San Francisco Design Standards
Effective April 1, 2025, the Preservation Design Standards will apply to all projects involving additions and modifications to existing historic buildings. This new requirement applies specifically to Category A and A* properties that are protected under the Housing Accountability Act.
San Francisco values excellent building and urban design. The standards in this document are intended to assure that new buildings are well designed and contribute to vibrant urban places. These objective standards involve no personal or subjective judgment and are publicly available and verifiable by reference. The standards complement but do not replace existing obligations in the Planning Code.
The Citywide Design Standards chapter of the San Francisco Design Standards was adopted by the Planning Commission on November 14, 2024.
