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Western Addition Housing Lottery: 91 Apartments From $931 a Month at 850 Turk Street

20 min readBy VoucherMatch Editorial Team
Rendering of an eight-story white apartment building with scattered dark windows and a wood-lined, four-story opening above the entrance, seen from across Turk Street with street trees, pedestrians and a cyclist
Rendering of 850 Turk Street, San Francisco, seen from Turk Street. The same rendering appears on the building's DAHLIA listing. Photo: David Baker Architects, project rendering, via David Baker Architects, 850 Turk project page (cropped).
Quick answerAs of October 6, 2026, San Francisco's housing portal, DAHLIA, is taking lottery applications for 91 income-restricted apartments at 850 Turk Street, a new eight-story MidPen Housing building between Gough and Franklin streets. Rents run from $931 for a studio to $2,951 for a three-bedroom. The deadline is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. Section 8 vouchers can be used: the building's criteria waive its minimum income for Housing Authority voucher holders, and every rent is under the Housing Authority's 2026 payment standard.

Last checked: October 6, 2026, against the DAHLIA listing, the building's Resident Selection Criteria (September 8, 2026), the Housing Authority's 2026 payment standards and utility allowances, the City's 2024 loan evaluation, building permit 202212087884 and the City's guide to applying. The listing and the criteria set the rules; confirm there before you apply.

850 Turk Street in numbers
  • 91apartments in the lottery, in an eight-story building
  • $931the lowest rent, for a studio
  • Oct. 13the 2026 deadline, at 5 p.m.
  • $22,344the lowest qualifying yearly income without a voucher
  • 5,381applications in by October 6, about 59 per apartment
  • 15 of 15rent levels under the Housing Authority's payment standard

What Is Being Built at 850 Turk Street

850 Turk Street is a new eight-story building with 92 apartments on State-owned land that held a parking structure for the Employment Development Department, and 91 of the apartments are in this lottery.

  • Names: DAHLIA lists it as 850 Turk Street. The City calls it 850 Turk, and MidPen's property profile is headed 850 Turk Family Housing. The owner on City records is MP Turk Street Associates, L.P.
  • Size: the building permit is for eight stories and 92 apartments. The City's loan evaluation counts 28 studios, 16 one-bedrooms, 21 two-bedrooms and 27 three-bedrooms, and says one two-bedroom is the manager's.
  • Team: MidPen Housing is the developer, with Tishman Speyer as development partner. David Baker Architects designed it and Cahill Contractors is the builder.
  • Land: the State keeps the land and leases it for $1 a year, according to the loan evaluation. A street-level garage keeps 30 spaces for State employees.
  • Money: the criteria name the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. The 2024 evaluation showed a $5 million City loan, $22 million from the State's Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program and a total cost of $98.9 million.
850 Turk Street, from State parking structure to lottery
  • May 2021the State selects MidPen Housing to develop the site.
  • December 8, 2022MidPen files for the building permit. The City issues it on December 1, 2023.
  • August 16, 2024the City's Loan Committee reviews a $5 million loan.
  • April 30, 2025the City issues the permit to demolish the parking structure.
  • June 18, 2025groundbreaking ceremony with the mayor and State officials.
  • October 13, 2026lottery applications close at 5 p.m.
  • March 1, 2027estimated completion in the City's housing dataset.

What it means: the lottery runs about five months before the building is due to be finished, so move-ins are not expected before 2027.

Source: City building permits 202212087884 and 202406144550; the loan evaluation; the City's June 18, 2025 release; the City's affordable housing pipeline dataset.

Rendering of a courtyard between white apartment wings, with curved open-air walkways on the floors above, planters, boulders and children kicking a ball
Rendering of the second-floor courtyard at 850 Turk Street, with the open-air walkways that lead to the apartments. Photo: David Baker Architects, project rendering, via David Baker Architects, 850 Turk project page (cropped).

Where 850 Turk Street Is

850 Turk Street is on Turk Street between Gough and Franklin streets, west of Van Ness Avenue, in ZIP code 94102 and Supervisor District 2.

What the area is called, depending on who you ask
  • DAHLIA listingWestern Addition.
  • City and MidPen"at the intersection of the Civic Center, Hayes Valley, and Tenderloin neighborhoods."
  • City planning dataDowntown/Civic Center.
  • SF YIMBYthe Fillmore District.
  • Supervisor District2, which the Neighborhood Resident preference uses.

What it means: one block goes by four neighborhood names, so search by the address. VoucherMatch lists voucher apartments under Western Addition, Civic Center and Hayes Valley.

Source: DAHLIA listing; City release of June 18, 2025; City pipeline dataset; SF YIMBY, June 19, 2025.

Transit near 850 Turk Street
Stop or stationLinesStraight-line distance
Eddy St and Gough St31 Balboa0.07 miles
Van Ness Ave and Eddy St49 Van Ness-Mission, 90 San Bruno Owl0.14 miles
McAllister St and Gough St5 Fulton0.16 miles
O'Farrell St and Van Ness Ave38 Geary, 38R Geary Rapid0.21 miles
Eddy St and Polk St19 Polk0.24 miles
Van Ness StationMuni Metro J, K, L, M, N0.51 miles
Civic Center/UN PlazaBART0.51 miles

What it means: five bus lines stop within a quarter mile, and Muni Metro and BART are about half a mile away. The building has no resident 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.

Rents and Income Limits for Each Apartment

The 91 apartments are priced at four income levels, from 30% to 60% of area median income on the State tax-credit chart, and each level has its own rent and income range.

Monthly rent and lowest qualifying income, by apartment
ApartmentsRentLowest yearly incomePeople
8 studios, 30%$931$22,3441 to 2
12 studios, 40%$1,299$31,1761 to 2
8 studios, 50%$1,666$39,9841 to 2
5 one-bedrooms, 30%$971$23,3041 to 3
5 one-bedrooms, 40%$1,365$32,7601 to 3
3 one-bedrooms, 50%$1,759$42,2161 to 3
3 one-bedrooms, 60%$2,153$51,6721 to 3
6 two-bedrooms, 30%$1,167$28,0082 to 5
6 two-bedrooms, 40%$1,640$39,3602 to 5
4 two-bedrooms, 50%$2,112$50,6882 to 5
4 two-bedrooms, 60%$2,585$62,0402 to 5
6 three-bedrooms, 30%$1,329$31,8964 to 7
9 three-bedrooms, 40%$1,893$45,4324 to 7
6 three-bedrooms, 50%$2,439$58,5364 to 7
6 three-bedrooms, 60%$2,951$70,8244 to 7

What it means: without a Section 8 voucher, a household needs at least $22,344 a year to qualify for anything in the building.

Source: DAHLIA listing, read October 6, 2026. The listing gives the minimum as a monthly income of two times the rent ($1,862 for the $931 studio); the yearly figure is that amount times 12.

Highest yearly household income allowed, 2026
Household30%40%50%60%
1 person$44,130$58,840$73,550$88,260
2 people$50,430$67,240$84,050$100,860
3 people$56,730$75,640$94,550$113,460
4 people$63,030$84,040$105,050$126,060
5 people$68,100$90,800$113,500$136,200
6 people$73,140$97,520$121,900$146,280
7 people$78,180$104,240$130,300$156,360

What it means: one person earning $50,000 is over the 30% limit. The 40% and 50% studios and one-bedrooms fit; the 60% one-bedroom needs $51,672.

Source: California Tax Credit Allocation Committee limits for 2026, as printed in the criteria and matched to DAHLIA's income data on October 6, 2026.

  • No gaps between levels. A one-person household earning anywhere from $22,344 to $88,260 fits at least one apartment.
  • Why older reports say 40% to 80%. The City measures the same apartments on its own chart, where its 40%, 60%, 70% and 80% line up with 30%, 40%, 50% and 60% here. A household has to be under each chart's limit, and the tax-credit figure is the lowest at every household size.
  • Household size is checked. Children under 6 do not count toward the maximum in the "People" column.
  • The rent does not follow your income. The loan evaluation says "The Project has no rental subsidies," and the listing says the apartments are not under rent control.
Floor plans of a 281-square-foot studio with a combined bedroom and living area, a kitchen and a bath, and a 463-square-foot one-bedroom with a living room, a bedroom, a kitchen and a bath
Sample plans for a studio (281 square feet) and a one-bedroom (463 square feet) at 850 Turk Street. The two are not drawn to the same scale, and MidPen notes that layouts vary. Photo: MidPen Housing, marketing floor plans, via MidPen Housing, 850 Turk Street unit plans (two plans placed side by side).

The listing gives studios of 281 to 314 square feet, one-bedrooms of 463 to 526, two-bedrooms of 605 to 703 and three-bedrooms of 777 to 972. MidPen's sample plans include a two-bedroom of 818 square feet, above the listing's range, so ask which plan an offer refers to.

Floor plans of a 703-square-foot two-bedroom with one bath and a 972-square-foot three-bedroom with two baths, each with a kitchen open to the living room
Sample plans for a two-bedroom (703 square feet) and a three-bedroom (972 square feet) at 850 Turk Street. The two are not drawn to the same scale. Photo: MidPen Housing, marketing floor plans, via MidPen Housing, 850 Turk Street unit plans (two plans placed side by side).
What you pay besides rent
  • Application fee$35, which DAHLIA labels "per applicant age 18 and over."
  • Security deposit$300 to $1,000.
  • Utilitiesthe renter pays electricity, cable and internet.
  • Other charges$30 for rent paid after the 5th, $25 for a returned check or a lock-out, $25 for a key and $35 for a fob.
  • Petsa $300 deposit and no monthly fee.

Source: DAHLIA listing, read October 6, 2026.

Using a Section 8 Voucher at 850 Turk Street

Yes, a voucher can be used here: DAHLIA says so for this property, and the building's criteria say its minimum income does not apply to an applicant with a Section 8 voucher from the Housing Authority.

What the two 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 building's criteria"Minimum income is not applicable to applicants with a Section 8 voucher from the Housing Authority."

What it means: the building's own rule is the more generous one, and it is written for this address.

Source: DAHLIA listing text, read October 6, 2026; Resident Selection Criteria, section VI.B.6.

Watch outthe criteria's waiver names a Section 8 voucher from the Housing Authority. For other subsidies, DAHLIA's application says: "If you have a subsidy, your income has to be two times the tenant portion of the rent. We will check this after the lottery." Ask the leasing office at (415) 678-1380 how it treats yours.
Lowest and highest rent at 850 Turk Street against the San Francisco Housing Authority's 2026 payment standard, dollars a month
Lowest rentHighest rentPayment standard
View the data table
ApartmentLowest rentHighest rentPayment standard
Studio$931$1,666$2,733
1 bedroom$971$2,153$3,274
2 bedrooms$1,167$2,585$3,964
3 bedrooms$1,329$2,951$5,064

What it means: the most expensive apartment of each size is $1,067 to $2,113 under the standard.

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 the electric bill, 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 and $361 for a three-bedroom. The highest rents plus those amounts are still $852 and $1,752 under the standard. See how the utility allowance works.
  • The income ceiling still applies. A voucher can remove the floor, not the maximum for your household size.
  • Your voucher size counts. HUD's rule uses the lower of the standard for your voucher's bedroom size and the standard for the apartment. See Section 8 in San Francisco and renting above your voucher size.
  • 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.
  • 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 94102

Every rent at 850 Turk Street is below HUD's estimate of an ordinary rent in ZIP code 94102, by $527 to $2,831 a month.

Lowest and highest rent at 850 Turk Street against HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rent for ZIP code 94102, dollars a month
Lowest rentHighest rentHUD fair market rent, ZIP 94102
View the data table
ApartmentLowest rentHighest rentHUD fair market rent, ZIP 94102
Studio$931$1,666$2,240
1 bedroom$971$2,153$2,680
2 bedrooms$1,167$2,585$3,250
3 bedrooms$1,329$2,951$4,160

What it means: the 30% apartments rent for 32% to 42% of HUD's figure, and the most expensive apartment of each size for 71% to 80%.

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 figures include all utilities and these rents leave out electricity, so the real gap is somewhat smaller.
  • Two benchmarks: SFHA's payment standard is 110% of HUD's 2026 rent for the whole metro area. The ZIP figure is HUD's newer estimate for 94102 alone.
  • Nearby: see voucher apartments in 94102 and California rent limits by county.

Who Gets Preference in the Lottery

Preference holders are ranked ahead of everyone else in a fixed order, and applicants who neither live nor work in San Francisco are ranked last.

Preference order at 850 Turk Street, with applications as of October 6, 2026
  • 1. Certificate of Preferencehouseholds displaced by the former Redevelopment Agency in the 1960s and 1970s, and their descendants. All 91 apartments. 8 applications.
  • 2. Displaced Tenantpeople displaced by an Ellis Act or owner move-in eviction, or by fire damage. Up to 19 apartments. 25 applications.
  • 3. Neighborhood Residentpeople living in Supervisor District 2 or within half a mile. Up to 22 apartments. 677 applications.
  • 4. Live or Work in San Franciscoresidents, and people who work in the city at least 75% of their hours. All remaining apartments. 4,544 applications.
  • Veteransranked first inside each preference they hold.
  • No preference872 applications, ranked after the rest.

What it means: the City's guide says "Anyone who cannot claim a preference is ranked last."

Source: counts from the DAHLIA listing record on October 6, 2026; definitions from Exhibit B of the criteria. An application can claim more than one preference, so the counts exceed the 5,381 total.

The neighborhood share is capped at 25% here instead of 40% because the building has State funding, according to the loan evaluation.

The Building: What Is Included and What Is Not

The shared spaces come with the rent, there is no resident parking, and one pet is allowed per household.

Rendering of an open-air lobby with a wave-shaped wood ceiling panel, elevators set in a green tiled wall, rounded benches and residents walking through
Rendering of the street-level lobby at 850 Turk Street, which opens onto the entry courtyard. Photo: David Baker Architects, project rendering, via David Baker Architects, 850 Turk project page (cropped).
Included, not included and rules
  • Shared spacesa community room with a kitchen, a learning center, two courtyards, one with a play area, a bike repair station, and a laundry room and roof terrace with an electric barbecue on the eighth floor.
  • Services on sitebenefits assistance, workforce courses, and health and wellness programs.
  • Parkingnone for residents. Bike parking is on the residential floors.
  • Petsone cat, dog or caged bird of up to 30 pounds. The criteria require cats and dogs to be neutered.
  • Smokinga non-smoking community.
  • Accessibility14 apartments built for mobility impairments and 9 for hearing or vision impairments. The listing says all apartments are adaptable.
  • Energythe architects describe an all-electric building.

Source: DAHLIA listing; criteria, Exhibit G; David Baker Architects' project page and June 2025 post.

Rendering of a street-level courtyard with a stair rising to a planted upper level, hanging ferns, and a glass-walled community room with tables and chairs
Rendering of the entry courtyard and the community room at 850 Turk Street. Photo: David Baker Architects, project rendering, via David Baker Architects, 850 Turk project page (cropped).
Plan drawing of the eighth floor of 850 Turk Street, showing apartments around a central courtyard and, on the Turk Street side, a laundry room, a barbecue area and an upper terrace
Eighth-floor plan of 850 Turk Street, with the laundry room, the barbecue and the roof terrace on the Turk Street side. Photo: David Baker Architects, architect's drawing, via David Baker Architects, 850 Turk project page (cropped).

How to Apply Before 5 p.m. on October 13

You apply online through DAHLIA, one application per household, and a computer ranks the applications at random after the deadline, so applying early does not improve your place.

Applying to the 850 Turk Street lottery
  1. 1Create a DAHLIA accountat housing.sfgov.org, in English, Spanish, Chinese or Filipino.
  2. 2Open the listingfind 850 Turk Street and check your household size and income against the tables above.
  3. 3Answer the income questionsgive income before taxes, and say yes if you have a Section 8 voucher or another subsidy.
  4. 4Claim every preference you qualify forkeep proof dated within 45 days.
  5. 5Submit once, by 5 p.m. on October 13, 2026DAHLIA says "All applications containing any person who appears on more than one application will be removed from the lottery." You cannot change an application after submitting.
  6. 6Save your lottery numberresults are looked up by it.

The listing record shows online applications only. For help, the City's guide points to housing counselors at homeownershipsf.org.

What happens after you apply
  • October 13, 2026, 5 p.m.applications close.
  • October 27, 2026, 11 a.m.the City runs the lottery online. You do not need to attend.
  • November 3, 2026complete results are posted on DAHLIA by 5 p.m.
  • 3 weeks to a year laterthe range the City's guide gives for a leasing agent to reach you, in rank order.
  • Within 5 days of thatyou answer and set an interview. The criteria say every household member must attend.
  • 3 to 6 weeks after your paperworkthe City's guide's estimate for lease approval.
  • Spring 2027when MidPen's profile expects the first residents.

What it means: a high rank is a place in line for 2027, so plan where you will live until then.

Source: DAHLIA listing and application text; the City's guide to applying (April 2026); the criteria.

Documents to have ready for the interview
  • Photo ID. government-issued, for every adult
  • Social Security number or ITIN. for each member who has one
  • Pay stubs. the last three months
  • Bank statements. the last six, plus other asset statements
  • Voucher or subsidy paperwork. your Section 8 voucher or subsidy letter
  • Benefit statements. Social Security, SSI, unemployment or similar
  • If self-employed. two years of tax returns with 1099 forms
  • Landlord contact. the last two years of rental history
  • Preference proof. dated within 45 days of your application

Source: the City's guide, list for 100% affordable buildings; criteria, section VI.B.

Watch outscreening comes after the lottery. The criteria's credit grounds for denial are an eviction lawsuit, an unpaid judgment, or more than $5,000 in unpaid collections in the past two years, not counting medical bills, student loans or documented COVID-19 hardship. Certain felony convictions in the past seven years are also grounds. A missing credit history is not, and a no-fault eviction is not held against you. An appeal is due in 5 calendar days, or 14 for a criminal background denial.
Other rules in the criteria
  • Assetsno limit is stated, and all assets must be disclosed.
  • Studentsa household of only full-time students qualifies under limited exceptions, such as a single parent with children.
  • Offersyou may turn down one apartment and keep your place.
  • Waiting listcapped at 500 households in the listing.

Until the building opens, the leasing office is at 833 Market Street, Suite 605, by appointment, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone is (415) 678-1380 and the email is turkstreet@midpen-housing.org.

What Is Known and What Is Not Yet Published

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

Not published as of October 6, 2026
  • Move-in datethe City's dataset estimates completion on March 1, 2027.
  • What the electric bill coversthe listing says only that the renter pays electricity, so the heating and hot-water question is open.
  • Fee and deposit detailswhen the $35 fee is collected, and the deposit for each apartment size.
  • Voucher handlinghow income levels are assigned to voucher households, and SFHA's payment standards for 2027.

If You Need an Apartment Sooner

The lottery decides a place in line for a building that is not finished, so keep other options moving.

San Francisco apartments on VoucherMatch that take vouchers, nearest to 850 Turk Street first

Listed by landlords who say which vouchers they accept. These are separate from the building above. See all San Francisco listings

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 850 Turk Street take Section 8?

Yes. DAHLIA says vouchers can be used for this property, and the building's criteria waive the minimum income for applicants with a Housing Authority Section 8 voucher. All 15 rent levels are under SFHA's 2026 payment standard.

How much is rent at 850 Turk Street?

Studios rent for $931 to $1,666 a month, one-bedrooms $971 to $2,153, two-bedrooms $1,167 to $2,585 and three-bedrooms $1,329 to $2,951. Renters also pay electricity, cable and internet.

How much do you have to earn for 850 Turk Street?

Without a voucher, at least two times the rent: $22,344 a year for the $931 studio. The maximum runs from $44,130 for one person at 30% to $156,360 for seven people at 60%.

When is the deadline, and when are results posted?

Applications close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The lottery is October 27 at 11 a.m., and DAHLIA posts complete results on November 3, 2026.

How many people have applied?

DAHLIA's record showed 5,381 applications for the 91 apartments on October 6, 2026, about 59 per apartment, with a week still to run.

Is 850 Turk Street the same building as 850 Turk Family Housing?

Yes. MidPen's profile calls it 850 Turk Family Housing, the City calls it 850 Turk, and DAHLIA lists it as 850 Turk Street. All are the building at 850 Turk St., San Francisco, CA 94102.

Is there parking at 850 Turk Street?

Not for residents. The listing says "No parking available to residents," and the garage's 30 spaces are for State employees.

Are the rents at 850 Turk Street below market?

Yes. HUD's fiscal year 2027 figure for ZIP code 94102 is $2,240 for a studio and $4,160 for a three-bedroom. Every rent here is at least $527 below the figure for its size.

Sources for this article (18)
  1. DAHLIA listing (housing.sfgov.org)
  2. Resident Selection Criteria (media.api.sf.gov)
  3. 2026 payment standards (sfha.org)
  4. utility allowances (sfha.org)
  5. 2024 loan evaluation (media.api.sf.gov)
  6. building permit (data.sf.gov)
  7. guide to applying (sfplanning.org)
  8. June 18, 2025 release (sf.gov)
  9. SF YIMBY, June 19, 2025 (sfyimby.com)
  10. rule (ecfr.gov)
  11. California Civil Rights Department (calcivilrights.ca.gov)
  12. Small Area Fair Market Rents (huduser.gov)
  13. project page (dbarchitect.com)
  14. June 2025 post (dbarchitect.com)
  15. housing.sfgov.org (housing.sfgov.org)
  16. homeownershipsf.org (homeownershipsf.org)
  17. profile (midpen-housing.org)
  18. rental listings (housing.sfgov.org)
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