Welcome back to Curbed Comparisons, a regular column exploring what you can rent for a set dollar amount in different neighborhoods. Is one person's studio another person's townhouse? Let's find out. Our price: $2,800/month.
↑ The rusty orange building at 3715 California in the southern corner of Presidio Heights is an old faithful San Francisco asset that's been hanging in with us since 1928. But the studio listing there for $2,795/month looks modern and contemporary enough (although maybe that's just the white interior passing itself off?). This is right on the edge between Presidio Heights and Jordan Park, and a couple of blocks from the Clement Street corridor in the Richmond. Cats and dogs are both allowed "under 40 pounds." And if your cat weighs more than 40 pounds, you're going to be having problems regardless of what your landlord says about anything.
↑ Location bragging rights have to be reserved for this flat in Russian Hill. Easy to see why what with it being few blocks from Fort Mason, Ghirardelli Square, Russian Hill Park, the Cable Car, and those photogenic curves on Lombard. That is a tough hand to beat. And the apartment, though small at 650 feet, is no slouch either, with the French doors adding a touch of respectability. The catch? No pets.
↑ Here's a studio in South Beach (on the northernwestern side of the bay Bridge this time) asking $2,800/month for a rather petite 432 square feet from end to end. What's the pitch? It's "three minutes to Google" (they even drew a map). Shouldn't Google employees be able to afford a bigger place? Well, not necessarily. Besides, it's also a few minutes to AT&T Park and on the good side of the Bay Lights, and the little apartment looks homey enough up on the seventh floor. Cats and dogs are both allowed; after all, these people work at Google, they're used to perks.
↑ For $2,800/month you can also rent yourself a bit more space if you take the trek out to a one bedroom apartment in the Richmond instead, to a stretch of Anza Street squeezed between Laurel Heights and Lone Mountain. The building's blank facade isn't doing it any favors (they built the place in 1959 and clearly haven't changed a thing since), but the top floor apartment is respectable, and a welcome change from the studio shoeboxes to the east.
↑ Finally, if you skip over to the Sunset and the western side of 19th avenue, a four-room flat that almost manages to be a thousand feet end to end wins the prize for best value per dollar on your monthly $2,800, at least on that important square footage basis. Small pets (under 20 pounds) allowed, so a banner day for hamsters, schnauzers, and certain breeds of snakes.