Jordan Park & Laurel Heights, SF Real Estate & Homes for Sale
Jordan Park and Laurel Heights form the San Francisco blocks bounded by Arguello Boulevard, California Street, Presidio Avenue and Geary Boulevard, between the Richmond District and Presidio Heights. Homes are mostly early 1900s Edwardian and Victorian-era houses plus late-1940s flats, and no mapped liquefaction or landslide zone falls inside the neighborhood.
Explore Jordan Park & Laurel Heights, SF real estate and homes for sale with this local guide. Contact Diamond to discuss your criteria and current property-search options.
| County | San Francisco (City and County) |
|---|---|
| Local government | San Francisco Planning |
| Housing | Edwardian and Victorian-era houses, 1948–51 flats, condos, apartments |
| Hazards to check | No mapped liquefaction or landslide zone inside the neighborhood |
| Getting around | Muni 1 California, 1X, 38 Geary and 38R on boundary streets |
| Local rules | 3333 California Street SUD; Rent Ordinance for older units |
Jordan Park and Laurel Heights together form the block of San Francisco bounded by Arguello Boulevard, California Street, Presidio Avenue and Geary Boulevard, between the Richmond District and Presidio Heights. Most of the houses date from the early 1900s, the two-unit flat buildings lean toward a late-1940s building wave, and condominiums and apartment buildings fill out the mix. The San Francisco MLS treats the two names as one neighborhood, 1C in SF District 1.
It is a compact area, a little over a half mile across, with Laurel Village on California Street as its shopping center and the former UCSF Laurel Heights campus in its northeast corner. Below we set out what the Assessor’s records say about the buildings, how the blocks are zoned, the redevelopment district on California Street, transit, and what sellers here should have ready.
Jordan Park / Laurel Heights homes for sale
Jordan Park / Laurel Heights market report
Four streets and two names
Arguello Boulevard is the western line, with the Inner Richmond across it.
California Street is the northern line; north of it are Presidio Heights and, to the northwest, the Lake Street blocks. Presidio Avenue closes the east side, and Geary Boulevard, along with the University of San Francisco’s campus, the south. South of Geary is Lone Mountain, and southeast across Masonic Avenue is Anza Vista, which the MLS places in District 6.
Jordan Park and Laurel Heights are often used interchangeably, and the MLS and the Assessor both group them under one code, so the figures on this page cover the whole area. If a listing uses one name or the other, check the address against the four boundary streets rather than relying on the label.
Edwardian blocks and a 1948 to 1951 building wave
Compare the particular property’s permitted living area, actual lot size, construction history and ownership documents; a neighborhood statistic is not a substitute for those records.
| Measure (2025 roll) | Single-family | Flats and duplexes |
|---|---|---|
| Parcels | 356 | 138 |
| Built before 1920 | about 60% | about 27% |
| Built in the 1920s | about 13% | about 15% |
| Built 1946 to 1979 | about 24% | about 44% |
| Busiest postwar years | 1948 to 1950 (70 parcels) | 1948 to 1951 (49 parcels) |
The twist is that late-1940s cluster. About one house in four, and a larger share of the two-unit buildings, went up in just a few years after the war, so a buyer here may be choosing between a 1910s Edwardian and a 1949 house a few blocks apart. The two need different inspections: original wiring, plumbing and foundations in the older stock, and postwar framing, windows and layouts in the newer.
Zoning, Laurel Village and the 3333 California Street district
The roll’s zoning field shows a mix that matches the building stock:
- RH-2 (two-unit residential): about 300 parcels, the most common code.
- RH-1(D) (detached single-family): about 165 parcels. Another 69 parcels are RH-1.
- RM-1 and RM-2 (apartment districts): about 190 parcels combined, where the apartment buildings and many condos stand.
- NC-3 along Geary Boulevard (about 50 parcels) and NC-S, the neighborhood shopping-center district, on 25 parcels. Laurel Village, the shopping center on California Street between Laurel and Spruce Streets, is the neighborhood’s main retail block.
Two special use districts sit on top of the base zoning.
The 3333 California Street Special Use District covers the former UCSF Laurel Heights campus in the northeast corner; UCSF moved those operations to its Mission Bay campus in 2023, and the district sets the rules for redeveloping the site. A much smaller Geary-Masonic Special Use District covers a site near Geary and Masonic. If you own near either one, it is worth reading the Planning Code section linked from Planning’s map before you assume what will be built next door.
The Family Zoning Plan, effective January 12, 2026, adds the most capacity on major transit and commercial streets; Geary Boulevard is the obvious candidate here. On the interior residential blocks, the change is mostly about unit counts rather than height: more homes may fit within the current limit, and only corners and sites above 8,000 square feet get a six-story allowance. Look up a specific parcel on the adopted map or the Property Information Map.
Landmarks and institutions
Theodore Roosevelt Middle School, on Arguello Boulevard just north of Geary, is City Landmark No. 285 on SF Planning’s landmark map. Planning’s map shows no Article 10 historic district in the neighborhood. The University of San Francisco’s campus is just south of Geary, and the Presidio is a few blocks north, beyond Presidio Heights.
Ground and building checks
This is one of the steadier parts of the city on the state maps.
In SF Planning’s copy of the California Geological Survey seismic hazard zones, no liquefaction zone and no earthquake-induced landslide zone falls inside the neighborhood; the nearest landslide pockets are on the slopes of Lone Mountain, south of Geary. That reading comes from generalized map data, so confirm a specific address on the state’s Seismic Hazard Zone map or SF Planning’s Property Information Map. That does not remove the need for an inspection, especially of century-old foundations and of hillside drainage on the sloping blocks, and the Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement still has to be reviewed for each sale. Our hazard maps guide covers the lookups, including the city’s separate storm flood map.
For the apartment buildings, two checks come first.
Rent Ordinance increase limits generally reach older units here, because the Rent Board’s exemption for new construction covers only units first certified for occupancy after June 13, 1979 that had no prior residential use. Just-cause eviction rules cover both groups. For larger wood-frame buildings, confirm retrofit status too; our multifamily seismic retrofit guide explains what to ask for.
Muni on the edges
Per published route lists, the neighborhood is served by buses on its boundary streets:
- 1 California along the northern edge, downtown to Clay and Drumm and west to Geary and 33rd Avenue, with a weekday peak-hour 1X express.
- 38 Geary and 38R Geary Rapid along the southern edge to the Salesforce Transit Center; the 38R runs daily until about 7 p.m.
- 43 Masonic, named for the avenue at the southeast corner, which runs between Fort Mason and Munich and Geneva.
- 33 Ashbury/18th Street, whose evening trips end at Arguello and California at the northwest corner.
The 2 Clement is listed as suspended, and there is no rail station in or near the neighborhood, so most trips downtown start with a walk to California Street or Geary.
Selling a home in Jordan Park or Laurel Heights
Buyers here usually come with a building type in mind and compare across nearby neighborhoods: a detached house against Presidio Heights and Lake Street, a flat or condo against the Inner Richmond and Lower Pacific Heights. Pricing works best when the comparables match the era as well as the size, because a 1949 house and a 1910 house can sell very differently on the same block.
- Say which era it is, with evidence. Put the original permit or build date and major later work in the disclosure package.
- Explain the zoning. An RH-1(D) house, an RH-2 lot with room for a second unit, and a condo in an RM-2 building appeal to different buyers; state the zoning plainly.
- Have the ownership documents ready. For condos and TICs, the map, CC&Rs or TIC agreement, HOA budget and minutes. See our condo guide.
- Note what is changing nearby. If the property is close to the 3333 California Street site or Geary, buyers will ask; a short factual summary with a link to Planning’s records helps.
- Order the required reports. The 3R report, inspections and transfer tax are covered on our San Francisco seller requirements page.
The market report on this page shows current figures; for a property-specific number, request a home valuation.
Questions people ask
What are the boundaries of Laurel Heights?
Arguello Boulevard on the west, California Street on the north, Presidio Avenue on the east and Geary Boulevard, with the USF campus, on the south. The MLS groups Jordan Park and Laurel Heights as neighborhood 1C in District 1.
Is Jordan Park the same as Laurel Heights?
The two names are often used for overlapping parts of the same area, and the MLS and Assessor records combine them under one neighborhood code. Check an address against the boundary streets rather than the label.
Where is Laurel Village?
On California Street between Laurel and Spruce Streets, in Laurel Heights. It is the neighborhood’s main shopping center.
What is happening at 3333 California Street?
The former UCSF Laurel Heights campus is covered by the 3333 California Street Special Use District, which governs its redevelopment. UCSF moved those operations to Mission Bay in 2023.
Is Laurel Heights in a liquefaction or landslide zone?
Not on SF Planning’s copy of the state maps, which shows neither zone in the neighborhood; the nearest landslide pockets are on Lone Mountain, south of Geary. Check the specific parcel on the official map before you rely on it.
When were Laurel Heights homes built?
Construction eras and later alterations vary by property. Confirm the particular building’s original records, permits and final inspections.
Which Muni lines serve Jordan Park and Laurel Heights?
Per published route lists, the 1 California on the north edge, the 38 and 38R on Geary, the 43 Masonic near the east side and evening 33 trips at Arguello and California.
Thinking about selling a house or condo in Jordan Park or Laurel Heights, or comparing it with the rest of San Francisco? Contact Diamond Real Estate Group for a conversation about your specific property.
Permits, ADUs and remodels in Jordan Park and Laurel Heights
The neighborhood includes RH-1(D) detached-house and RH-2 blocks. That split decides what an owner can add. On an RH-2 lot, a second full unit is allowed by zoning. On an RH-1(D) lot, the usual route to a second home on the property is an accessory dwelling unit.
SF Planning runs two ADU programs that can’t be combined (SF Planning: ADUs):
- State Program. For a single-family lot it allows converted, attached, detached and junior ADUs, reviewed ministerially within 60 days of a complete application, without Section 311 neighborhood notice or discretionary review. Qualifying State ADUs benefit from statutory exemptions from certain rear-yard and exposure rules; confirm the current path and conditions.
- Local Program. It can waive some Planning Code rules in an existing building, but the ADU falls under the City’s rent control law, and it isn’t available after an owner move-in eviction in the prior five years or another no-fault eviction in the prior ten. Review periods apply to qualifying complete applications and the applicable state pathway, with statutory exceptions; they do not guarantee that a proposed unit is feasible or that a building permit will be issued. Confirm the current requirements with the permit agency and HCD.
The Department of Building Inspection issues the permit and keeps the building’s permit file (DBI). Because the area has two building eras, a 1910s Edwardian and a 1949 house, the 3R report the seller must provide is the quickest check on what was built when (SF.gov: 3R report). Look up a parcel’s zoning and permits on the Property Information Map, and see buying a home with an ADU.
Costs to plan for when buying in Jordan Park and Laurel Heights
For a higher-value property, calculate the applicable City transfer-tax tier: $3.75 per $500 from $1 million to under $5 million, $11.25 per $500 from $5 million to under $10 million, and $27.50 per $500 from $10 million to under $25 million (SF.gov: Transfer tax). Each tier’s rate applies to the whole consideration, not only the part above the threshold, so check the tier before negotiating; our San Francisco transfer tax guide explains who customarily pays.
The tax bill adds school and City College parcel taxes and any special assessments to the 1% base (Treasurer: parcel taxes and special assessments), and supplemental bills follow the reassessment at purchase (SF.gov: supplemental assessments). If you buy flats to rent, note that both the Edwardian and the 1948 to 1951 buildings predate June 13, 1979, so their units often carry rent increase limits as well as just-cause eviction protection (SF.gov: rental laws). For a condominium, add HOA dues and reserves; see HOA documents. More on San Francisco property tax.
Condominium conversion needs a building-specific eligibility review. San Francisco Public Works has a separate two-unit residential conversion process and publishes distinct Expedited Conversion Program updates. A historical lottery limit or ECP description is not a standing right to convert. Before assigning value to conversion, have Public Works confirm the actual pathway, ownership and occupancy history, tenant protections, eviction/buyout restrictions and any unauthorized-unit issue.
Luxury homes and estates in Jordan Park and Laurel Heights
High-end property here is the detached house: the Edwardian and Victorian-era homes on RH-1(D) lots. These blocks are most often compared with Presidio Heights, the Lake Street blocks and Sea Cliff. There is no mapped liquefaction or landslide zone inside the neighborhood, so ground hazards are a smaller part of the file than on the hills or the filled bay shore; confirm any individual parcel on the Property Information Map.
The due diligence that matters most on a high-value house here: the 3R report and permits for past additions, basements and garage conversions; the era-specific inspection, original systems and foundation in a 1910s house, postwar framing and windows in a 1948 to 1951 house; whether a garden-level unit is permitted (unwarranted units); and how the nearby 3333 California Street redevelopment district affects the blocks around it. For coverage, see insuring a high-value home and earthquake insurance.
Some owners prefer to sell without public marketing. Ask Diamond Real Estate Group which permitted private-marketing options fit your property, goals and the applicable MLS rules. Availability of any particular listing is not guaranteed. Related reading: private sales · San Francisco luxury homes · Victorian and Edwardian homes. We do not promise that any particular property is available.
The Local ADU eviction lookbacks have a specific exception for temporary capital-improvement evictions when the required declaration preserves the tenant’s right to reoccupy. Confirm the actual eviction history and chosen program with Planning.
Assessment records are a starting point for checking a property, not a certification of legal use or a live listing inventory. Verify current permits, recorded ownership documents and any affordability restrictions.
Sources for this section
- SF Planning: Accessory Dwelling Units — https://sfplanning.org/accessory-dwelling-units
- SF.gov: Department of Building Inspection — https://www.sf.gov/departments–department-building-inspection
- SF.gov: Request a Report of Residential Building Record (3R) — https://www.sf.gov/request3r
- SF Planning: Property Information Map — https://sfplanninggis.org/pim/
- SF.gov: Transfer tax — https://www.sf.gov/transfer-tax
- SF Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector: Parcel tax exemptions and special assessments — https://sftreasurer.org/property/parcel-tax-exemptions-and-special-assessments
- SF.gov: Learn about supplemental assessments — https://www.sf.gov/information–learn-about-supplemental-assessments
- SF Planning: Condominium conversion restrictions — https://sfpublicworks.org/services/citysurveyor
- SF.gov: Learn about San Francisco rental laws — https://sf.gov/learn-about-san-francisco-rental-laws
Sources & notes
- Wikipedia: Laurel Heights, San Francisco (boundaries, Laurel Village, former UCSF campus)
- DataSF (Office of the Assessor-Recorder): Assessor Historical Secured Property Tax Rolls, 2025 closed roll
- San Francisco Planning: PlanningData map service (landmarks, coastal zone, seismic hazard zones, FEMA flood layers)
- SF Planning: San Francisco Family Zoning Plan
- Wikipedia: List of San Francisco Municipal Railway lines (route termini and status)
- SF Rent Board: Partial exemption for newly constructed rental units
Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
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