RH-1 Zone in San Francisco, CA
RH-1 zoning district rules in San Francisco, CA. Permitted uses, setbacks, height limits, and lot coverage requirements.
The RH-1 zone in San Francisco, CA is a residential district (Single-Family Residential). Permits one dwelling unit per lot. Typically the most restrictive residential zone. Designed to preserve the character of established single-family neighborhoods. This zone requires a 10 ft front setback, 0 ft side setback, and 25 ft rear setback. Maximum building height is 35 feet (3 stories). Maximum lot coverage is no explicit citywide maximum; rear yard requirement effectively limits to ~65-70% in practice.
Common Permitted Uses
- Single-family homes
Permits one dwelling unit per lot. Typically the most restrictive residential zone. Designed to preserve the character of established single-family neighborhoods.
Setback Requirements
| Setback Type | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Front Setback | 10 feet |
| Side Setback | 0 feet |
| Rear Setback | 25 feet |
SF Planning Code Section 132–134. Front setback 15 ft (or average of block if more). Side yard: 0 ft for attached housing (typical SF rowhouse pattern). Rear yard: 25% of lot depth minimum, not less than 15 ft. RH-1 = House, One Family.
Height Limits
- Max Height
- 35 feet
- Max Stories
- 3
SF Planning Code Section 260. Standard height limit in RH-1 zones is 35 ft — sufficient for typical SF three-story Victorian or Edwardian rowhouse. Height maps at: https://sfplanning.org/resources
Lot Coverage
- Max Coverage
- no explicit citywide maximum; rear yard requirement effectively limits to ~65-70% in practice
SF Planning Code uses rear yard requirements (25% of lot depth) rather than lot coverage percentages for RH zones. Front yard landscaping requirements may further reduce effective coverage.
Parking Requirements
Single-family: 1 covered space per single-family dwelling in RH-1 zones; reduced or waived near transit per SF Planning Code Section 150+. Multi-family: 0–1 space per unit in most RM and NC zones — SF Planning Code substantially reduces parking requirements near transit. Many RM zones require 0 minimum parking spaces. Section 151.
Source: San Francisco Planning Code Section 207.1; California Government Code Chapter 13 §§66314–66333 (Stats. 2024 Ch. 7 §20). Last verified April 5, 2026. View source