Westwood Highlands, San Francisco Real Estate & Homes for Sale
Westwood Highlands is a hillside San Francisco neighborhood of detached houses rising north from Monterey Boulevard, under city rules through SF Planning. Nearly all parcels are zoned one-family detached, there is no mapped historic district, and thin landslide zones on the upper slope call for a parcel check.
Explore Westwood Highlands, 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 | Detached single-family houses on curving hillside streets |
| Hazards to check | Thin landslide zones on upper slope; no liquefaction zone |
| Getting around | 23 Monterey bus; K Ingleside on Ocean Avenue to Balboa Park BART |
| Local rules | No mapped historic district; one-family detached zoning |
Westwood Highlands is a hillside neighborhood of detached houses that rises north from Monterey Boulevard near Plymouth Avenue, between Westwood Park below and Sherwood Forest and Miraloma Park above. It is subdistrict 4P in the MLS’s District 4 . Almost every parcel is a single-family house, and nearly all are zoned for one-family detached use.
It is less documented than the residence parks around it. There is no mapped historic district and no association we could confirm, so the parcel records, the slope and the recorded title documents do most of the explaining.
Westwood Highlands homes for sale
Westwood Highlands market report
Streets and edges
The Assessor’s addresses for 4P run along Brentwood Avenue, Burlwood Drive, Colon Avenue, Valdez Avenue, the lower part of Cresta Vista Drive, Lansdale Avenue, Sherwood Court and the upper blocks of Hazelwood, Joost, Mangels, Melrose and Plymouth avenues. Many of the streets curve with the hill.
The Assessor’s subdistrict outlines put Westwood Park across Monterey Boulevard to the south, Monterey Heights to the west, Sherwood Forest to the northwest, Miraloma Park to the north and Sunnyside to the east.
What published histories say
Primary records on the tract’s origins were not available to us, so this section relies on Wikipedia’s Westwood Highlands article and the sources it cites. It describes a subdivision marketed by Baldwin & Howell, built from 1925 to 1929 by Hans Nelson to designs by architect Charles Strothoff, and gives a count of 283 homes.
The article says Strothoff worked with a modular facade system of interchangeable window, entrance and garage components, usually combined three at a time. It also says lots were sold as packages with a predetermined house, that corner lots face their intersections on the diagonal, and that the subdivision adopted covenants and restrictions early.
Three building periods on the roll
Westwood Highlands sits between the 1920s residence parks and the postwar tracts.
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.
Zoning and the 2026 rules
On Cresta Vista Drive, the parcel we checked on Planning’s current map is RH-1(D) in a 40//40-R-4 height district and falls within the Family and Senior Housing Opportunity Special Use District.
That SUD treats corner lots differently from mid-block lots. Under Planning Code Section 249.94, a qualifying single lot can hold two to four units, while a corner lot may propose the greater of six units or one unit per 1,000 square feet of lot area, subject to the section’s ownership, tenant-protection and design conditions.
No California or National Register district covers Westwood Highlands on Planning’s maps, so the SUD’s historic-demolition bar is less likely to apply than in Balboa Terrace or Ingleside Terrace, though an individual house can still be evaluated. Recorded covenants, if any still bind a lot, can be stricter than zoning. Our SB 9 lot split guide covers the state route. This is general information, not legal advice; talk to a California real estate attorney before relying on any development path.
Slopes and mapped landslide polygons
Planning’s earthquake-induced landslide layer shows thin polygons on the upper slope, in the area around Cresta Vista Drive, Lansdale Avenue and Sherwood Court, with more on the Sherwood Forest and Miraloma Park slopes above. Its liquefaction layer shows no mapped zone in 4P.
The polygons cover only parts of those blocks, so look up the exact parcel. A lot in a mapped zone must be disclosed, and an addition there calls for a geotechnical review first; our hillside geotechnical report guide explains what that involves, and the San Francisco hazard maps page shows how to check.
Getting around
The 23 Monterey takes its name from the boulevard along the neighborhood’s southern edge; its published termini are Palou Avenue and Third Street and the San Francisco Zoo. South of Westwood Park, the K Ingleside runs on Ocean Avenue between the Balboa Park BART mezzanine and West Portal, according to SFMTA. Our route list for buses dates from 2022, so confirm current service with SFMTA.
From the upper streets, the walk down to Monterey Boulevard and on to Ocean Avenue can be a climb on the way back, so test it if you plan to commute by transit.
Selling a home in Westwood Highlands
Buyers here usually weigh a Westwood Highlands house against nearby houses in Westwood Park, Monterey Heights and Miraloma Park. The differences they look for are the house’s era, its view, its slope and how much usable yard it has.
- Era and original design: if the house is from the 1925–1929 program, note its original facade elements; if it is postwar, gather the records of later updates.
- Permits: lower-level rooms, decks and additions on a sloping lot are the first things an inspector asks about; unpermitted rooms are covered in our unwarranted units guide.
- Ground: the lot’s landslide-zone status and any geotechnical, drainage or retaining-wall reports.
- Title: the recorded covenants and restrictions from the preliminary title report.
- City requirements: the 3R report and other city steps, covered in our selling requirements guide.
Diamond may refer you to partners we work with, such as inspectors and engineers; you’re free to choose any provider. For current 4P pricing, see the market report further down this page.
Questions people ask
Where is Westwood Highlands?
North of Monterey Boulevard near Plymouth Avenue, below Sherwood Forest and Miraloma Park, with Westwood Park to the south, Monterey Heights to the west and Sunnyside to the east.
Is Westwood Highlands the same as Westwood Park?
No. They are separate MLS subdistricts on opposite sides of Monterey Boulevard. Westwood Park (4R) is a 1920s bungalow tract with its own association and special use district; Westwood Highlands (4P) is a hillside area with larger, more varied houses.
When were the houses built?
Construction eras and later alterations vary by property. Confirm the particular building’s original records, permits and final inspections.
Does Westwood Highlands have an HOA?
We could not confirm an active homes association. Published histories say the subdivision adopted covenants and restrictions, so read the recorded documents in the title report for any obligations on a specific lot.
Is Westwood Highlands in a landslide zone?
Parts of the upper slope are. Planning’s map shows thin landslide polygons around Cresta Vista Drive, Lansdale Avenue and Sherwood Court; most of the neighborhood lies outside them.
Considering a sale? We can prepare a valuation that sets your house against 4P sales from the same decade and similar ground, and our guide to selling in San Francisco covers the steps. For the rest of the city, start at our San Francisco page.
Costs to plan for when buying in Westwood Highlands
Transfer tax. San Francisco’s transfer tax applies one rate to the entire price: $3.40 per $500 above $250,000 and under $1 million, and $3.75 per $500 from $1 million to under $5 million (SF.gov: Transfer tax). By our arithmetic, a $2,000,000 house owes $15,000. See our transfer tax guide.
Parcel taxes, not association dues. Check recorded restrictions and seller disclosures for any association, shared-maintenance duty or private charge; an incomplete association search is not conclusive. The tax bill has its own separate charges. For 2025–26 they are the School Parcel Tax of 2020 ($334.38), SFUSD Teacher Support ($319.34) and the SFUSD Facilities District ($43.00 per house), each with a senior exemption, plus the City College and Bay Restoration Authority taxes (SF Treasurer). Expect supplemental bills after closing (SF.gov); see San Francisco property tax.
Slope work. On the upper streets, a retaining wall, drainage line or foundation repair can cost more than a kitchen. Ask for records of past work and get a geotechnical opinion before removing contingencies.
Permits, ADUs and remodels in Westwood Highlands
Most houses here sit on sloping lots with a garage at street level and living space above or behind. The common projects are a lower-level unit, a rear addition or a deck. Planning’s State ADU program allows a junior ADU of up to 500 square feet within a single-family house, plus converted, attached or detached ADUs, reviewed ministerially within 60 days of a complete application, with no Section 311 neighborhood notice. The Local program can waive some rules for existing buildings, but its units are subject to rent control (SF Planning: ADUs). 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.
On the steeper blocks around Cresta Vista Drive, Lansdale Avenue and Sherwood Court, a project can trigger DBI’s slope protection review, and our hillside access and site workbook lists the records to gather. DBI issues permits and holds the building records. From September 14, 2026, most over-the-counter permits move to its PermitSF portal (SF.gov: DBI). Because the original 1925–1929 subdivision adopted covenants, read the recorded restrictions in the title report alongside the city rules. A covenant can limit height, setbacks or fences more tightly than zoning, and Planning won’t enforce it for you, so a buyer planning an addition should have the documents reviewed before removing contingencies.
Luxury homes and estates in Westwood Highlands
Westwood Highlands includes RH-1(D) detached-house and RH-1 blocks. Its higher-end houses are distinguished by the actual lot, house condition and hillside setting. Compare the particular house’s permitted living area and lot dimensions with nearby alternatives. The hillside setting also matters: houses on the upper curving streets can have views that the flatter tracts lack, and corner lots in the original subdivision face their intersections on the diagonal. Many of the 1925–1929 houses by builder Hans Nelson and architect Charles Strothoff keep their original facade combinations, which buyers value. A buyer planning to change one should keep those elements in mind.
For a high-value purchase, the checks that matter most are landslide-zone status on the upper slope, retaining walls and drainage, the permit history of lower floors, and the recorded covenants. See our hillside geotechnical report guide and insuring a high-value home.
Buyers comparing larger houses nearby also look at Monterey Heights, Sherwood Forest and Miraloma Park. 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). We don’t promise any particular house is available. See also San Francisco luxury homes.
Westwood Highlands real estate: questions people ask
Where can I find Westwood Highlands homes for sale?
In the listings at the top of this page, from MLS subdistrict 4P. Nearly all are single-family houses. Verify the actual ownership form and permitted use of any listing.
Are Westwood Highlands houses in a historic district?
No California or National Register district covers the neighborhood on Planning’s maps, though any individual house can still be evaluated when a major project is proposed.
Is Westwood Highlands in San Francisco County?
Yes. It’s in the consolidated City and County of San Francisco, which handles zoning, permits, property tax and the transfer tax.
Parcel-tax amounts labeled 2025–26 are historical examples. Use the current fiscal-year Treasurer information and the parcel’s actual bill for today’s amounts, applicable exemptions and assessments.
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 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, Accessory dwelling units: https://sfplanning.org/accessory-dwelling-units
- SF.gov, Department of Building Inspection: https://www.sf.gov/departments–department-building-inspection
Sources & notes
- Wikipedia: Westwood Highlands, San Francisco (history section and its cited sources)
- DataSF / SF Assessor-Recorder: Assessor Historical Secured Property Tax Rolls, 2025 closed roll (parcel counts by class, build years, stories, median lot and building area, zoning codes, street and block listings and subdistrict extents for 4A, 4E, 4H, 4P, 4R and 4S; queried October 2026)
- San Francisco Planning: PlanningData map service (zoning, height and special use districts, landmarks, California Register historic districts, seismic hazard zones, FEMA flood zones, supervisor districts; queried October 2026)
- San Francisco Planning Code (via GoCodebook): Sec. 249.94, Family and Senior Housing Opportunity Special Use District
- SFMTA: K Ingleside route page
- Wikipedia: List of San Francisco Municipal Railway lines (route names and termini; page states service as of July 2022)
Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
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