For all housing opportunities, the Agency gives special priority to holders of Certificates of Preference. These Certificates were issued to households that were displaced by redevelopment activity in the 1960's and early 1970's, specifically in the Western Addition and in Hunters Point. The Agency maintains a mailing list of all households in this program. For additional information, see below or call the Certificate hotline at 415-749-2432. If you believe that you are entitled to such a Certificate or if you are a Certificate holder who has not been receiving special mailings, please contact Adrienne Anderson at 415-749-2497.
Please note that Certificate Holder status provides first priority for housing opportunities offered through the Agency. Certificate Holders are required to meet any program eligibility requirements for the housing for which they are applying, such as income, household size, homeownership status, etc.
In June 2008, the Redevelopment Commission approved a new Home Buyers Assistance Program specifically for Certificate Holders. This new program will offer silent second loans and matching funds for Individual Development Accounts for home purchases in San Francisco. These new resources will likely be available starting in the fall of 2008. Stay tuned for further details.
You may find the documents below helpful in learning more about the Certificate of Preference Program. The first file is list of Frequently Asked Questions about the Certificate Program with answers. The second document is the formal set of Certificate of Preference Program Rules adopted by the Redevelopment Agency Commission.
NEWS! IDA PROGRAM. The Agency is pleased to announce the launch of an exciting new down payment/savings match program for Certificate of Preference holders who were displaced from the Western Addition. These matching funds, provided at a rate of $3 for every $1 saved, are intended to help with down payment towards the purchase of a first home. Please see the attached brochure for additional information.
LOAN PROGRAM. The Agency has also launched the COP Second Loan Program to assist Certificate of Preference holders who were displaced from the Western Addition with the purchase of their first home. Please call 415-749-2456 for more information.
If you would like someone to contact you about the Certificate Program, please fill out the form below with as much information as possible, including the address from which your family was displaced (if known), parents names if they were the heads of household, etc.
You may print out, fill in this form and send it to the Agency to request information about your specific situation. As an alternative, you may visit the following page and in the same information in the fields on the screen and send it back online: ONLINE FORM
Please note that a Certificate of Preference is a document issued by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency ("agency") to displaced residents and businesses in the 1960’s when the Agency was implementing its federally-funded urban renewal program. The San Francisco Redevelopment Agency is not the Housing Authority, nor does the Agency administer the Section 8 program. No other entity or organization is authorized to check eligibility for a Certificate of Preference, or to grant a Certificate of Preference. There are always a large number of requests, and searches are conducted in the order they’re received. Incomplete information, misspelled names, and wrong addresses can delay the results of a search.
