East Cut Affordable Housing: 142 Apartments From $860 a Month at Lark Landing, 230 Folsom Street

Published October 12, 202620 min readBy VoucherMatch Editorial Team

Rendering of a 17-story apartment tower with a terracotta-colored grid facade and a green wing behind it, among white outlines of neighboring towers, with street trees at its base — Rendering of Lark Landing, 230 Folsom Street, San Francisco, seen from Folsom Street. It comes from the October 2022 design printed in the City's 2023 loan evaluation, so details of the finished building may differ. Photo: Kennerly Architecture & Planning, project rendering in a City document, via City loan evaluation for Transbay Block 2 East, August 4, 2023 (Attachment G) (converted from the document's print colors and cropped).

Quick answerAs of October 6, 2026, Lark Landing at 230 Folsom Street, in San Francisco's East Cut, is leasing 142 income-restricted apartments from a lottery the City held on March 11, 2026. Rents run from $860 for a studio to $2,390 for a two-bedroom. The DAHLIA record marked 100 apartments occupied and 42 available. Applications are closed, and the leasing site says new ones are not being accepted. Section 8 vouchers can be used, and with a voucher the minimum income applies only to the tenant's share of the rent.

Last checked: October 6, 2026, against the DAHLIA listing, the building's Resident Selection Criteria (February 3, 2026), Mercy Housing's leasing site, the Housing Authority's 2026 payment standards and utility allowances, the City's August 2023 loan evaluation, building permit 202211186863 and the City's guide to applying. The listing and the selection criteria set the rules.

Lark Landing in numbers

142apartments filled from the lottery, in a 17-story building of 184
$860the lowest rent, for a studio
9,381lottery applications, about 66 per apartment
42 of 142apartments the record still marked available on October 6, 2026
1 of 10apartments at the lowest rent level still marked available
$20,640the lowest qualifying yearly income without a voucher

What Is Being Built at Lark Landing, 230 Folsom Street

Lark Landing is a 17-story building of 184 apartments at Folsom and Main streets, on part of the old Transbay Temporary Terminal: 142 are being filled by lottery, 40 are for families referred by the City's homelessness department and two are for staff.

Names and addresses: City records call it Transbay Block 2 East. The 2023 loan evaluation and the building permit use 200 Folsom Street; DAHLIA and the leasing site use 230 Folsom Street. The borrower in the loan evaluation is Transbay 2 Family L.P.
Team: Mercy Housing California is the developer and Mercy Housing Management Group the manager. Kennerly Architecture & Planning designed it and Swinerton is the builder in the loan evaluation.
Shape: 17 stories on Folsom Street, 15 on Main Street and a five-story wing on Clementina Street, around a courtyard used by a childcare center.
Street level: the residential lobby is on Folsom Street, with two shops and an early childhood education center to be run by Wu Yee.
Land: the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII), the successor to the Redevelopment Agency, owns it.
Money: on August 4, 2023 the City's Loan Committee reviewed $72,972,179 in OCII funding. The total cost was then put at $203,049,163.
Next door: Transbay Block 2 West, 151 apartments for seniors by Chinatown Community Development Center, shares the block.

230 Folsom Street, from bus terminal to lease-up

2019bus operations leave the Temporary Transbay Terminal for the Salesforce Transit Center.
June 2020OCII asks developers for proposals for Block 2.
November 1, 2022the OCII Commission approves the design.
November 18, 2022the building permit is filed. The City issues it on November 17, 2023.
May 29, 2024groundbreaking for both Block 2 buildings.
February 5 to 25, 2026lottery applications on DAHLIA.
March 11, 2026the lottery. The results are dated March 16.
April 28, 2026the City dataset's estimate for the end of construction.

What it means: the lottery is seven months old, and about seven in ten lottery apartments are already marked occupied.

Source: City loan evaluation of August 4, 2023; building permit 202211186863; the City's May 29, 2024 release; the homelessness department's February 2026 memo; DAHLIA listing; the City's affordable housing pipeline dataset.

Rendering of the building from Main Street: a green upper wing and a terracotta tower above a lower white wing, with a Muni bus on the street and trees and a path at right — Rendering of the Main Street side, from the October 2022 design in the City's loan evaluation. The lower wing at right runs toward Clementina Street. Photo: Kennerly Architecture & Planning, project rendering in a City document, via City loan evaluation for Transbay Block 2 East, August 4, 2023 (Attachment G) (converted from the document's print colors and cropped).

Where Lark Landing Is

Lark Landing is on the north side of Folsom Street at Main 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, Main and Beale 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.
Between the two buildingsa 25-foot public walkway separates Lark Landing from the senior building.

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 a street corner with cafe tables, people walking, street trees and glass storefronts under a terracotta-colored facade — The City document labels this rendering "Retail and Lobby": a shop at street level under the Folsom Street tower, with a pedestrian passage at left. From the October 2022 design. Photo: Kennerly Architecture & Planning, project rendering in a City document, via City loan evaluation for Transbay Block 2 East, August 4, 2023 (Attachment G) (converted from the document's print colors and cropped).

Transit near 230 Folsom Street
Stop or station	Lines	Straight-line distance
Main St and Folsom St	12 Folsom-Pacific	0.03 miles
Howard St and Main St	30X Marina Express	0.10 miles
The Embarcadero and Folsom St	Muni Metro N Judah	0.16 miles
Salesforce Transit Center	38 Geary, 38R, 5 Fulton, 5R, 7 Haight-Noriega, 25 Treasure Island	0.16 to 0.19 miles
Mission St and Main St	14R Mission Rapid, 9R San Bruno Rapid	0.23 miles
Mission St and Beale St	14 Mission	0.23 miles
Embarcadero	BART; Muni Metro J, K, L, M, N	0.35 miles

What it means: eleven bus lines and a Muni Metro stop are within a quarter 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 at Lark Landing

Rent is fixed by apartment size and income level: $860 or $1,481 for a studio, $898 to $1,986 for a one-bedroom, $1,084 to $2,390 for a two-bedroom and $1,251 or $2,081 for a three-bedroom.

Monthly rent, lowest qualifying income and apartments still marked available, by type
Apartment	Level	Apartments	Rent	Lowest yearly income	Marked available, Oct. 6
Studio	37%	2	$860	$20,640	0
Studio	60%	15	$1,481	$35,544	7
One-bedroom	37%	5	$898	$21,552	0
One-bedroom	60%	39	$1,680	$40,320	12
One-bedroom	74%	23	$1,986	$47,664	11
Two-bedroom	37%	2	$1,084	$26,016	0
Two-bedroom	60%	16	$1,883	$45,192	3
Two-bedroom	74%	13	$2,390	$57,360	5
Three-bedroom	37%	1	$1,251	$30,024	1
Three-bedroom	60%	26	$2,081	$49,944	3

What it means: 96 of the 142 apartments are at the 60% level, and only 10 are at 37%.

Source: DAHLIA listing and its unit records, read October 6, 2026. The listing gives the minimum as a monthly income of two times the rent; the yearly figure is that amount times 12. "Marked available" is the record's word and does not mean an apartment can be applied for.

Rendering of a kitchen along one wall with a white refrigerator, a white electric coil range under a hood, a sink and wood-tone cabinets, opening to a living area with a sofa and tall windows — Mercy Housing's rendering of a one-bedroom kitchen at Lark Landing: refrigerator, electric range and hood. No dishwasher appears in it. Photo: Mercy Housing, developer's rendering, via Mercy Housing, Lark Landing leasing site gallery (cropped).

Highest yearly income in the listing, by household size and level
People	37%	60%	74%
1	$40,350	$65,450	$80,750
2	$46,150	$74,800	$92,300
3	$51,900	$84,150	$103,800
4	$57,650	$93,500	$115,350
5	$62,250	$101,000	$124,550
6	$66,900	$108,500	none
7	$71,500	$115,950	none

What it means: find your row, then every column at or above your income.

Source: DAHLIA listing and the income table on Mercy Housing's leasing site, which match. Every column is the City's (MOHCD) chart for 2025. "None" means no apartment at that level fits a household that size.

The City's chart, not the State's. At 850 Turk Street, 60% for one person is $88,260 on the State tax-credit chart. Here 60% is $65,450.
The limits may be a year old. The listing uses 2025 figures. The 2026 chart on DAHLIA puts 60% for one person at $68,050. Ask the leasing office which year applies.
Six or seven people: only the three-bedrooms fit, and none is priced at 74%.
Size: studios are 400 to 489 square feet, one-bedrooms 501 to 660, two-bedrooms 800 to 891 and three-bedrooms 1,100 to 1,179.

What you pay besides rent

Application fee$25.
Security depositone month's rent, $860 to $2,390. The criteria say it may be paid in installments.
Utilitiesthe tenant pays electricity, phone, cable and internet.
Other charges$25 for rent paid after the 6th, $35 for a returned check and $25 for a key or a fob.
Petsno pet deposit and no pet rent, according to the criteria.
Lease12 months at first, then month to month or a new term.

Source: DAHLIA listing, read October 6, 2026; Resident Selection Criteria, sections IX and XVIII; the leasing site's "Do I Qualify?" page.

Using a Section 8 Voucher at Lark Landing

Yes, a voucher can be used at Lark Landing: the leasing site says so in its own words, and the criteria measure the minimum income against the tenant's share of the rent.

What the documents say about vouchers

The leasing sitethe building "welcomes applicants with portable Housing Choice Vouchers."
The criteria"The minimum monthly income requirement applies only to the household's portion of rent, when there are vouchers that cover the rest."
DAHLIA, on every rental listing"Section 8 housing vouchers and other valid rental assistance programs can be used for this property."
The criteria, on creditthe rent the tenant pays "must not exceed 50% of household's income."

What it means: the building's rule and DAHLIA's general rule agree. A minimum still applies, at two times the part of the rent you pay yourself.

Source: Mercy Housing's leasing site, "Do I Qualify?" page; Resident Selection Criteria of February 3, 2026, section XV; DAHLIA listing text, all read October 6, 2026.

Lowest and highest monthly rent at Lark Landing against the San Francisco Housing Authority's 2026 payment standard, by apartment size, dollars

Lowest rentHighest rentPayment standard

Studio

$860

$1,481

$2,733

One-bedroom

$898

$1,986

$3,274

Two-bedroom

$1,084

$2,390

$3,964

Three-bedroom

$1,251

$2,081

$5,064

View the data table

Apartment	Lowest rent	Highest rent	Payment standard
Studio	$860	$1,481	$2,733
One-bedroom	$898	$1,986	$3,274
Two-bedroom	$1,084	$2,390	$3,964
Three-bedroom	$1,251	$2,081	$5,064

What it means: every rent is at least $1,252 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 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 $302 for a two-bedroom, which leaves the highest rents $1,037 and $1,272 under the standard. See how the utility allowance works.
The 40 referral apartments are separate. The criteria say families are referred to them by the homelessness department and are not on the public waiting list. The leasing site says in one answer that the building has no project-based voucher apartments and in another mentions "PBV apartments (referral only)."
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 rent at Lark Landing is between 23% and 56% of HUD's estimate of an ordinary rent in ZIP code 94105.

Lowest and highest monthly rent at Lark Landing 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

$860

$1,481

$2,940

One-bedroom

$898

$1,986

$3,520

Two-bedroom

$1,084

$2,390

$4,260

Three-bedroom

$1,251

$2,081

$5,440

View the data table

Apartment	Lowest rent	Highest rent	HUD fair market rent, ZIP 94105
Studio	$860	$1,481	$2,940
One-bedroom	$898	$1,986	$3,520
Two-bedroom	$1,084	$2,390	$4,260
Three-bedroom	$1,251	$2,081	$5,440

What it means: the highest rent in the building, $2,390 for a two-bedroom, is $1,870 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 electricity, so the real gap is somewhat smaller.
A high-rent ZIP code: HUD's one-bedroom figure for 94105, $3,520, is above SFHA's citywide payment standard of $3,274.
Nearby: see voucher apartments in 94105 and California rent limits by county.

Who Gets Preference at Lark Landing

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

Preference order at Lark Landing, with applications in the record

1. Certificate of Preferencehouseholds displaced by the former Redevelopment Agency in the 1960s and 1970s, and their descendants. All 142 apartments. 130 applications.
2. Displaced Tenantholders of the City's Displaced Tenant Housing Preference certificate. Up to 28 apartments. 32 applications.
3. Neighborhood Residentpeople living in Supervisor District 6 or within half a mile. Up to 35 apartments. 1,229 applications, plus 9 from veterans.
4. Live or Work in San Franciscoall remaining apartments. 7,760 applications, plus 62 from veterans.
Veteransranked first inside each preference except the Certificate of Preference.
No preference1,548 applications, ranked after the rest.

What it means: the 35 neighborhood apartments drew about 35 applications each, and 130 applications claimed the one preference that reaches all 142.

Source: counts from the DAHLIA listing record, as last modified at 3:19 p.m. on October 6, 2026; order from the criteria, section V.K. An application can claim more than one preference, so the counts exceed the 9,381 total.

The City posted the ranked lottery results as a 121-page file dated March 16, 2026. The 2023 loan evaluation planned early outreach to Certificate of Preference holders before the lottery.

The Building: What Is Included and What Is Not

The shared rooms, two roof terraces and the laundry rooms come with the building, and it has no parking.

Four renderings: a two-story lobby with wood slats, a floral mural and mailboxes; a reception area with glass-walled offices; a community room with tables, white chairs and a kitchen counter; and a mezzanine with a railing above the community room — Mercy Housing's renderings of the lobby, the reception area and the community room at Lark Landing. Photo: Mercy Housing, developer's rendering, via Mercy Housing, Lark Landing leasing site gallery (four small renderings enlarged and placed in a grid).

Included, not included and rules

Shared spacesa community room with a kitchen, a residents' lounge, outdoor decks on levels 6 and 16, three laundry rooms and indoor parking for 92 bicycles.
In the apartmentthe leasing site lists wood-style flooring, floor-to-ceiling windows and energy-efficient appliances. Its one-bedroom kitchen rendering shows a refrigerator, an electric range and a hood, and no dishwasher.
Servicesprovided by Mercy Housing California and Episcopal Community Services.
Transit passesthe City's 2024 release says a State grant pays for free Muni passes for residents for three years. The listing does not mention them, so ask the leasing office.
Parkingnone.
Petsup to three dogs, or four animals in all. The listing asks for proof of spaying or neutering, vaccinations and a license by lease signing.
Smokingnot allowed.
Accessibility17 apartments for mobility impairments, 15 with communication features and 3 with roll-in showers.

Source: DAHLIA listing; Mercy Housing's leasing site; Resident Selection Criteria, section IX; City release of May 29, 2024.

Rendering of a living room seen from above, with a sofa, an armchair, a rug and a floor-to-ceiling window looking toward the Bay Bridge and a neighboring tower — Mercy Housing's rendering of a two-bedroom living room. The view is the rendering's; what an apartment faces depends on its floor and side of the building. Photo: Mercy Housing, developer's rendering, via Mercy Housing, Lark Landing leasing site gallery (cropped).

How Leasing Works Now That the Lottery Is Over

No new application can be filed: the leasing site says "New applications are not being accepted at this time," and Mercy Housing fills the remaining apartments from the March 2026 lottery list.

From lottery rank to lease at Lark Landing

1Find your rankthe ranked results are on the DAHLIA listing. You look yours up with your lottery number.
2Wait to be contactedthe criteria say applications from DAHLIA are processed in lottery rank order.
3Answer quicklythe City's guide says you have 5 days to respond when a leasing agent contacts you.
4Interview and applicationat the management office at 230 Folsom Street. The listing asks for income and asset information for the whole household.
5Screeningan eviction history and credit report, after you are told. The criteria say an applicant can be approved on the condition of a larger deposit.
6Offerthe criteria make a household ineligible after it refuses two offered apartments without a valid medical reason.

Dates for applicants

February 25, 2026applications closed at 5 p.m.
March 11, 2026the City ran the lottery.
March 16, 2026the date on the posted results.
October 6, 2026100 of 142 apartments marked occupied.

What it means: if you applied, keep your contact details current with the leasing office. If you did not, the next chance is a reopened waiting list, which the criteria say would be announced on DAHLIA, the property's website, the office door and Craigslist.

Source: DAHLIA listing and unit records; Resident Selection Criteria, sections XI, XV and XVI; Mercy Housing's leasing site; the City's guide to applying (April 2026).

Documents to have ready for the interview

Photo ID. for every adult
Pay stubs. the last three months
Bank statements. the last six, plus other asset statements
Benefit statements. Social Security, SSI, unemployment or similar
Voucher paperwork. your Section 8 voucher, if you have one
If self-employed. two years of tax returns with 1099 forms
Preference proof. dated within 45 days of your application
Pet records. spay or neuter proof, vaccinations and license

Source: the City's guide, list for 100% affordable buildings; Resident Selection Criteria, section V.K; DAHLIA listing.

Watch outscreening comes after the lottery. The criteria do not use credit scores and do not count medical debt, student loans, collections, tax liens or judgments. They do make a household ineligible for an open bankruptcy filing, or if it cannot put a utility account in its own name. An appeal is due within 5 business days, or 14 calendar days for a denial over criminal history.

The leasing agent in the DAHLIA listing is at 415-684-1720 and 230folsom@mercyhousing.org. The leasing site gives 415-766-0310. Office hours are Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday until 2 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

What "available" meansthe unit records marked 42 apartments available, and the record's own summary counted 41. No document says how many are already offered to applicants.
How far down the list leasing has gonenot published.
Which income chart applies now2025, as listed, or 2026.
What the electric bill coversthe listing says only that the tenant pays electricity.
When the waiting list will reopenthe listing allows a waiting list of up to 500 households. The criteria say it can be closed when the average wait is a year or more.

If You Need an Apartment Sooner

Lark Landing is not taking applications, so keep other options moving.

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

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

Voucher in hand: browse Section 8 apartments in San Francisco, including one-bedrooms and three-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: 850 Turk Street until October 13 and Luca until October 22.
Buildings where you apply directly: see low-income apartments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Lark Landing take Section 8?

Yes. The leasing site says it "welcomes applicants with portable Housing Choice Vouchers," and every rent is at least $1,252 under SFHA's 2026 payment standard. With a voucher, the minimum income is two times your share of the rent.

How much is rent at Lark Landing?

$860 or $1,481 for a studio, $898 to $1,986 for a one-bedroom, $1,084 to $2,390 for a two-bedroom and $1,251 or $2,081 for a three-bedroom, depending on the income level. Tenants also pay electricity.

How much do you have to earn for Lark Landing?

Without a voucher, at least two times the rent: $20,640 a year for the $860 studio. The most one person can earn is $40,350, $65,450 or $80,750, depending on the level; for four people it is $57,650 to $115,350.

Can I still apply to Lark Landing?

No. Applications closed at 5 p.m. on February 25, 2026, and the leasing site says new applications are not being accepted. A reopened waiting list would be posted on DAHLIA.

Are there apartments left at 230 Folsom Street?

On October 6, 2026, DAHLIA's unit records marked 42 of the 142 lottery apartments available. They are filled from the lottery list, not from new applications.

Is Lark Landing the same as Transbay Block 2 East?

Yes. City records use Transbay Block 2 East, and some give the address as 200 Folsom Street. DAHLIA and Mercy Housing use Lark Landing, 230 Folsom Street.

Are the rents at 230 Folsom Street below market?

Yes. HUD's fiscal year 2027 fair market rent for a one-bedroom in ZIP code 94105 is $3,520. The one-bedrooms here rent for $898, $1,680 or $1,986.

Is there parking at Lark Landing?

No. The listing says "No parking." The building has indoor parking for 92 bicycles.

Sources for this article (14)

DAHLIA listing (housing.sfgov.org)
Resident Selection Criteria (media.api.sf.gov)
leasing site (larklanding.liveinhope.org)
2026 payment standards (sfha.org)
utility allowances (sfha.org)
August 2023 loan evaluation (sf.gov)
building permit (data.sf.gov)
guide to applying (sfplanning.org)
May 29, 2024 release (sf.gov)
February 2026 memo (media.api.sf.gov)
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