San Francisco Affordable Housing Lottery Priority for Veterans

Administrative Code Chapter 47 sets the order of preference in the City's affordable housing programs, those funded or administered by the Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD). Since 2021, section 47.3 adds that a veteran verified as eligible for any of the preferences "shall receive priority for the applicable preference over any other applicants eligible for the same preference". The veteran rises to the top of the preference, not of the whole lottery. The preferences, in order. Holders of a Certificate of Preference from the former Redevelopment Agency; Displaced Tenants (Ellis Act and owner move-in evictions, fire and certain other displacements); Neighborhood Residents, for 40% of the units in a new development in their supervisorial district; and anyone who lives or works in San Francisco. A veteran who qualifies for none goes into the general lottery without priority. Who is a veteran. Section 47.2: a person who served in the active military, naval or air service and was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable, and who "is recognized by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to receive or qualify for benefits or assistance". A person refused can ask for a hearing before a Rent Board administrative law judge. How to claim it. On the DAHLIA housing portal, answer "Yes" to a veteran on the application and choose the veteran, then pick a lottery preference. The veteran's name must be on a photo ID, a DD-214 or a VA benefits eligibility letter, and the preference documents (for live or work, dated within 45 days). Veteran status is verified once. The limits. The priority does not reach units supported only by HUD, the Human Services Agency, the Department of Public Health or the Housing Authority, or where a State or federal funding source forbids it. MOHCD's page lists only the Certificate of Preference, Displaced Tenant and Live or Work preferences; section 47.3 also applies the priority within the Neighborhood Resident preference.