Mission Bay, San Francisco Condos & Real Estate & Homes for Sale
Mission Bay is a 303-acre San Francisco redevelopment district on former rail yards and bay fill between Townsend and Mariposa streets, overseen by the city’s OCII under its redevelopment plans rather than ordinary zoning. Almost all homes are condominiums in buildings completed since 2000, and nearly the whole district is in a mapped liquefaction zone.
Explore Mission Bay, San Francisco Condos & 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 — OCII under Mission Bay North and South Redevelopment Plans |
| Housing | Condominiums in buildings completed since 2000; no single-family houses |
| Hazards to check | Bay fill; mapped liquefaction zone; sample point in shaded FEMA Zone X |
| Getting around | T Third light rail; Caltrain and N Judah at 4th and King; I-280 |
| Local rules | MB-RA redevelopment zoning; OCII design review, not standard Planning Code |
Mission Bay is the 303-acre redevelopment district on former rail yards and bay fill between Townsend Street and Mariposa Street, from Interstate 280 and Seventh Street east to Third Street and the Bay.
The city’s redevelopment successor agency, the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII), oversees the area under the Mission Bay North and South Redevelopment Plans. That structure, rather than the ordinary Planning Code zoning map, is the first thing to understand about owning here. South Beach lies across Mission Creek and China Basin to the north, and Dogpatch begins south of Mariposa.
Mission Bay homes for sale
Mission Bay market report
Marsh, fill and rail yards
Before the city grew around it, this was a salt marsh and lagoon of more than 500 acres. From the mid-1800s it took in building refuse, later including debris from the 1906 earthquake, and the filled land became an industrial district of shipyards, canneries, a sugar refinery, warehouses and, above all, a Southern Pacific rail yard.
The rail land passed to Catellus Development Corporation. In November 1998 the Board of Supervisors established the Mission Bay North and South Redevelopment Project Areas, construction began in 2000, and OCII describes a build-out of 20 to 30 years led by the original master developer, now FOCIL-MB LLC.
What the redevelopment plans allow
OCII’s program summary sets the scale of the finished district:
| Component | Planned at build-out (OCII program summary) |
|---|---|
| Housing | Up to 6,404 units, 1,806 of them (about 30%) affordable |
| Office and lab space | 4.4 million square feet |
| Retail | 419,000 square feet |
| UCSF research campus | 2.65 million square feet on 43 acres, plus a 550-bed medical center |
| Public open space | 41 acres, plus 8 acres inside the UCSF campus |
| Other | A 250-room hotel, an 18,000-seat event center, a 500-student public school, a library and a public safety building |
OCII’s most recent status figures on that page date to January 2017, when 5,096 housing units, 848 of them affordable, had been built. Treat its progress numbers as historical and check current project status with OCII.
Zoning works differently here
Planning’s zoning layer labels the district MB-RA, Mission Bay Redevelopment, and a point check near the center of the district returns no ordinary Planning Code zoning or height district at all. What governs a building is the redevelopment plan for its half of the district, the matching Design for Development document and the owner participation agreements, with design review handled through OCII.
The Assessor’s roll reflects this, showing no zoning code for Mission Bay parcels. Planning’s special use district map does name a separate Mission Rock SUD for the development of that name near China Basin. This is general information, not legal advice; for any change to a building or lot, start with OCII and the governing plan documents.
The condominium and rental buildings
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.
Wikipedia’s Mission Bay article names several of the larger buildings:
- The Beacon: 595 condominium units on a full city block.
- Madrone: two towers with 329 residences.
- Arterra: 268 condos, described as the city’s first LEED-certified market-rate condo building.
- Park Terrace and Radiance: 110 and 99 homes.
- Berry Street mid-rises at 235 and 255 Berry Street, between the street and Mission Creek.
BMR units are resold under the city’s below-market-rate program rules rather than freely on the open market; our BMR homes guide explains how they are sold. For market-rate units, our San Francisco condo guide and luxury condo guide cover the building documents to read first.
UCSF, Chase Center and the job base
UCSF’s 43-acre campus anchors the district. Its hospital for children, women and cancer patients opened in February 2015, with 289 beds according to Wikipedia, as the first phase of the 550-bed medical center in OCII’s program. The Gladstone Institutes and Kaiser Permanente medical offices are also in the district.
Chase Center, the 18,000-seat event center in OCII’s plan, opened in 2019 and is home to the Golden State Warriors and the Golden State Valkyries. Uber’s headquarters is at 1725 Third Street next to it, and Visa’s is at 300 Toni Stone Crossing in the Mission Rock development, where China Basin Park opened in 2024.
Parks run along Mission Creek and the bayfront. The Mission Bay branch library opened on July 8, 2006, and Wikipedia reports that the neighborhood’s first public school building was finished in January 2026 and was scheduled to open in August 2026; confirm its current status with the San Francisco Unified School District.
Assessments and other carrying costs
Mission Bay’s streets, utilities and parks are being built by the master developer. OCII’s project page, whose status figures date to January 2017, says that more than $700 million in public infrastructure is financed through special assessments and increased property taxes. OCII also says it operates the park system with annual assessments on private property in the project area.
For a buyer, that means reading the property tax bill line by line alongside the HOA budget. Ask the seller for the most recent bill and for the HOA’s disclosure of any assessments and their remaining term, and compare total monthly cost, not just dues, when weighing a unit here against one in South Beach or South of Market.
Fill, liquefaction and flood zones
Fill is the main hazard. On Planning’s copy of the state seismic hazard map, essentially all of Mission Bay’s land from Townsend Street to Mariposa Street falls inside a mapped liquefaction zone that continues west across Showplace Square and north toward the waterfront.
FEMA’s flood map, effective March 23, 2021 and reproduced on Planning’s layer, puts a sample point in the middle of the district in a shaded Zone X, a moderate-risk area outside the Special Flood Hazard Area. The same layer also maps AE and VE zones within the Mission Bay area, so check the specific parcel. Our hazard maps guide explains both maps, and the Natural Hazard Disclosure report will state the zones for a given unit.
T Third, Caltrain and the N Judah
- T Third: light rail on Third Street, with Mission Bay stations at Mission Rock, UCSF/Chase Center and UCSF Medical Center. Limited service began on January 13, 2007; since January 7, 2023 the line has run through the Central Subway between Chinatown and Sunnydale.
- 4th and King: the northern terminal of Caltrain, the N Judah’s eastern end and a T Third stop, on the district’s northern edge.
- Buses: per published route lists, the 22 Fillmore ends at Mission Bay North and Third Street and the 55 Dogpatch ends at 20th and Third streets.
- Freeway: Interstate 280 runs along the western edge.
Selling a condo in Mission Bay
Buyers here compare buildings first and units second. Building age, dues, reserve strength, parking, view exposure and whether a unit is BMR will sort the field before finishes matter.
- Order the HOA package early: CC&Rs, current budget, reserve study, recent minutes and any pending special assessment or litigation.
- Explain the tax bill: list each special assessment line so buyers can compare carrying costs.
- Confirm BMR status and, if it applies, start the program’s resale process before you set a price.
- Prepare the city requirements on our San Francisco selling requirements page, including the 3R report and transfer tax.
Diamond may refer you to partners we work with; you’re free to choose any provider. For current pricing data, see the Mission Bay market report on this page.
Questions people ask
Who controls development in Mission Bay?
OCII, the successor to the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, under the Mission Bay North and South Redevelopment Plans and their Design for Development documents, rather than the ordinary Planning Code zoning map.
Are there houses for sale in Mission Bay?
Use current listings to identify the property type you need, then verify its ownership form, legal unit count and any recorded restrictions.
Is Mission Bay in a liquefaction zone?
Yes. Planning’s copy of the state map places essentially all of its land, built on bay fill, inside a mapped liquefaction zone.
Is Mission Bay in a FEMA flood zone?
It depends on the parcel. A sample point in the middle of the district is in a shaded Zone X, but AE and VE zones are also mapped within the area.
Do Mission Bay owners pay extra assessments?
OCII says infrastructure is financed through special assessments and increased property taxes and that the parks are funded by annual assessments on private property, so check each tax bill.
How do I get downtown from Mission Bay?
The T Third runs through the Central Subway to Chinatown, the N Judah starts at 4th and King, and Caltrain’s San Francisco terminal is there too.
If you own a Mission Bay condo and want to know how it compares with nearby buildings, we can review the HOA documents, the tax bill and recent sales with you. Contact us, compare Potrero Hill, or read the SF District 9 overview and our San Francisco market guide.
Costs to plan for when buying in Mission Bay
The carrying-cost section above explains why Mission Bay tax bills run longer than most. Here is how to read one.
Named special taxes. The SF Treasurer’s list of special assessments and direct charges includes "MB Maintenance CFD #5" and "MB South CFD #6", along with "Mission Rock taxes", and gives a single phone line, (877) 561-8293, for questions about them (SF Treasurer: Parcel taxes and special assessments). CFD stands for community facilities district, the Mello-Roos financing tool; our Mello-Roos guide explains how these taxes work and why they stay with the property. Whether a given unit pays one, both or neither depends on the parcel, so read the seller’s latest bill rather than assuming.
Base tax and supplemental bill. On top of those lines, the Proposition 13 base is 1% of assessed value plus voter-approved debt rates (BOE Publication 29), and a reassessable purchase may produce a supplemental assessment for the rest of the fiscal year (sf.gov). Our San Francisco property tax guide covers due dates.
Transfer tax. San Francisco charges one tiered transfer tax at a single rate on the whole price: $3.40 per $500 from just over $250,000 to under $1 million and $3.75 per $500 from $1 million to under $5 million (sf.gov: Transfer tax). On our arithmetic, a $900,000 condo owes $6,120. The city’s Transfer Tax Affidavit lists a lower maximum rate for qualifying rent-restricted affordable housing transfers; ask your title officer whether a BMR resale qualifies. See our San Francisco transfer tax guide.
HOA dues. Compare dues, the reserve study and any special assessment alongside the tax lines; our San Francisco condo guide lists the documents.
Permits and remodels in a Mission Bay condo
Most Mission Bay remodels happen inside a condominium unit, so the first approval usually comes from the homeowners association under its CC&Rs and architectural rules, before any city permit. Building permits come from the Department of Building Inspection. Changes to a building’s exterior, use or site fall under the redevelopment plan and Design for Development documents administered by OCII, as described above, rather than the ordinary zoning map.
Adding a unit is rare here. San Francisco Planning’s ADU page offers programs for multifamily buildings (SF Planning: Accessory dwelling units), but in a redevelopment area the governing plan and the HOA control what a building can do, so start with OCII and the association. ADUs in San Francisco are also ineligible for the short-term rental program (SF Planning). Before buying a unit with altered layouts, ask the HOA for its approvals and DBI for the permits.
Luxury homes and estates in Mission Bay
High-end property in Mission Bay means condominium units in the newer towers and mid-rises built since 2000, often with bay, ballpark or Mission Creek views, rather than houses. Verify the current ownership form and permitted use of any listing. In planning terms, these buildings were approved under the Mission Bay North and South Redevelopment Plans, so heights, uses and design follow those plans and their Design for Development documents.
For a high-value purchase here, the due diligence that matters most is the building, not just the unit: HOA reserves and any litigation, the special-tax lines on the bill, parking and storage deeded with the unit, and the ground. The district sits on fill inside a mapped liquefaction zone, so ask the HOA what earthquake coverage the master policy carries and price your own (earthquake insurance guide). Our San Francisco luxury condos guide covers building documents in more depth. Before you write an offer, compare the unit with its Report of Residential Building Record (3R), which a San Francisco seller must obtain and deliver to the buyer (sf.gov: Request a 3R report); a combined unit or added room missing from that record is a pricing question, not just paperwork.
Some owners prefer to sell quietly. 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: how we find off-market deals. See also San Francisco luxury homes.
Mission Bay real estate: questions people ask
Where can I see Mission Bay condos for sale?
The listings at the top of this page show current Mission Bay homes for sale from MLS subdistrict 9D, almost all condominium units. Buyers comparing buildings often look at South Beach as well.
Is Mission Bay in San Francisco County?
Yes. Mission Bay is in the consolidated City and County of San Francisco. Development there follows redevelopment plans administered by OCII, the city’s redevelopment successor agency.
What are MB Maintenance CFD #5 and MB South CFD #6?
They are special taxes the SF Treasurer lists among the direct charges it collects on property tax bills, with questions directed to (877) 561-8293. Check a unit’s bill to see which apply.
Does Mission Bay have a transfer tax?
Yes, San Francisco’s tiered transfer tax, at one rate on the whole price, due when the deed is recorded (sf.gov).
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 Treasurer & Tax Collector, Parcel tax exemptions and special assessments: https://sftreasurer.org/property/parcel-tax-exemptions-and-special-assessments
- California State Board of Equalization, Publication 29: https://www.boe.ca.gov/proptaxes/pdf/pub29.pdf
- City and County of San Francisco, Learn about supplemental assessments: https://www.sf.gov/information–learn-about-supplemental-assessments
- City and County of San Francisco, Transfer tax: https://www.sf.gov/transfer-tax
- San Francisco Planning, Accessory dwelling units: https://sfplanning.org/accessory-dwelling-units
- San Francisco Assessor-Recorder, Transfer Tax Affidavit (rev. 2025): https://media.api.sf.gov/documents/Transfer_Tax_Affidavit_2025_English_rev_website.pdf
- Department of Building Inspection / City and County of San Francisco, Request a Report of Residential Building Record (3R): https://www.sf.gov/request3r
Sources & notes
- Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII): Mission Bay project area
- DataSF / SF Assessor-Recorder: Assessor Historical Secured Property Tax Rolls, 2025 closed roll (parcel counts by property class, median lot, building area and build year, zoning codes and parcel extents for neighborhood codes 9A-9K, queried October 2026)
- San Francisco Planning: PlanningData map service (zoning districts, special use districts, height districts, Article 10 historic districts, landmarks, open space, planning areas, FEMA flood hazard and seismic hazard zone layers; queried October 2026)
- Wikipedia: Mission Bay, San Francisco (boundaries, land history, UCSF, Chase Center, buildings, library; background only)
- Wikipedia: T Third Street (opening dates, Central Subway, stations)
- Wikipedia: List of San Francisco Municipal Railway lines (route names and termini; status as of July 2022)
Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
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