Applications are open for six very-low-income apartments in Berkeley’s Southside neighborhood.
Prospective tenants have through Sunday to apply for a spot at The Panoramic Berkeley, a new six-story, 70-unit housing complex at 2539 Telegraph Ave.
Households making up to $43,400 to $66,950 — depending on the type of unit — are eligible to apply. Applications are accepted online only, and a lottery for the six spots is slated for Monday evening. Selected tenants will go through a verification process and move in Nov. 1.
Private developers in Berkeley are required to include below-market-rate units in housing complexes like The Panoramic, or they can opt to pay the city a mitigation fee instead. The current law requires 20% of the units to be reserved for very low-income tenants, but The Panoramic predates those rules and was approved when the city required 10% affordability.
In today’s pricey and high-demand housing market, it is unusual for a batch of affordable units to become available at once.
Berkeleyside is interested in speaking with people who are applying to the units at The Panoramic or other low-income housing in Berkeley, for a potential article. Contact reporter Natalie Orenstein at natalie@berkeleyside.com if you’re willing to be interviewed about the application process and outcome. Note that Berkeleyside is not involved in any capacity in the application or tenant selection process.
See more information about the six available units on the city of Berkeley website.
