The Displaced Tenant Housing Preference helps renters, displaced by no-fault eviction or fire, find new housing. It gives applicants higher priority in many housing lotteries.

You exercise your DTHP certificate once when you move in - to rent or to buy one unit.

You can claim a DTHP in two ways

If you were evicted in or after 2010

1. Your landlord must have filed the eviction with the Rent Board as an Ellis Act or Owner Move In. Contact the Rent Board for confirmation »
2. You must have received either:
   1. A Notice of Intent to Withdraw (NOI)
   2. An Eviction Notice which:
      • States the reason for termination is to enable owner or relative move-in or
      • References Section 37.9(a)(8) of the Rent Ordinance
3. You are still eligible even if your landlord rescinds the eviction, if you already moved out.
4. You don't need to be on the lease to be eligible.

If your unit was extensively damaged by fire

1. You must have received a Fire Displacement Verification Form signed by a public safety official.
2. You must prove that you cannot return to your unit within 6 months of the fire.
3. You’ll need to add documents to your application that prove your residency. See the DTHP application for the document checklist.

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Apply for DTHP

1. Download the DTHP Application (English)

   You can also download the application in Español, Filipino, and Traditional Chinese.

2. Email the completed application to DTHPcertificate@sfgov.org

3. If you are unable to email or scan your documents, you can mail your application to:

   Displaced Tenant Housing Preference Program
   Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development
   1 South Van Ness Ave., 5th Floor
   San Francisco, CA  94103

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More information

• Email:  DTHPcertificate@sfgov.org
• Download the DTHP Frequently Asked Questions (English)
  • Download the FAQs in Español, Filipino, or Traditional Chinese
• Download the Lottery Preferences Manual to see full details about the DTHP program