Yerba Buena, San Francisco Condos & Real Estate & Homes for Sale
Yerba Buena is the cluster of blocks around Yerba Buena Gardens and Moscone Center, between Second and Fifth streets south of Market, under San Francisco city rules through SF Planning. Nearly all homes are condominium and live/work units in mid- and high-rise buildings on downtown commercial zoning, in the state liquefaction zone.
Explore Yerba Buena, 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 | City and County of San Francisco — SF Planning |
| Housing | Condominium and live/work units in mid-rise and high-rise buildings |
| Hazards to check | State liquefaction zone at checked point; FEMA Zone X |
| Getting around | T Third at Yerba Buena/Moscone; Market St BART and Muni Metro; 14, 12, 30, 45 |
| Local rules | C-3-S downtown zoning (340-I height); Central SoMa SUD nearby |
Yerba Buena is the cluster of blocks around Yerba Buena Gardens and the Moscone Center, generally Second to Fifth streets between Market and Harrison streets, at the downtown edge of South of Market. Nearly all of the homes are condominium and live/work units in mid-rise and high-rise buildings; the roll shows one single-family house.
The neighborhood was created by redevelopment rather than by a 19th-century subdivision, which explains its large buildings, public gardens and cultural institutions. The Financial District lies across Market Street, and the wider South of Market grid continues to the south and west.
Yerba Buena homes for sale
Yerba Buena market report
From Yerba Buena Center to the gardens
Plans for a convention center called Yerba Buena Center took shape in the early 1960s under the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. Moscone Center opened in phases starting in 1981, and the gardens became the final centerpiece of the Yerba Buena Redevelopment Area.
The gardens fill two blocks bounded by Third, Fourth, Mission and Folsom streets. The block from Mission to Howard opened on October 11, 1993, and the block from Howard to Folsom in 1998, joined by a pedestrian bridge over Howard Street that sits on part of Moscone Center. The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy operates them for the city.
Around them are the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Children’s Creativity Museum, an ice rink and bowling center, the restored 1906 LeRoy King Carousel and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. SFMOMA opened nearby in 1995, and the Metreon faces the gardens.
Condo towers and live/work 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.
Among the residential towers is the 53-story building at 706 Mission Street, across Mission Street from the gardens, with lower-floor space planned for the Mexican Museum. The rest of the stock mixes live/work buildings with towers completed in the 2000s and later.
For buyers, that range means two different checklists. A building converted from older commercial space raises questions about permitted use and seismic history; a high-rise raises questions about reserves for elevators, windows, mechanical systems and the building envelope. Our luxury condo guide covers the upper end of the tower market.
Downtown zoning on the SoMa side of Market
A point check inside the gardens returns C-3-S, the Downtown Support district in Planning Code Section 210.2, with a 340-I height district and the Downtown planning area. That is downtown commercial zoning, not a residential district, which is why tall mixed-use buildings are allowed here.
The Central SoMa special use district reaches north to an irregular line along Folsom, Howard and Stevenson streets between Second and Sixth streets, so some blocks in the southern part of Yerba Buena can fall inside it. Before relying on a nearby site staying as it is, look up its zoning, height district and any pending Planning applications.
This is general information, not legal advice. A land use attorney or Planning’s counter can confirm what a particular parcel allows.
Ground conditions and inspection rules
The gardens point falls inside the state liquefaction zone on Planning’s seismic hazard layer, and in FEMA’s unshaded Zone X on the March 2021 flood map. In a high-rise, the questions that follow from that are about the foundation system and any monitoring or settlement reports the association holds; our hazard maps guide shows how to check an address.
Civil Code Section 5551 requires condominium associations to have balconies, decks, stairways and walkways more than six feet above ground inspected when they are supported in whole or in substantial part by wood. Concrete and steel towers may have few such elements, so ask the association how it handled the requirement and for the report. For a building whose permit application was filed on or after January 1, 2020, the first inspection is due within six years of the certificate of occupancy.
Transit at the edge of downtown
Rail and bus lines converge on these blocks:
- Central Subway: the T Third’s Yerba Buena/Moscone station, between Union Square/Market Street and 4th and Brannan, with service since January 7, 2023.
- Market Street: BART and Muni Metro stations along the northern edge.
- Buses: per published route lists, the 14 Mission on Mission Street, the 12 Folsom/Pacific, and the 30 Stockton and 45 Union/Stockton, which end at Townsend and Fourth streets to the south.
- Regional: Caltrain at 4th and King is a short ride south on the T Third.
Convention traffic is part of daily life here. Large events at Moscone bring heavy foot and vehicle traffic, so a buyer who drives should test the garage exit and route on an event day.
Selling a condo in Yerba Buena
Buyers in 9K compare building against building. Height and view exposure, parking, dues, staffing, amenity costs and the age of major systems sort the field before interior finishes matter.
- Disclose what dues buy. Separate services paid through dues from public amenities nearby, such as the gardens, so the listing does not overstate what ownership includes.
- Produce the reserve study and inspection reports. Include the Section 5551 report or the board’s statement on how it applies.
- Clarify unit type. Live/work units need their permitted use and any restrictions stated plainly.
- Explain the parking right. Deeded, assigned or leased spaces sell differently.
- Prepare city requirements such as the 3R report and transfer tax, covered on our San Francisco selling requirements page.
Our San Francisco condo guide lists the HOA documents buyers’ lenders ask for. Diamond may refer you to partners we work with; you’re free to choose any provider. Recent 9K sales appear in the market report on this page.
Questions people ask
Is Yerba Buena part of SoMa?
Yes. It is the part of South of Market around Yerba Buena Gardens, generally Second to Fifth streets between Market and Harrison, listed separately as subdistrict 9K.
Are there houses in Yerba Buena?
Use current listings to identify the property type you need, then verify its ownership form, legal unit count and any recorded restrictions.
What zoning applies around Yerba Buena Gardens?
A point check in the gardens returns C-3-S Downtown Support zoning with a 340-I height district, part of the city’s downtown commercial districts.
Which Muni Metro station serves Yerba Buena?
The T Third’s Yerba Buena/Moscone station in the Central Subway, plus the BART and Muni Metro stations under Market Street.
Is Yerba Buena in a liquefaction zone?
The point we checked in the gardens is inside the state liquefaction zone on Planning’s map. Check each building’s address and ask about its foundation.
How old are Yerba Buena condos?
Construction eras and later alterations vary by property. Confirm the particular building’s original records, permits and final inspections.
A Yerba Buena sale starts with the building file: dues, reserves, inspection reports and the parking right. Contact us to go through yours alongside recent 9K sales. South Beach is the closest comparison for tower buyers, and the SF District 9 overview and our San Francisco neighborhood guide place these blocks among the city’s other districts.
Costs to plan for when buying in Yerba Buena
- Transfer tax. San Francisco charges per $500 of value: $3.40 to under $1 million, $3.75 to under $5 million and $11.25 to under $10 million, with other tiers above and below (SF transfer tax). See our San Francisco transfer tax guide.
- Property tax. The 2026–27 secured rate is 1.18162182% of net taxable value, plus direct charges (SF Treasurer). A purchase brings a supplemental assessment, and an owner-occupant can claim the homeowners’ exemption. See our San Francisco property tax guide.
- Yerba Buena Community Benefit District. The Treasurer lists the Yerba Buena Community Benefit District among its special assessments (SF Treasurer, special assessments). A condo inside the district may carry its share on the tax bill, separate from HOA dues. The same list includes other downtown and SoMa districts, such as SoMa West, so check which line, if any, appears on the seller’s bill.
- HOA dues and reserves. In a high-rise, dues fund staffing, elevators, mechanical systems and the building envelope. Ask for the budget, reserve study and any planned special assessment (HOA documents guide).
Live/work units, rentals and remodels in Yerba Buena
A live/work condominium carries its own use and financing questions. A live/work condo’s permitted use is set by its building’s approvals, so read the 3R report and the CC&Rs to see what the unit is legally allowed to be (DBI 3R report). Lenders may also treat live/work units differently from standard condos, so raise it with yours early.
Interior remodels go through the Department of Building Inspection for permits (DBI) and through the association for its approval, which in a tower usually covers flooring, plumbing and noise rules.
Short-term rentals are tightly limited. You can host only in your own permanent residence, where you spend at least 275 nights a year, with unhosted stays capped at 90 nights, and below-market-rate units can never be used (SF Planning, short-term rental FAQs). Many associations add their own limits. BMR condos with recorded restrictions resell under program rules (BMR homes guide).
Luxury homes and estates in Yerba Buena
Yerba Buena’s high end is vertical. The blocks sit in the C-3-S Downtown Support district with a 340-I height district at the gardens, which is why towers are allowed here, and the upper floors of the residential towers, including the 53-story building at 706 Mission Street, are the neighborhood’s top tier. Full-floor and corner units, view exposure over the gardens or toward the bay, deeded parking and the building’s staffing separate one unit from another more than finishes do.
For a high-value condo purchase, the due diligence that matters most:
- Reserves and major systems: elevators, curtain wall or windows, mechanical plant and roof, with the reserve study’s funding level.
- Foundation and ground: the gardens point is in the state liquefaction zone, so ask about the foundation system and any settlement monitoring the association holds (San Francisco hazard maps guide).
- Inspections: the association’s report or position under Civil Code section 5551 on balconies and exterior elevated elements.
- Insurance: the master policy’s coverage and deductible, and your own unit and earthquake coverage (insuring a high-value home; earthquake insurance).
Some tower owners prefer not to list publicly. 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). Compare South Beach and Mission Bay, and see our San Francisco luxury condos guide.
Yerba Buena real estate: more questions
Do Yerba Buena condos pay a community benefit district assessment?
Some do. The Treasurer lists a Yerba Buena Community Benefit District among its special assessments. It appears on the property tax bill of parcels inside the district, separate from HOA dues.
Can I use a Yerba Buena condo as a short-term rental?
Only within the city’s rules: it must be your permanent residence, unhosted stays are capped at 90 nights a year, and BMR units are excluded. Check the building’s CC&Rs too, since many restrict rentals further.
Is a live/work unit the same as a condo?
It is a condominium, but its permitted use comes from the building’s approvals, and lenders and insurers may treat it differently. Read the 3R report and CC&Rs before you make an offer.
Sources for this section
- SF Assessor-Recorder, transfer tax: https://www.sf.gov/transfer-tax
- SF Treasurer, secured property taxes: https://sftreasurer.org/property/secured-property-taxes
- SF, supplemental assessments: https://www.sf.gov/information–learn-about-supplemental-assessments
- SF Treasurer, parcel taxes and special assessments: https://sftreasurer.org/property/parcel-tax-exemptions-and-special-assessments
- SF DBI, request a 3R report: https://www.sf.gov/request3r
- SF Department of Building Inspection: https://www.sf.gov/departments–department-building-inspection
- SF Planning, short-term rental FAQs: https://sfplanning.org/str/faqs-short-term-rentals
Sources & notes
- DataSF / SF Assessor-Recorder: Assessor Historical Secured Property Tax Rolls, 2025 closed roll (parcel counts by property class and build year, medians and parcel extents for neighborhood codes 9F-9K, queried October 2026)
- San Francisco Planning: PlanningData map service (zoning, special use, height, Article 10, port jurisdiction, planning area, FEMA flood and seismic hazard layers; point and area queries, October 2026)
- San Francisco Planning Code (via GoCodebook): Sec. 249.78, Central SoMa Special Use District
- California Civil Code Sec. 5551, balcony, deck and stairway inspections for condominium associations (California Public Law mirror)
- Wikipedia: Yerba Buena Gardens (blocks, opening dates, institutions; background only)
- Wikipedia: South of Market, San Francisco (boundaries, history, landmarks; background only)
- Wikipedia: South Beach, San Francisco (South Beach, Rincon Hill, South Park and Yerba Buena descriptions; background only)
- Wikipedia: T Third Street (stations, 2007 opening, Central Subway service from January 2023)
- Wikipedia: List of San Francisco Municipal Railway lines (route names and termini; status as of July 2022)
Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Send a property inquiry
Matthew Martinez
Your inquiry is processed through our iHomefinder service. Review the form’s contact choices before submitting. Privacy Policy · Terms of Use.
What is your property in Yerba Buena, San Francisco worth?
Planning a sale or weighing your next move? Request a broker market analysis based on the property, relevant comparable sales and the local setting.
Request your Yerba Buena, San Francisco home and property valuation
