to the Redevelopment Agency, owns it.
Money: on April 7, 2023 the City's Loan Committee reviewed $65,011,065 in OCII funding. The total cost was then put at $132,175,537.
Next door: Lark Landing, 184 family apartments by Mercy Housing, shares the block.

272 Folsom Street, from bus terminal to full building

2019bus operations leave the Temporary Transbay Terminal for the Salesforce Transit Center.
August 1, 2022the building permit is filed. The City issues it on October 24, 2023.
March 11, 2024construction starts, by the City's dataset.
May 29, 2024groundbreaking for both Block 2 buildings. The City says Block 2 West will be finished in winter 2025.
September 5, 2025lottery applications close at 5 p.m.
September 19, 2025the lottery. The results are dated September 26.
February 18, 2026the City dataset's estimate for the end of construction.

What it means: the lottery ran about five months before the building was due to be finished, and the record now shows every lottery apartment occupied.

Source: building permit 202208019628; City release of May 29, 2024; DAHLIA listing; the City's affordable housing pipeline dataset.

Rendering of the building from a street corner: a lower wing with tall bay windows and a planted roof terrace steps up to the nine-story block, with a glass-walled ground floor and street trees — Rendering from the corner of Beale Street and the planned Clementina Street extension, with the roof terrace above the lower wing. From the October 2022 schematic design. Photo: Mithun, project rendering in a City document, via City loan evaluation for Transbay Block 2 West, April 7, 2023 (schematic design sheets) (cropped from the page and enlarged).

Where 272 Folsom Is

272 Folsom is on the north side of Folsom Street at Beale Street, in ZIP code 94105 and Supervisor District 6.

The place, in local terms

Neighborhoodthe East Cut in the City's 2024 release. DAHLIA files the building under Financial District/South Beach, and the City's pipeline dataset also says South of Market. VoucherMatch lists the area under Rincon Hill.
The blockTransbay Block 2, bounded by Folsom, Beale and Main streets and a planned extension of Clementina Street. A public park is planned on the block to the north.
Supervisor District6, which the Neighborhood Resident preference uses.

What it means: search by the address, because the neighborhood label changes from record to record. VoucherMatch lists voucher apartments in Rincon Hill, South Beach and the Financial District.

Source: City release of May 29, 2024; City loan evaluation; DAHLIA listing; City pipeline dataset.

Rendering of the building seen across a planted open space with a play area and a green bicycle lane: a lower wing with bay windows and a roof terrace in front of the taller block, with glass towers behind — Rendering from the DAHLIA listing: the Clementina Street side of the building, seen across a planted open space with a play area. The City plans a park on the block north of the site. Photo: Chinatown Community Development Center, from the DAHLIA listing, listing rendering, via DAHLIA listing for 272 Folsom (cropped and enlarged).

Transit near 272 Folsom Street
Stop or station	Lines	Straight-line distance
Main St and Folsom St	12 Folsom-Pacific	0.05 miles
Howard St and Main St	30X Marina Express	0.10 miles
Salesforce Transit Center	38 Geary, 38R, 5 Fulton, 5R, 7 Haight-Noriega, 25 Treasure Island	0.15 to 0.18 miles
The Embarcadero and Folsom St	Muni Metro N Judah	0.19 miles
Embarcadero	BART; Muni Metro J, K, L, M, N	0.35 miles

What it means: eight bus lines and a Muni Metro stop are within a fifth of a mile, and BART is about a third of a mile away. The building has no parking.

Source: stops and lines from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's schedule data and BART's station list, read October 6, 2026; distances calculated by VoucherMatch in a straight line from the building's coordinates in the City's dataset, so the walk is longer. The schedule data also lists K, L and M trips at the Embarcadero and Folsom stop.

Rents and Income Limits in the 272 Folsom Lottery

The 120 lottery apartments rent for fixed amounts at four income levels: $324 to $1,279 for a studio and $349 to $1,440 for a one-bedroom.

Monthly rent and income range in the lottery, by apartment type
Apartment	Level	Apartments	Rent	Lowest yearly income	Highest, 1 person	Highest, 2 people
Studio	15%	8	$324	$7,776	$16,350	$18,700
Studio	25%	8	$598	$14,352	$27,300	$31,200
Studio	30%	10	$734	$17,616	$32,750	$37,400
Studio	50%	5	$1,279	$30,696	$54,550	$62,350
One-bedroom	15%	22	$349	$8,376	$16,350	$18,700
One-bedroom	25%	22	$661	$15,864	$27,300	$31,200
One-bedroom	30%	14	$816	$19,584	$32,750	$37,400
One-bedroom	50%	31	$1,440	$34,560	$54,550	$62,350

What it means: half the lottery apartments, 60 of 120, rent for $661 or less.

Source: DAHLIA listing and its unit records, read October 6, 2026; the record was last changed on September 29, 2026. The listing gives the minimum as a monthly income of two times the rent; the yearly figure is that amount times 12. Income ceilings are the City's (MOHCD) chart for 2025.

Three people: a one-bedroom takes up to three. The ceilings for three are $21,050, $35,050, $42,100 and $70,150.
Sixty apartments carry a senior subsidy. The loan evaluation says 60 apartments for extremely low-income seniors are "supported by rental subsidies from the Senior Operating Subsidy" program. The lottery has exactly 60 apartments at 15% and 25%. Neither the listing nor the criteria says which apartments carry it.
The City's chart, not the State's. On the State's 2026 tax-credit chart, used at 850 Turk Street, 50% for one person is $73,550. On the City's 2025 chart used here it is $54,550.
These were the lease-up rents. No later schedule for the building is posted.
Size: studios are 366 to 452 square feet and one-bedrooms 490 to 655.

Rendering of the nine-story building from across an intersection: cream and dark gray panels in a staggered pattern above a glass ground floor with shop spaces, people crossing the street and office towers behind — Rendering from the DAHLIA listing, showing the same corner as the drawing at the top of this report, with the shop spaces at the sidewalk. Photo: Chinatown Community Development Center, from the DAHLIA listing, listing rendering, via DAHLIA listing for 272 Folsom (cropped and enlarged).

What tenants pay besides rent

Application fee$0 in the listing.
Security deposit$324 to $1,440. The criteria let the manager take it in three equal payments, one-third at move-in and the rest by the third month.
Utilitiesthe resident pays PG&E, phone and cable.
Other charges$10 for rent paid after the 5th, $25 for a returned check or a lock-out, $15 for a key and $25 for a fob.

Source: DAHLIA listing, read October 6, 2026; Resident Selection Criteria of August 2025.

Using a Section 8 Voucher at 272 Folsom

DAHLIA says vouchers can be used at this property, and the building's own criteria do not mention vouchers or a minimum income at all.

What the documents say about vouchers

DAHLIA, on every rental listing"Section 8 housing vouchers and other valid rental assistance programs can be used for this property."
DAHLIA, on minimum income"In the case of a valid rental subsidy, the required minimum income will be based on the portion of the rent that the tenant pays after use of the subsidy."
The criteriaa search of the 30-page document finds neither "voucher" nor "Section 8." Discrimination by source of income is barred in its opening section.
Creditthe listing says "CCDC does not check credit." The criteria say applications "will not be denied based on credit score or personal payment history."

What it means: DAHLIA's general rule is the only written one. With a voucher, the minimum is two times the part of the rent you pay yourself.

Source: DAHLIA listing text; Resident Selection Criteria of August 2025, its opening and screening sections, all read October 6, 2026.

Lowest and highest lottery rent at 272 Folsom against the San Francisco Housing Authority's 2026 payment standard, by apartment size, dollars

Lowest rentHighest rentPayment standard

Studio

$324

$1,279

$2,733

One-bedroom

$349

$1,440

$3,274

View the data table

Apartment	Lowest rent	Highest rent	Payment standard
Studio	$324	$1,279	$2,733
One-bedroom	$349	$1,440	$3,274

What it means: every lottery rent is at least $1,454 under the standard for its size.

Source: rents from the DAHLIA listing; payment standards from the Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco (SFHA), effective January 1, 2026, one schedule for the whole city.

Utilities still fit. You pay PG&E, so SFHA adds a utility allowance to the rent. On its 2026 schedule for buildings of five or more apartments, every electric line together comes to $215 for a studio, which leaves the $1,279 studio $1,239 under the standard. See how the utility allowance works.
A voucher matters most at the 30% and 50% levels, where the minimum income is $17,616 to $34,560 a year.
A voucher from another agency has to move first. It must be transferred to SFHA through portability. SFHA is on the California housing authority list, and Section 8 in San Francisco explains its rules.
State law. The California Civil Rights Department lists "Source of income (including the use of government rental assistance such as a Section 8 Housing Choice voucher)" as protected in housing.

How the Rents Compare With Typical Rents in ZIP Code 94105

Every lottery rent at 272 Folsom is between 10% and 44% of HUD's estimate of an ordinary rent in ZIP code 94105.

Lowest and highest lottery rent at 272 Folsom against HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rent for ZIP code 94105, by apartment size, dollars

Lowest rentHighest rentHUD fair market rent, ZIP 94105

Studio

$324

$1,279

$2,940

One-bedroom

$349

$1,440

$3,520

View the data table

Apartment	Lowest rent	Highest rent	HUD fair market rent, ZIP 94105
Studio	$324	$1,279	$2,940
One-bedroom	$349	$1,440	$3,520

What it means: the highest rent in the lottery, $1,440 for a one-bedroom, is $2,080 under HUD's figure.

Source: rents from the DAHLIA listing; HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents for fiscal year 2027, in effect since October 1, 2026, HUD's estimate of the 40th-percentile rent in the ZIP code with utilities included.

Utilities: HUD's figure includes all utilities and these rents leave out PG&E, so the real gap is somewhat smaller.
Nearby: see voucher apartments in 94105 and California rent limits by county.

Who Got Preference in the Lottery

Certificate of Preference holders were ranked first for every apartment, and applicants who neither live nor work in San Francisco were ranked last.

Preference order at 272 Folsom, with applications and apartments in the record

1. Certificate of Preferencehouseholds displaced by the former Redevelopment Agency in the 1960s and 1970s, and their descendants. All 120 apartments. 14 applications; 3 apartments.
2. Displaced Tenantholders of the City's Displaced Tenant Housing Preference certificate. Up to 24 apartments. 12 applications; 5 apartments.
3. Neighborhood Residentpeople living in Supervisor District 6 or within half a mile. Up to 48 apartments. 433 applications, plus 5 from veterans; 48 apartments.
4. Live or Work in San Franciscoall remaining apartments. 4,079 applications, plus 24 from veterans; 64 apartments.
Veteransranked first within each preference.
No preference964 applications, ranked after the rest; no apartments.

What it means: every apartment went to a household with a preference. The 48 neighborhood apartments drew about 9 applications each, against about 42 for the lottery as a whole.

Source: application counts and order from the DAHLIA listing record. Apartments are counted by VoucherMatch from the record's units-remaining figure for each preference; the eight figures account for all 120, and the City does not publish them as a table. An application can claim more than one preference, so the application counts exceed the 5,057 total.

Who counts as a senior household

Age62 or older. The criteria say "All household members must be 62 years of age or older."
Proofthe listing asks for "Proof of identification, including age." The criteria require every applicant's date of birth on the application.
Household sizeone or two people in a studio and one to three in a one-bedroom.
Live-in aidesthe criteria describe an aide as "a person who resides with the senior who is not part of the household." The leasing agent verifies the need before move-in, and an aide cannot stay on after the senior leaves.
The 30 referral apartmentsfor seniors who "would be homeless without this housing," referred through the City's Coordinated Entry system.

What it means: a spouse, partner or relative under 62 does not qualify as a member of the household.

Source: DAHLIA listing; Resident Selection Criteria of August 2025.

The City posted the ranked lottery results, dated September 26, 2025.

The Building: What Is Included and What Is Not

The shared rooms, the rooftop terrace and the laundry room come with the building, pets are allowed and there is no parking.

Included, not included and rules

Shared spacesa laundry room, a community room, a bike storage room and a rooftop terrace.
Elevatorstwo.
Accessibilitythe listing says "Fully ADA accessible, two elevators, wheelchair access in lobby & courtyard." Its unit records mark 53 lottery apartments for mobility impairments, 6 for hearing or vision impairments, 7 for all three and 54 as adaptable.
Servicesthe listing says resident services are provided. The City's 2024 release says CCDC runs them on site.
Petscommon household pets are allowed, under the City's animal ordinances.
Parkingnone on site.
Smokingnot allowed.

Source: DAHLIA listing and its unit records, read October 6, 2026; City release of May 29, 2024.

How to Get Into 272 Folsom Now

There is no open application: every lottery apartment is marked occupied, so the routes left are the waiting list and a referral.

Three routes into 272 Folsom after the lottery

1If you applied in 2025the criteria provide one waiting list of 500 applicants, in lottery rank order. CCDC contacts everyone on it once a year (a second passage says every six months) and removes anyone who does not answer by the deadline in its letter.
2If you are 62 or older and homelessthe 30 referral apartments are filled through the City's Coordinated Entry system, run by the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.
3If you did not applynothing is open. The criteria say a person removed from the list "may reapply, if the Waiting List is open," and no reopening has been announced. New City listings are posted on DAHLIA.

What happens when an apartment opens

The offerit goes to the applicant at the top of the waiting list for that apartment type. If CCDC cannot reach that person within 5 calendar days, the offer is canceled and passes to the next name.
After a missed offerCCDC sends a letter asking whether the applicant wants to stay on the list. No reply within 5 calendar days removes the name.
Two refusalsan applicant who turns down two apartments is removed.
Rental historyCCDC checks two years with current and former landlords. The criteria let an applicant with less history substitute personal or professional references.
Evictionsone in the past three years or two in the past five can disqualify. No-fault evictions, including Ellis Act and owner move-in evictions, do not count.
A denialan appeal is due within 5 calendar days of the notice.

What it means: keep your phone, address and backup contact current with the leasing office, because a missed call or letter ends your place on the list.

Source: Resident Selection Criteria of August 2025, its waiting-list, screening and appeal sections; DAHLIA listing.

Documents to have ready if you are called

Government photo ID. for every adult. The criteria do not accept Muni cards or check-cashing cards.
Date of birth. for every applicant, with proof of age
Benefit statements. Social Security, SSI or pension letters
Pay stubs. the last three months, if anyone works
Bank statements. the last six, plus other asset statements
Voucher paperwork. your Section 8 voucher, if you have one
Landlord contacts. for the past two years, or references if you have less history

Source: the City's guide to applying (April 2026), list for 100% affordable buildings; Resident Selection Criteria of August 2025; DAHLIA listing.

Watch outthe listing's minimum income is two times the rent, even at the lowest level: $648 a month for the $324 studio. The criteria do not say how that minimum is applied to the 60 apartments with the senior subsidy. Ask before assuming your income is too low or too high.

The leasing agent in the DAHLIA listing is at 415-821-8950 and tb2w@chinatowncdc.org, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What Is Known and What Is Not Yet Published

Five things a renter needs are not settled in the listing, the criteria or any other document read for this report.

Not published as of October 6, 2026

Whether the waiting list is openthe listing allows up to 500 households and does not say how many are on the list.
How the senior subsidy works for a tenantthe loan evaluation names it; neither the listing nor the criteria explain it.
The voucher rule in the building's own wordsthe criteria are silent.
Today's rentsthe listing shows the lease-up rents.
A household member under 62the criteria say every household member must be 62 or older. A separate passage on subsidized apartments says a member who stays after the senior leaves "must be of legal contract age under state law." The document does not reconcile the two.

If You Need an Apartment Sooner

272 Folsom is full, so keep other options moving.

1 bedroom apartment in Chinatown, Outside NYC — San Francisco apartments on VoucherMatch that take vouchers, nearest to 272 Folsom first

1 bedroom apartment in Tenderloin, Outside NYC — San Francisco apartments on VoucherMatch that take vouchers, nearest to 272 Folsom first

Voucher in hand: browse Section 8 apartments in San Francisco, including studios and one-bedrooms.
No voucher yet: check which Section 8 waiting lists are open.
Open lotteries: on October 6, 2026, DAHLIA's rental listings had two new buildings taking applications, neither limited to seniors: 850 Turk Street until October 13 and Luca until October 22.
Buildings where you apply directly: see low-income apartments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 272 Folsom take Section 8?

DAHLIA says vouchers can be used for this property. The building's criteria do not mention vouchers. Every lottery rent is at least $1,454 under SFHA's 2026 payment standard for its size.

How much is rent at 272 Folsom?

In the 2025 lottery: $324, $598, $734 or $1,279 for a studio and $349, $661, $816 or $1,440 for a one-bedroom, depending on the income level. Residents also pay PG&E, phone and cable.

How old do you have to be to live at 272 Folsom?

62 or older. The listing applies the age rule to the entire household and asks for proof of age, and the criteria say all household members must be 62 or older.

How much can you earn and still qualify?

For one person, no more than $16,350, $27,300, $32,750 or $54,550 a year, depending on the level. For two people the ceilings are $18,700 to $62,350.

Can I still apply to 272 Folsom?

No. Applications closed at 5 p.m. on September 5, 2025, and all 120 lottery apartments are marked occupied. The waiting list holds up to 500 applicants from that lottery, and no reopening has been announced.

Is 272 Folsom the same as Transbay Block 2 West?

Yes. City records use Transbay Block 2 West, and the building permit gives the address as 200 Folsom Street. DAHLIA and the leasing office use 272 Folsom.

Are the rents at 272 Folsom below market?

Yes. HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rent for a one-bedroom in ZIP code 94105 is $3,520. The lottery one-bedrooms rent for $349 to $1,440.

Is there parking at 272 Folsom?

No. The listing says "No parking onsite." The building has a bike storage room.

Sources for this article (12)

DAHLIA listing (housing.sfgov.org)
Resident Selection Criteria (media.api.sf.gov)
April 2023 loan evaluation (media.api.sf.gov)
May 29, 2024 release (sf.gov)
2026 payment standards (sfha.org)
utility allowances (sfha.org)
building permit (data.sf.gov)
guide to applying (sfplanning.org)
California Civil Rights Department (calcivilrights.ca.gov)
Small Area Fair Market Rents (huduser.gov)
lottery results (media.api.sf.gov)
rental listings (housing.sfgov.org)

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Every rule, date and dollar amount in this article is checked against the agency document it comes from, and the sources are listed above. How VoucherMatch articles are researched and corrected