Bernal Heights
Neighborhood Intelligence

Bernal Heights sits south of the Mission, bounded by Cesar Chavez Street on the north, US-101 on the east, Alemany Boulevard and I-280 on the south, and San Jose Avenue and Mission Street on the west. The neighborhood rises to the open summit of Bernal Heights Park and takes in Precita Valley along its northern edge, the Cortland Avenue commercial strip, and the slopes around Holly Park and St. Mary's Park. Mission Street's southern stretch runs along its western side. About 24,100 people live here.

The housing stock is mostly detached and semi-detached single-family homes and small multi-unit buildings on narrow hillside lots, zoned RH-1, RH-1(D), and RH-2, with some RM-1 apartment parcels. Commercial uses are concentrated in the Cortland Avenue NCD and the Mission Bernal NCD along Mission Street, with NC-S and small PDR pockets near the freeway edges. Public parcels include Bernal Heights Park, Precita Park, Holly Park, the Bernal Heights Branch Library on Cortland Avenue, and the Alemany Farmers' Market.