A three-bedroom home on Adair Street in San Francisco's Mission District is going up for sale at a fraction of its value, but only to an artist household that meets strict income rules. Celadon House is the first homeownership opportunity from Artist Space Trust, a joint program of the nonprofits Vital Arts and the Northern California Land Trust, and applications are open through Nov. 22.

The home and the price

The unit is a three-bedroom, one-bathroom tenancy-in-common flat in a duplex: a second-floor walk-up with a renovated kitchen and bathroom, in-unit laundry, a backyard courtyard and an unfinished basement, according to the trust's listing. It was appraised at $2.6 million in 2025 and is being offered at a non-negotiable $425,000, the San Francisco Examiner reported. Qualifying buyers can get up to $100,000 in down payment assistance.

The trust secured the building through a donation from an anonymous local artist who wanted it to benefit the community rather than sell it on the open market, Artist Space Trust Director Meg Shiffler told the Examiner. Under the land trust model, the buyer owns the home while the trust holds the land underneath, and the home stays permanently affordable. "Celadon House will continue to be resold to low-income artists, preserved as affordable housing for generations to come," Shiffler said in a statement.

Who can apply

According to the trust, at least one adult applicant must have an active, ongoing artistic practice. The trust says it does not judge the work's quality or commercial success. Other requirements:

  • A household of two to seven people.
  • Household income at or below 80% of San Francisco's area median income: $134,500 for two people, $151,300 for three, $168,100 for four, $181,550 for five, $195,000 for six and $208,450 for seven.
  • First-time buyer status, which generally means not owning your home in the past three years.
  • About $15,000, or 3% of the price, as a down payment. Gift money is allowed.
  • Qualifying for a mortgage through Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco, the only approved lender. It has no minimum credit score but requires two years of work in the same field and a debt-to-income ratio under 43%.
  • An 8-hour HUD-certified homebuyer education course, plus attending a virtual info session and an in-person open house.

How the buyer will be picked

Complete applications go into a lottery for a random ranking. Applicants who live or work in San Francisco, or who can document a meaningful connection to the Mission, move up in the ranking, though you don't need either to apply. The top 10 then go through down payment and mortgage qualification and interviews with an independent selection committee. The trust's timeline runs purchase and closing through April 1, 2027. The next virtual info session is Oct. 21 at 6 p.m.

Why it matters

The trust says the average Mission apartment sells for about $900,000 and rents for about $3,600 a month, and it pointed to the recent closure of the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts as a sign of how hard it is for artists to stay. Founded in 2023 in response to Oakland's Ghost Ship fire and the steady loss of artists from the Bay Area, Artist Space Trust says its goal is to secure 300 artist sites by 2036.