New Affordable Housing Development for Artists Coming to San Francisco

The 14-story building will provide affordable apartments and creative spaces for local artists.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Demolition is underway at a prominent corner of Market and Gough streets in San Francisco, where a new 14-story development called Artists Hub on Market will provide affordable apartments and creative spaces specifically for local artists. The project, which is the first of its kind in the city, is a partnership between nonprofit leader Randall Kline and Mercy Housing. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate sustained engagement in the arts over the past three years.

Why it matters

The project aims to help address the ongoing challenge of affordable housing for artists in San Francisco, a city with a long history of creativity and artistic legacy. By providing dedicated affordable units and creative spaces, the development seeks to support the local arts community and ensure that artists can continue to live and work in the city.

The details

The 14-story building will be located at the corner of Market and Gough streets, in the heart of San Francisco's performing arts district. The development, known as Artists Hub on Market, will feature affordable apartments specifically for artists, as well as spaces for live creative performances. To qualify for the units, applicants must demonstrate that they have earned more than $10,000 annually from artistic work in at least three of the last five years, received a grant to produce art, or shown professional commitment through a portfolio review.

  • Demolition of the previous building on the site is currently underway.
  • The certification process for artist applicants is expected to launch around 2027.
  • Once leasing begins, the affordable apartments will be listed through the city's affordable housing portal, DAHLIA.

The players

Randall Kline

A longtime arts leader in San Francisco, Kline is the founder of the nonprofit SFJAZZ and is now focused on the new Artists Hub on Market project in partnership with Mercy Housing.

Mercy Housing

A nonprofit affordable housing developer that is partnering with Randall Kline on the Artists Hub on Market project.

San Francisco Arts Commission

The city agency that will develop and manage the certification process for artists applying to live in the affordable units.

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What they’re saying

“We're at the corner of Market and Gough streets here. The crew here working on this is removing all the debris from the building that was demolished.”

— Randall Kline, Founder, SFJAZZ (cbsnews.com)

“Well, this is an amazing, central area of San Francisco here. Just think of all the neighborhoods. The first one, the most obvious one, is the performing arts district up the street with SFJAZZ.”

— Randall Kline, Founder, SFJAZZ (cbsnews.com)

“There is a whole history of creativity here, from the very beginning, from the Gold Rush. In the jazz world, Jelly Roll Morton, who claimed to have invented jazz, he lived on Market Street right here in San Francisco in the early 1900s.”

— Randall Kline, Founder, SFJAZZ (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The San Francisco Arts Commission will develop and manage the certification process for artist applicants, which is expected to launch around 2027. Once leasing begins, the affordable apartments will be listed through the city's affordable housing portal, DAHLIA, where certified artists will be able to apply.

The takeaway

This new affordable housing development for artists in San Francisco's central Market and Gough neighborhood represents a significant effort to support the local arts community and ensure that creative individuals can continue to live and work in the city, despite the ongoing challenges of affordable housing.