SF Prop H Leads in Early Results: Muni Parcel Tax Explained

SAN FRANCISCO — Proposition H, the citywide measure establishing a new annual parcel tax to help finance Muni operations, was leading by a substantial margin in preliminary returns from Tuesday's November 3 election. A KQED results tally updated at 9:53 p.m. Pacific showed approximately 72.5% voting Yes and 27.4% voting No. The election result is not final until certification; subsequent counts may change the percentages.

If approved in the official result, the new tax would begin July 1, 2027 and continue through June 30, 2042. Unlike a property-value-based tax, it depends chiefly on the type of parcel and building floor area.

What would a San Francisco property owner pay?

The SFMTA lists these starting annual rates for fiscal 2027–28, before future inflation adjustments, subject to applicable exemptions:

A 4,000-square-foot single-family home, for example, would have a first-year tax of $549 ($129 plus $0.42 on 1,000 additional square feet) if no exemption applies. A 6,000-square-foot multifamily building would pay $444 ($249 plus $0.195 on 1,000 square feet). These are illustrations based on the published rate schedule, not individual tax assessments.

The first-year tax amount for mixed-use buildings depends on the special mixed-use formula. Owners should use the final legal text and city guidance, not the base-rate table alone, to assess mixed-use parcels.

Can some homeowners claim exemptions?

The measure provides qualified exemptions or reductions, including provisions for older owner-occupants. Specific eligibility and application requirements matter; a qualifying owner should review the measure's legal text and forthcoming SFMTA administration guidance before assuming an exemption is automatic.

For rent-controlled housing, the enacted measure also contains a limited landlord pass-through mechanism. Whether an individual tenant can be charged depends on the property and tenancy conditions, so tenants should not treat the published parcel tax as an automatic rent increase.

How much money would Muni receive?

The official ballot description estimates $177 million a year for 15 years. The SFMTA describes the prospective revenue as a way to reduce its structural operating deficit and support limited service improvements. The money is intended for public transit operations and comes with audit and oversight provisions.

Passage does not, by itself, establish that a particular Muni route will run more often or that fares will change. Future agency budgets and service plans will determine operational details.

Is this the same as the regional transit sales tax?

No. Proposition H is San Francisco’s local property-parcel tax. The separate Regional Transit Measure (RTM) is a proposed 14-year sales tax across five Bay Area counties, also leading in the November 3 returns. It would add one cent per dollar (1 percentage point) to taxable sales in San Francisco and half a cent per dollar in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, with a reported April 2027 start. RTM proceeds would support a wider range of transit agencies, including BART, Caltrain and Muni. Households and businesses should distinguish the two taxes rather than assume Prop H is the only new transit-funding measure. The final RTM result is also subject to the official count.

What happens next?

The Department of Elections will continue counting ballots and certify the final outcome later. Property owners can use the SFMTA's rate schedule as a planning baseline for July 2027; the tax is not a November 2026 charge.

Sources

• <a href="https://www.sfmta.com/projects/proposition-h-muni-local-measure" rel="nofollow">SFMTA — Proposition H parcel tax schedule, funding and oversight</a>.
• <a href="https://campaign.sfethics.org/elections/2026-11-03/measures/measureh" rel="nofollow">San Francisco Ethics Commission — official ballot question and estimated revenue</a>.
• <a href="https://www.kqed.org/elections/results?fr=navbar" rel="nofollow">KQED/AP election results — November 3 preliminary tally</a>.
• <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/San_Francisco_City_and_County%2C_California_ballot_measures" rel="nofollow">Ballotpedia — 2026 regional RTM tax rates and geography</a>.
• <a href="https://growsf.org/voter-guide/san-francisco-voter-guide-november-2026-election/measures/prop-h/legal-text/" rel="nofollow">Published annotated legal text of Proposition H</a> (cross-check against official ballot text).