Matthew Smith

St. Francis Wood

A 1912 residence park with stone fountains, brick-patterned sidewalks, and landscaped boulevards.

City
San Francisco
ZIP
94127
Schools
SFUSD choice
Imagery: USGS The National Map. Map services and data available from U.S. Geological Survey, National Geospatial Program. Terrain: United States 3DEP (formerly NED) and global GMTED2010 and SRTM terrain data courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey. Labels: US Census Bureau TIGER/Line, USGS GNIS.

St. Francis Wood from above

St. Francis Wood sits on the city's southwest side, on the slopes below Mount Davidson, near West Portal and Forest Hill. Open full map →

About St. Francis Wood

St. Francis Wood is a residence park in southwest San Francisco. Laid out in 1912 as a planned garden suburb, it has curving boulevards and mature landscaping.

The Olmsted firm shaped the landscape plan, and architects John Galen Howard and Henry Gutterson designed the entry gates, the ornamental lampposts, the brick-diamond sidewalks, and the two fountains that anchor St. Francis Boulevard. The neighborhood is listed as a historic district.

It is almost entirely single-family homes, with no commercial strip inside the neighborhood. The nearest shops are in West Portal.

There is an active homeowners association and recorded design covenants, and the homes are older.

The St. Francis Wood Homes Association fountain circle
Photo: Doncram / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), cropped

Roads and transit in St. Francis Wood

Transit

West Portal Muni Metro

The West Portal Muni Metro station, to the north, carries the K, L, and M lines through the Twin Peaks Tunnel to downtown.

On foot

West Portal village

There is no commercial strip inside the neighborhood. Shops and cafes are in nearby West Portal village.

By car

Freeway and park access

19th Avenue, which carries Highway 1, and Interstate 280 are nearby. Most homes have garages or driveways.

St. Francis Wood disclosure report items

Homeowners association and design covenants

St. Francis Wood has an active homeowners association and recorded covenants, conditions, and restrictions, including architectural and design review that governs exterior changes.

Historic district and older homes

Many homes here are a century old, and the neighborhood is a historic district.

Hillside and drainage

The neighborhood sits on the slopes below Mount Davidson.

We are working on direct access to more MLS data for San Francisco.

Places in St. Francis Wood

Landmark

St. Francis Boulevard fountains

The two fountains on the main boulevard, maintained by the homeowners association.

Landmark

The entry gates

The original ornamental gateway and pillars at the neighborhood's entrance, part of John Galen Howard's design for the planned suburb.

Nature

Mount Davidson

The city's highest natural point, with forested trails.

Village

West Portal Avenue

The nearby commercial street with shops and restaurants.

Park

Stern Grove

A wooded canyon park with a free summer concert series.

Landmark

Santa Ana Circle Fountain

St. Francis Boulevard at Santa Ana Avenue. A concrete fountain in a traffic circle marking the center of the boulevard.

Landmark

Terminal Fountain, St. Francis Park

Top of St. Francis Boulevard. The multi-level octagonal-basin fountain installed by the developer in 1916, designed by Henry Gutterson.

History

St. Francis Wood Historic District

The National Register of Historic Places district covering the residence park.

The market in St. Francis Wood

St. Francis Wood is almost entirely single-family homes on landscaped lots, many a century old. It is a designated historic district on the city's west side.

Map search of homes for sale in St. Francis Wood →

How schools work here

San Francisco does not assign public schools strictly by address. SFUSD runs a citywide enrollment system. The SFUSD application, timelines and lottery details are linked below.

The system

SFUSD is a choice system

Placement runs through a citywide lottery with tiebreakers, not a strict neighborhood boundary. An address does not guarantee placement.

Enroll

SFUSD enrollment

The official application, timelines, and how the lottery works.

SFUSD enrollment →

St. Francis Wood FAQ

Is St. Francis Wood a gated community?

No, it is an open public neighborhood with ceremonial entry gates and pillars from its 1912 design, not a controlled-access gate. The streets are public, but it has an active homeowners association that maintains the landscaping and fountains.

Does St. Francis Wood have an HOA?

Yes. There is an active homeowners association with dues and recorded covenants, including architectural and design review for exterior changes.

What kind of homes are here?

Almost entirely single-family homes on landscaped lots, many a century old. There is no commercial strip inside the neighborhood.

How do schools work?

San Francisco uses a citywide SFUSD enrollment lottery rather than strict address assignment. The official enrollment details are on the SFUSD site.

Nearby San Francisco neighborhoods

All San Francisco neighborhoods

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