Housing Support

Where to Look:

Websites and platforms to explore when looking for apartments, rooms, or roommates:

  • Craigslist – Apartments, rooms for rent, and sublets. The most useful pages are “apts/housing” and “rooms/shared”. Housing can be filtered by Bay Area (East Bay, South Bay, Peninsula) or strictly San Francisco. This is one of the largest housing websites, but it’s often filled with scammers, so beware. See safety note below.
  • UCSF Housing– Student housing listings and roommate opportunities.
  • Facebook Housing Groups – Local housing communities and roommate searches.
  • Zillow / Apartments.com – Apartment listings and rental options.
    • Note: Craigslist, Zillow, Apartments.com, and many other rental websites can be filtered by city, neighborhood, price range, number of beds/baths

Housing Safety and Rent Control:

  • Avoid rental scams: You should never pay or send any sensitive identification information to tour an apartment. Signs of a rental scam include, but are not limited to: urgency to “lock down” the apartment through payment, insistence on untraceable payment methods (cash, wire transfers, cryptocurrency), prices significantly below market value
  • Understand your lease: Review rental agreements, deposits, utilities, and additional fees before signing.
  • Know your tenant rights: San Francisco rent control limits certain rent increases for eligible units. Not all apartments qualify, so check a property's status before signing.
  • Learn more through the SF Rent Board.

Things to Consider:

  • Roommates vs Living Alone: Having roommates often makes living in San Francisco more affordable and provides an opportunity to connect with others in the area. On the other hand, single occupancy offers privacy and independence. Think about your own living style. If choosing to share an apartment, clarify lease arrangements, rent responsibilities, and household expectations.
  • Visit the apartment and walk around the surrounding neighborhood before committing.
    • Consider nearby grocery stores, transportation, street lighting, and how comfortable you feel in the area.
  • Please note that San Francisco neighborhoods can change significantly from block to block.
  • Consider your commute when choosing where to live!
    • Check nearby Muni lines, BART stations, and UCSF shuttle routes.
    • Use SFMTA and BART to explore routes and schedules.
    • Consider commute time, transfers, and walking distance to campus.
    • UCSF is expanding its Clipper BayPass program beginning January 1, 2027! Learn more: UCSF Bay Pass Expansion