Lone Mountain, San Francisco Real Estate & Homes for Sale
Lone Mountain is the hill topped by part of the University of San Francisco campus and the blocks around it, between Geary Boulevard and Golden Gate Park, under city rules through SF Planning. It mixes late-1930s houses, older flats and condominiums, and has small landslide pockets on the hill.
Explore Lone Mountain, San Francisco 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 | City and County of San Francisco — SF Planning |
| Housing | Late-1930s houses, pre-1920 flats and condominiums; smallest lots in District 1 |
| Hazards to check | Three small landslide zones on the hill; no liquefaction zone |
| Getting around | 38/38R Geary, 5/5R Fulton, 31 Balboa, 43 Masonic buses; no rail station |
| Local rules | Rent Ordinance limits on most units; Family Zoning Plan since Jan 2026 |
Lone Mountain is the hill crowned by the northern half of the University of San Francisco’s main campus, together with the residential blocks around it between Geary Boulevard and Golden Gate Park, from Arguello Boulevard east to about Masonic Avenue. Most of its single-family houses were built in a short burst in the late 1930s, alongside older flats and a sizable number of condominiums. The San Francisco MLS lists it as neighborhood 1G of SF District 1.
It is the smallest-lot neighborhood in the district and the one with the most varied history: a cemetery district in the nineteenth century, a college hilltop for most of the twentieth, and a mix of row houses, flats and apartment buildings today. This page covers that history as it affects property, the housing stock in the Assessor’s records, zoning, the hillside hazard map, transit and preparing a sale.
Lone Mountain homes for sale
Lone Mountain market report
From cemetery hill to University Terrace
The Spanish called the hill El Divisadero, a point from which one can see far.
In 1854 it became the site of Lone Mountain Cemetery, which opened on May 30 of that year and was renamed Laurel Hill Cemetery in 1867. Together with the Calvary, Masonic and Odd Fellows cemeteries, it formed a large burial district on the west side of the city. After decades of litigation and public debate, the remains were moved, mainly to Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma.
One building from that era survives.
The San Francisco Memorial Columbarium at 1 Loraine Court, built in 1898, is City Landmark No. 209 on SF Planning’s landmark map and stands on Loraine Court near the neighborhood’s western edge. On the hilltop, the college founded in 1898 as Sacred Heart Academy and San Francisco College for Women became Lone Mountain College and joined USF in 1978. Because terraces link USF’s two campuses, the area is also known as University Terrace.
Where the blocks run
In the Assessor’s map, neighborhood 1G runs from Arguello Boulevard on the west to about Masonic Avenue on the east, and from Geary Boulevard south to the edge of Golden Gate Park. Across Geary to the north are Jordan Park and Laurel Heights; across Arguello to the west is the Inner Richmond. East of Masonic, the MLS moves into District 6, with Anza Vista to the northeast and the North Panhandle to the southeast.
Angelo J. Rossi Playground and Rossi Pool are at Arguello Boulevard and Anza Street, on the western edge. The terrain is the main thing that sets these blocks apart from the flat Richmond grid: streets curve around the hill, and some lots step up or down sharply from the sidewalk.
The housing stock: 1930s houses and older flats
Compare the particular property’s lot dimensions, permitted living area, construction history and ownership form using current records. Assessment classifications do not certify legal use or current listing availability.
That 1930s cluster is unusual for this part of the city. Buyers may want to understand the cemetery history, but for a purchase what matters is the parcel’s own title, permits and soils information, which the disclosure process covers.
Many are compact row houses, so check how any lower-level rooms were added and whether they appear in the permit record. Related: Victorian and Edwardian homes guide.
Zoning around the hill
The RH-3 share stands out in District 1, where RH-2 is the usual residential code.
Under the Family Zoning Plan, in effect since January 12, 2026, mid-rise buildings of six to eight stories are allowed on major transit and commercial streets; Planning’s illustrations of the plan include Geary Boulevard.
Around the hill, the effect is smaller: residential parcels may hold more units under their present height limit, usually four stories, while corners and sites above 8,000 square feet can rise to six. If a lot borders the USF campus, check Planning’s records for any campus projects nearby. Check any parcel on the adopted map before relying on its potential.
Landslide pockets on the hill
SF Planning’s copy of the California Geological Survey maps shows three small earthquake-induced landslide zones on the slopes of Lone Mountain itself, around the hilltop campus. No liquefaction zone is mapped in the neighborhood. Most residential blocks lie outside the landslide pockets. Their edges are approximate, because the map data is generalized, so on the hillside streets look up the specific parcel on the state’s Seismic Hazard Zone map or SF Planning’s Property Information Map rather than assuming.
Planning’s screening for landslide-zone parcels asks whether work includes new buildings, sizable additions or grading, so plans to dig out a lower floor or add space at the back of a hillside lot can trigger geotechnical work. The zone must also be disclosed on the Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement. Our San Francisco hazard maps guide covers the address lookups.
Transit at the foot of the hill
Per published route lists, the neighborhood is ringed by bus lines.
The 38 Geary and 38R Geary Rapid run along the northern edge to the Salesforce Transit Center, the 38R daily until about 7 p.m. Nearby east-west lines include the 5 Fulton and the weekday 5R Fulton Rapid, which run between downtown and Cabrillo and La Playa near Ocean Beach, and the 31 Balboa, which links Market Street with the same beach terminal. The 43 Masonic runs north to Fort Mason and south to Munich and Geneva. There is no rail station in the neighborhood, so test the bus commute at the hours you would travel.
Selling a home in Lone Mountain
Buyers here are often deciding between a 1930s house with a garage and a flat or condo in an older building nearby, so a listing should make the trade-offs explicit: private yard against shared garden, parking, stairs, and which costs are shared.
- Square up the ground floor. Rooms behind the garage are common in 1930s row houses. Match them to permits or disclose them; our unwarranted units guide covers the options.
- Answer the hillside questions. On sloping lots, a drainage or foundation report and any retaining-wall permits save a buyer’s inspector from guessing.
- Prepare the tenancy file. Most flats and apartment buildings here predate mid-1979. Unless a unit was first certified for occupancy after June 13, 1979 with no earlier residential use, expect the Rent Ordinance’s increase limits to apply; just-cause protections apply in both cases. Gather leases and rent history for any rented unit.
- Have the ownership papers ready. For condos and TICs, the recorded map, CC&Rs or TIC agreement and HOA records; see our TIC guide.
- Start the city reports early. The 3R report and other steps are listed in our guide to San Francisco seller requirements.
The market report on this page has current figures; a home valuation applies them to a specific property.
Questions people ask
Where is Lone Mountain in San Francisco?
Between Geary Boulevard and Golden Gate Park, from Arguello Boulevard east to about Masonic Avenue, around the hill that holds the northern half of USF’s main campus. It is neighborhood 1G in MLS District 1.
Was Lone Mountain a cemetery?
Yes. Lone Mountain Cemetery opened in 1854 and was renamed Laurel Hill Cemetery in 1867; with the Calvary, Masonic and Odd Fellows cemeteries it formed a large burial district. The remains were later moved, mainly to Colma, but the 1898 Columbarium on Loraine Court survives as a City Landmark.
When were Lone Mountain houses built?
Construction eras and later alterations vary by property. Confirm the particular building’s original records, permits and final inspections.
Is Lone Mountain in a landslide zone?
Small parts of it. Planning’s copy of the state maps shows three small landslide pockets on the slopes of the hill, around the hilltop campus, and no liquefaction zone. The edges are approximate, so check the specific parcel on the official map.
Why is Lone Mountain called University Terrace?
Because terraces connect the two parts of the University of San Francisco’s campus on and below the hill.
Which buses serve Lone Mountain?
Per published route lists, the 38 and 38R on Geary, the 5 and 5R Fulton and the 31 Balboa to the south, and the 43 Masonic on the east side.
If you are buying near the hill or preparing a Lone Mountain house or flat for sale, get in touch with Diamond Real Estate Group, or browse more of our San Francisco neighborhood guides.
Costs to plan for when buying in Lone Mountain
For an older Lone Mountain house, the first costs after closing are usually the City’s taxes and the work a house of that age needs.
The City’s documentary transfer tax is due at recording: $3.40 per $500 above $250,000 and below $1 million, and $3.75 per $500 from $1 million to under $5 million. The deed goes with a Transfer Tax Affidavit, even when no tax is due, and a Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (SF.gov: Transfer tax). See our San Francisco transfer tax guide.
Expect supplemental bills after the purchase is reassessed (SF.gov: supplemental assessments), and parcel taxes for the school district and City College on each annual bill (Treasurer: parcel taxes and special assessments). An owner-occupant can claim the homeowners’ exemption (Assessor claim form). For a condominium, add HOA dues and reserves (HOA documents). See San Francisco property tax.
Rules for Lone Mountain flats and apartment buildings
Lone Mountain includes flats and apartment buildings as well as houses. Three City rules apply to them that do not apply to a house.
Rent rules. Units in buildings built on or before June 13, 1979 often have rent increase limits and just-cause eviction protection; most single-family homes and condos rented to a tenant who moved in on or after January 1, 1996 have eviction protection only (SF.gov: rental laws). If a flat comes with a tenant, read buying tenant-occupied property before you plan to occupy it.
Seismic. Check qualifying apartment buildings against the Mandatory Soft Story Retrofit Program, which covers wood-frame buildings of five or more units, two or more stories over a soft story, with an original permit applied for before 1978. DBI keeps a database of each building’s status (SF soft story program).
See our TIC guide.
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.
Adding a unit. On the small lots here, a converted or attached ADU is usually more practical than a detached one. SF Planning’s Local Program allows one ADU plus one detached ADU in a lot with four or fewer legal units and can waive some Planning Code rules, but the ADU falls under rent control and the program is closed for five years after an owner move-in eviction. The State Program is ministerial, with a 60-day review period for qualifying complete applications, subject to statutory exceptions from a complete application, and is not barred by past evictions (SF Planning: ADUs).
Luxury homes and estates in Lone Mountain
High-end property in Lone Mountain means the larger houses on the hillside streets that curve around the University of San Francisco campus, some with views, and renovated full-floor flats. Lots are small, so value rests on the house, its outlook and its condition. A view here depends on what neighbors may build; check each neighboring parcel’s zoning and height district on the Property Information Map, because zoning limits height and bulk but does not reserve a neighbor’s view.
Slope and excavation review. Ask DBI to identify the current slope-protection and geotechnical requirements for the parcel and proposed work. Check mapped landslide hazards, site slope, grading, shoring and underpinning, and obtain any required engineer-stamped documents. Review is project-specific; archived checklists may differ from the code currently in force. Allow for any required independent review and fees before pricing an expansion. Also compare the 3R report, full permits and final inspections with past lower-floor work.
Some owners prefer a sale 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. We do not promise that any particular property is available.
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.gov: Transfer tax — https://www.sf.gov/transfer-tax
- SF.gov: Learn about supplemental assessments — https://www.sf.gov/information–learn-about-supplemental-assessments
- SF Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector: Parcel tax exemptions and special assessments — https://sftreasurer.org/property/parcel-tax-exemptions-and-special-assessments
- SF Assessor-Recorder: Homeowners’ exemption claim form — https://www.sfassessor.org/forms-notices/forms/homeowners%E2%80%99-exemption-claim-form-english-version
- SF.gov: Learn about San Francisco rental laws — https://sf.gov/learn-about-san-francisco-rental-laws
- City and County of San Francisco: Mandatory Soft Story Program — https://sfgov.org/sfc/esip/soft-story
- SF Planning: Condominium conversion restrictions — https://sfpublicworks.org/services/citysurveyor
- SF Planning: Property Information Map — https://sfplanninggis.org/pim/
- SF.gov: Comply with slope protection requirements — 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: Accessory Dwelling Units — https://sfplanning.org/accessory-dwelling-units
Sources & notes
- Wikipedia: Lone Mountain, San Francisco (cemetery history, USF, Rossi Playground)
- 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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