San Francisco is being priced out of itself.

Don't start with Craigslist. Start with the programs built for this.

• USF Off-Campus Living: Verified listings from landlords who specifically rent to students. Cheaper than agency listings and lower scam risk.
• DAHLIA (housing.sfgov.org): The city's Below Market Rate lottery. Income-restricted apartments at 30–120% of area median. Free to enter, you can apply to dozens of buildings.
• Roommate matching: Most affordable units in SF are shared. Sites like Diggz and SpareRoom screen for compatibility before you commit.
• Avoid neighborhoods you can't visit first: SF rentals turn over fast. If you can't see the unit in person or send a friend, it's likely a scam.

Budget rule of thumb: aim for rent under 30% of your monthly income after taxes. Above that, you'll feel it every month.

A lease is a contract. Once you sign, you're bound by every line, including the ones designed to favor the landlord. Read it.

Red flags to watch for:

• "Joint and several liability": on shared leases means you can be held responsible for all the rent if your roommates skip. Negotiate individual leases when possible.
• Automatic renewal clauses: Some leases roll into another year unless you give 60 days' notice. Mark the date on your calendar the day you sign.
• Excessive cleaning or "non-refundable" fees: As of July 2024, California caps security deposits at one month's rent for nearly all rentals. Anything labeled "non-refundable" is suspect.
• Limits on guests, posters, or having a pet later: Small now, painful in a year.

What's negotiable: move-in date, rent amount (less in SF, but try), parking, painting walls, who covers what utilities. Ask in writing.

Free lease reviews available through the SF Tenants Union if anything looks off.

You have more protection than you probably think, but only if you know the rules.

• Is your unit rent-controlled?: Most buildings in SF built before June 1979 are. Check at the SF Rent Board. If yes, annual increases are capped (1.4% for 2024–25).
• Statewide cap (AB 1482): If your unit isn't rent-controlled but is over 15 years old, California caps increases at 5% + inflation, max 10% per year.
• Notice rules: Raises under 10% need 30 days' written notice. Over 10% needs 90 days. If you got less, the raise isn't valid yet.
• Retaliation is illegal: If a rent hike comes right after you reported a repair issue or organized with neighbors, that's a defense. Document everything.

What to do: don't sign anything or pay the new amount yet. Take the notice to Housing Rights Committee or the SF Tenants Union for a free review. Counseling is free, fast, and they'll tell you if the raise is legal.