St. Francis Wood, San Francisco

Neighborhood of San Francisco

St. Francis Wood

Neighborhood of San Francisco

Coordinates: 37°44′05″N 122°28′05″W﻿ / ﻿37.7348°N 122.4680°W﻿ / 37.7348; -122.4680

St. Francis Wood is a residential neighborhood located on the West Side of San Francisco, California, United States, south of the West Portal neighborhood and west of Mount Davidson. It had a population of 1,229 and a median household income of $179,244 in 2019.[2] Characterized by family homes on spacious lots (by San Francisco standards), St. Francis Wood has no visible businesses and has a correspondingly low profile compared to similar wealthy neighborhoods such as the Marina District and Pacific Heights. St. Francis Wood is one of eight master-planned residence parks in San Francisco.[3] It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. Francis Wood Historic District.

## History

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St Francis Wood looking towards Pacific Ocean.

St. Francis Wood was established in 1912 as an upper-middle-class residential neighborhood with streetcar access to downtown jobs.[4] Designed as a “residence park,” it reflected City Beautiful principles with curvilinear streets, landscaped medians, and decorative monuments laid out by the Olmsted Brothers.[5] Like many planned communities of its time,[6] the neighborhood initially included racially restrictive covenants and adopted early zoning policies that limited commercial development and multi-family housing, reflecting prevailing urban planning practices of the era.

### Historic designation

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On June 30, 2022, St. Francis Wood was added to the National Register of Historic Places after a campaign by residents citing the neighborhood’s origins as a 20th-century residence park and its collection of architecturally significant homes.[5][7] The historic designation requires construction projects to undergo review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which may add costs and approval time. New projects must also be compatible with the area's historic character, which typically includes two-story single-family homes with spacious yards.[7]

The designation received criticism from housing advocates and State Senator Scott Wiener, who argued it could hinder efforts to add new housing in the neighborhood and potentially conflict with state housing laws aimed at increasing density.[7] Supporters of the designation, including the St. Francis Homes Association, maintained that the intent was to preserve the neighborhood’s architectural heritage and emphasized that the community is open and diverse.[7]

## Demographics

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Race and ethnicity

Asian|  730|  (45.3%)
White non-Hispanic|  726|  (45%)
Hispanic (excluding Black and Asian)|  87|  (5.4%)
Other non-Hispanic|  48|  (2.98%)
Mixed non-Hispanic|  17|  (1.05%)
Black|  4|  (0.248%)
Source: [8]

In the two 2020 census tracts that contain St. Francis Wood 2020 census, at least 80% of the residents are White or Asian.[7] The median household income is $188,400.[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "St. Francis Wood Demographics and Statistics on Niche".
2. ^ "Saint Francis Wood neighborhood in San Francisco, California (CA), 94127 detailed profile". City-Data.com. Urban Mapping, Inc. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
3. ^ "Researching Residence Parks". SF West History. 10 (4). Oct–Dec 2014.
4. ^ Project, Western Neighborhods. "St. Francis Wood". www.outsidelands.org. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
5. ^ a b Guinn, By Jordan. "Neighborhood spotlight: St. Francis Wood". SFGATE. Archived from the original on 2024-10-08. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
6. ^ "Racial covenants, a relic of the past, are still on the books across the country". NPR. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
7. ^ a b c d e writer |, Benjamin Schneider | Examiner staff (2022-07-14). "St. Francis Wood earns historic designation, sparks backlash". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
8. ^ https://statisticalatlas.com/neighborhood/California/San-Francisco/St-Francis-Wood/Race-and-Ethnicity#top
9. ^ "The Demographic Statistical Atlas of the United States - Statistical Atlas". statisticalatlas.com. Retrieved 2022-07-15.

## External links

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* Media related to St. Francis Wood, San Francisco at Wikimedia Commons

* San Francisco Bay Area portal

* History of St. Francis Wood, St. Francis Homes Association
* Traffic solution for St. Francis Circle

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Outside Lands|

* Forest Hill
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See also|

* Cultural Districts
* Residence Parks

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