When rental applications become available, you may apply via the Sophie Maxwell Building website. Applicants will be asked to provide personal information, household information, and income. Once they submit their application, applicants will be entered in the lottery and will receive their ranking once the results are posted. 

To apply, please visit https://liveatmaxwell.com

Lottery Process: Pre-applications are collected directly from the Sophie Maxwell Building website application page.  All applicants who submit complete pre-applications are included in a public electronic lottery.  The electronic lottery results are then filtered by income and unit type.

Qualification Process: Income eligibility consists of Management's review of income-related documents provided by applicant(s) and documents obtained via Management's 3rd Party Verification.  Applicants complete a packet of required forms documenting sources and amounts of current and anticipated income, provide copies of documents (paystubs, taxes, bank statements, award letters, etc.) to support the sources and amounts of current and anticipated income, and a release for Management to verify the sources and amounts of current and anticipated income.  After Management's review of documents provide by applicants and 3rd Party Verifications, a calculation test is performed to determine if the household income meets the income restrictions of the property or unit.

Waitlist Management: After applicants are processed in lottery rank order for vacant units, a remaining quantity, usually 500, will become the property's waiting list (in lottery rank order) to fill future vacancies.  Management will usually reach out to each of the applicants on the waiting list at least once per year to ensure continued interest in the property and the most up-to-date information (contact and income related) is known for selection of future vacancies.

As AMI/Unit Type waitlist are exhausted management will conduct move-ins on a first come; first serve basis.

Determining an income mix for an affordable housing development is a complex process. Affordable housing developers must present a unit and income mix that is eligible for State financing and addresses the affordable housing needs for the community, all while ensuring that the property’s rental income can pay for operations expenses (property staff, utilities, insurance, etc.) for 20+ years.

The Sophie Maxwell Building has 105 units, including 1 managers unit, with unit types as follows:

HPP units: 6 total

• These units are set aside for the Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP) and will not be included in the lottery. To learn more about HPP, please visit https://homelessprenatal.org

Lottery: 98 total

• 67 - studio, one bathroom

• 19 - one bedroom, one bathroom

• 12 - two bedrooms, one bathroom

• Lottery configuration subject to change

Managers unit: 1 total

• Studio: minimum 1, maximum 2

• One bedroom: minimum 1, maximum 3

• Two bedrooms: minimum 2, maximum 5

The property will provide marketing materials to the following (but not limited to) local agencies that may assist with application completion. Staff administrators will also be available in person and via phone to assist with the application process.

• Potrero Booster Neighborhood Association

• Dogpatch Potrero Hill Merchants

• Sunnyvale Boys & Girls Club

• Potrero Hill Democratic Club

• Bay View Hunters Point Senior Services

• Phoenix Project

• Samoan Community Development Center

• Bayview YMCA

• Dogpatch YMCA at Crane Cove

• San Francisco Housing Development Corp 

• Dogpatch Neighborhood Association

• Bayview Alliance

We will begin accepting applications online via The Sophie Maxwell Building website on or around Friday, August 1, 2025. The portal will remain open for 2 weeks and close on Friday, August 15, 2025.

The lottery will be conducted on or around Friday, August 22, 2025. Initial Applicants will be notified via USPS and email for acceptance and the next steps for application processing. The remaining waitlist applicants will be notified of their placement via USPS and email.

All applicants that are denied will receive a denial letter that states the reason for denial as well as information on our grievance procedure. Grievances can be submitted in writing or verbally and must be received within ten (10) working days of denial. An informal review will be held within five (5) working days. You will be notified of a decision within 14 working days. If a decision is made in your favor, you will be offered the first available unit.