What used to be a late-night McDonald’s run at Haight and Stanyan is now a brand-new front door to affordable housing in one of San Francisco’s priciest corridors. Today, city and nonprofit leaders cut the ribbon at 730 Stanyan, celebrating the transformation of the long-vacant lot into an eight-story, mixed-use building with 160 units of 100% affordable housing directly across from Golden Gate Park. Officials say the apartments will serve low- and moderate-income families and transitional-age youth, and the project will include ground-floor community space and commercial storefronts aimed squarely at neighborhood needs.
What’s In The Building
Designed as a wholly affordable development, 730 Stanyan includes 160 apartments for families and transitional-age youth and is planned to feature an early childhood center, resident gardens and neighborhood-serving retail. According to the 730 Stanyan project website, the building also offers terraces and communal outdoor space meant to connect residents with Golden Gate Park. The site lists property management and community services partners that will provide ongoing support for residents.
Financing And The City’s Role
City records show the Board of Supervisors approved a ground lease and an amended loan agreement to close financing gaps, with the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development loan capped at roughly $69.5 million and total development costs near $169.2 million, according to the city's Budget and Legislative Analyst report. The report also breaks down unit types and subsidies, noting 32 permanent supportive housing units and another 32 units backed by project-based Section 8 vouchers. It further notes that the city purchased the parcel from McDonald’s in 2018 with the specific goal of redeveloping it for affordable housing.
Neighbors And Local Reaction
Local merchants and neighborhood advocates have largely welcomed the new homes, even as they warn that the decision to include no dedicated parking could put extra pressure on the already crowded Upper Haight corridor. As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, business owners, including the owners of Amoeba Music, say they back the building’s mission but expect the lack of parking to be a practical headache. City officials counter that eliminating parking helped keep costs in check and allowed more funding to be directed into creating additional units.
Applications And Who Moved In
The Mayor’s Office listing shows that applications for 730 Stanyan closed on July 3, 2025 and that unit assignments were made through the city’s DAHLIA lottery system. According to the Mayor's Office listing, winners were notified after a lottery held on July 23, 2025, with additional households placed on a waitlist. Organizers at the ribbon-cutting highlighted the first wave of residents, including a UCSF health-care worker and a young adult moving off the streets, details that were also noted in a post from Daniel Lurie on X.
What was once an old McDonalds is now 160 new units of affordable housing. Today we celebrated the opening of 730 Stanyan Street, a new mixed-use, 100% affordable housing development right across the street from Golden Gate Park. Located in the Haight, this site is now home to… pic.twitter.com/PeNDug4Dh2
— Daniel Lurie 丹尼爾·羅偉 (@DanielLurie) July 29, 2026
From McDonald’s Lot To Homes
The corner at Haight and Stanyan has been the focus of neighborhood debate for years. After buying the parcel from McDonald’s, the city cycled through interim uses, including a safe-sleeping site during the pandemic, before locking in a permanent housing plan. Coverage of the site’s stint as a safe-sleeping site for homeless residents traces how the property shifted from temporary shelter to long-term affordable housing. Neighbors and advocates say 730 Stanyan will now serve as a test case for whether city-owned land can reliably deliver deeply affordable homes in high-cost neighborhoods like the Haight.
