The San Francisco Office of Assessor‑Recorder Photographs collection includes approximately 105,000 photographic prints and 75,000 frames of negatives documenting San Francisco properties from the late 1940s through the early 2000s. The Office of the Assessor‑Recorder transferred the negatives strips to the San Francisco History Center in the early 1980s and the photographic prints in 2019.
Digitization of the 105,000 photographic prints was completed in July 2026 and was supported by San Francisco Planning. Images can be viewed through the San Francisco Property Information Map. To explore, search by address and select “Historic Preservation” → “Property Photos” to see available images.
How to Search for Non‑Digitized Negatives
To locate negatives that have not yet been digitized, you must complete both an address search and a block number (Assessor Parcel Number, APN) search.
Address Search
Use the map below or the Address/APN Index to determine whether a negative exists for a property. If the address includes a listing under Library Negative Box #, make a note of it. Negatives may be viewed in person during the Photo Desk open hours.
Block Number / APN Search
Check the List of Negatives Arranged Numerically by Block Number (PDF) to see whether a listing exists for the block number (APN). Negatives may be viewed in person during the Photo Desk open hours.
If you do not know your block number, you can find it on the San Francisco Property Information Map.
