Berkeley real estate is in a pandemic rise to the stratosphere
The cost of Berkeley homes has surged in the past year, and the median price, by at least one measure, has now surpassed that of San Francisco. Why?
Housing
Top Stories
Berkeley emergency homeless shelter closes for the season, relocates some residents
The BESS ran from November to April this year, and remained open 24 hours a day with reduced capacity.
Affordable housing
‘They just started jack-hammering’: Berkeley tenants blindsided by ADU that abuts sidewalk
While the accessory dwelling unit is legal, these South Berkeley tenants are upset they were not informed it was coming.
Berkeley votes for historic housing change: an end to single-family zoning
The unanimous vote kickstarts a 2-year-long process which would see about 9,000 more housing units at various income levels built over the next several years.
In brief
Berkeley has free workshops to help landlords, tenants navigate rent
The Berkeley Rent Stablization Board’s seminars offer help to landlords and tenants with security deposits, registering rental properties, the newly-approved Measure MM and more.
‘This feels cruel, that our sacred site is now imprisoned.’ Ohlones protest new fence around ancestral land
The owners of 1900 Fourth St. want to build housing and retail on the old Spenger’s parking lot, which sits in the middle of Berkeley’s shellmound district.
Student housing
Vandalism reported at homes of Cal staff connected with UC development, People’s Park
Based on “highly threatening, hateful graffiti,” the targets and the timing, UC police believe the vandalism is associated with the plan to build housing at People’s Park.
UC Berkeley plans to become bigger, greener and more pedestrian friendly
The university’s new long-range plan includes building 12,000 housing units for a projected larger population.
Protesters tear down fences at Berkeley rally to save People’s Park
With echoes of People’s Park’s legacy of resistance, protesters reacted Friday to UC Berkeley taking the first steps towards developing the land for student housing.
UC Berkeley tells tenants of 112-year-old rent-controlled building they must leave
Cal said it will offer $54,000 or more to the occupants of 1921 Walnut St. to leave so it can build a 760-bed student housing project there.
Homelessness
Alameda County decides not to count homeless population this year
COVID-19 risks have prompted a year-long delay in the point-in-time homeless count, a “crucial data source.”
Award for a ‘COVID-19 hero’ highlights street medicine’s team approach for unhoused in the East Bay
Honoree Mukund Raguram says it’s very much a team effort of the work he does providing health care and case management to unhoused communities in the East Bay.
In brief
Alameda County program aims to match landlords with people transitioning out of homelessness
Berkeley says the initiative means property owners can receive a stable rental income while supporting the health of the community.
Housing at BART
Interested in plans for housing at BART? Take these surveys by Feb. 22
The city is collecting community input on affordable housing, land use, building form and public space as part of the public process around plans to build housing at BART.
Planning Commission approves Adeline plan with 100% affordable housing goal
The commission says the percentage is not a requirement, but an aspiration. Community and BART talks are ongoing.
Ashby, North Berkeley top BART’s list of stations to build housing faster
Berkeley’s efforts to help lead the charge to build hundreds of new apartments at the Ashby and North Berkeley BART stations have landed the city at the top of the transit agency’s list for short-term development plans.
Berkeley approves agreement with BART around housing at two stations
“This is a beginning of a process,” Mayor Jesse Arreguín told a passionate crowd Tuesday.
Zoning Adjustments Board
With split vote, Berkeley zoning board approves new ‘group living’ project
A 41-unit “group living” project called Poet’s Place was approved Thursday night by a Berkeley zoning board majority.
‘A mini-urban miracle,’ new Berkeley homeless housing could be model for the state
It’s been a big week for subsidized housing in Berkeley. And it just got bigger.
Neighbors fight proposed Verizon cell site in North Berkeley — again
A group of local residents celebrated three years ago when plans for a Verizon cell site in their neighborhood were dropped. Now, many of them are back at it.
101 units at San Pablo, Hearst approved at former Berkeley Midas site
A six-story, 101-unit project proposed in Berkeley at San Pablo and Hearst avenues won near-unanimous approval Thursday night from the zoning board.
Urban planning
Berkeley denounces racist history of single-family zoning, begins 2-year process to change general plan
Council unanimously approved a resolution that will work toward banning single-family zoning.
Can Berkeley’s Civic Center become the heart of the city? Gehl Studio thinks so
The city has asked the community to help reimagine how Civic Center works with the goal of transforming it from a largely empty space into Berkeley’s “main square.”
To ease student housing crunch, Berkeley starts process to increase density in the Southside
It will take a year for changes to come before the Berkeley City Council, but they could include room for three more high-rise residential buildings.
Can an unfinished but ‘usable’ basement space be taxed? Berkeley says ‘yes’ and the courts have agreed
A number of property owners are challenging how the city assesses special taxes. They believe they have been overcharged and are seeking redress.
Housing Trust Fund
The Housing Trust Fund is the money the city uses to build and support affordable housing projects in Berkeley. The money can be leveraged 4-to-1 to seek outside funding. Money generally comes into the fund when developers choose not to include affordable units within their projects, or who do not include the full number of those units. Rather than building on site, they can pay a fee into the city's Trust Fund instead.
Berkeley wins $42 million in grants for 150 units of affordable housing
Mayor Jesse Arreguín said it’s the largest amount he could recall Berkeley ever having gotten from the state for affordable housing over his 16 years serving the city.
Berkeley’s most ambitious homeless housing project ever breaks ground
The project also includes 89 units of affordable housing, at 50%-60% of the area median income, that will be available to the general public on a lottery basis. It is slated to open in 2022.
Downtown Berkeley Harold Way deal for 18 stories, 300 units is officially over
The city has decided not to grant developer Hill Street Realty more time to secure financing for the 18-story Berkeley Plaza project on Harold Way.
Recent stories
Push to landmark Kamala Harris’ home fizzles out
The current owners of the home are concerned landmarking will disrupt the neighborhood.
Succulents — yes, the plants — are dividing a Berkeley senior home
Charles Herring has raised hundreds of succulents over the years, but some residents believe they are attracting mice and want them gone.
Update: Change in Berkeley law not needed to landmark the childhood home of Kamala Harris
The city may adjust its laws in order to landmark the Bancroft Way home the vice-president lived in as a child.
