Berkeley infrastructure, housing measure could top $500M
Street paving, affordable housing at BART could see surge of new funding — if voters back largest-ever ballot measure.
Housing & Development
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Building a cottage in your Berkeley yard? Just make sure to tell the neighbors.
Homeowners in the Berkeley flatlands can now build two-story accessory dwelling units in their yards — as long as they inform their neighbors and tenants first.
96-unit senior home with ground-floor retail set to open in West Berkeley
The building at San Pablo Avenue and Addison Street will have room for a corner restaurant.
Homelessness
The Golden Bear Hotel could become permanent housing for homeless residents
If approved, the hotel will be converted into 44 permanent affordable housing units for residents.
At least 5 homeless people have died in Berkeley in the last 4 months
Advocates say the closure of encampments has led to displacement and worsened the existing drug overdose and COVID-19 crises.
Alameda County gears up for major homeless count
Canceled last year for COVID-19 safety concerns, this year’s Point-in-Time assessment “counts more” than any before it, organizers say.
Commercial development
Photos: Take a first look inside the hotel that has reshaped Berkeley’s skyline
The new Residence Inn by Marriott, which opens Friday in downtown, is the fourth-tallest building in Berkeley and the city’s biggest in half a century.
Council approves $33M Bayer development agreement
The deal paves the way for a building boom at the Bayer campus in West Berkeley, which could add 1,000 new jobs.
Berkeley ponders paid parking to aid cash-strapped Marina Fund
One council member called paid parking “a no-brainer” and others said it would align with the city’s climate goals.
Council seeks $15M state earmark to help revive Berkeley Marina
The marina has $113 million in unfunded infrastructure needs.
Apartment building could rise at former site of Albatross Pub
The proposed 44-unit project aims to take advantage of Berkeley’s move to eliminate parking requirements at new apartment buildings.
Housing at BART
Planning Commission on BART housing: 7 stories is not enough
The EIR comment period runs through Dec. 1. Learn how to weigh in.
9,000 homes by 2031? How Berkeley will try to pull it off
The city is making a key update to its housing plans. Here’s how the process works and how you can get involved.
Debate continues over affordability, parking, height of BART housing
What’s happening now is important because it will define the parameters for large new apartment buildings that are slated to replace what are now parking lots at the North Berkeley and Ashby BART stations.
After parking lots turn into housing, how will you get to BART?
BART is seeking input on its plan to help Berkeley residents get to the Ashby and North Berkeley BART stations once housing is built on the parking lots.
Affordable housing
Berkeley eyeing a big ballot measure in 2022 for streets, affordable housing
Mayor Jesse Arreguín and others are making the case for a new measure raising hundreds of millions of dollars for infrastructure and housing.
In brief
Berkeley to put $67M towards affordable housing projects
The projects include affordable housing on church properties in South Berkeley and the Homekey hotel in Northwest Berkeley.
With $6.6M grant, homeless youth in Alameda County will design programs for their community
Young unhoused people in Berkeley and surrounding cities will lead the decision-making process about how to use the federal grant.
‘No real options’: Last tenants agree to leave rent-controlled building, clearing way for UC Berkeley dorm
Cal can now tear down 1921 Walnut St. and the $300 million Anchor House project can proceed.
Student housing
UC Berkeley demolishes 112-year-old building to construct student dorm
Before it was knocked down, the rent-controlled building was the focus of a fight between its tenants and UC Berkeley.
The end of the 1960s? Regents vote to put housing in People’s Park.
About 1,100 students will be housed in two buildings in the long-contested park.
Developer proposes 17-story apartment building across from UC Berkeley
If past attempts to raise tall apartment buildings in downtown Berkeley are any indication, the plans could prove contentious.
4 stories shorter: UC Berkeley drops height of People’s Park student housing complex
But construction won’t start until the 50 or so people living at People’s Park have been housed or offered services, chancellor says.
Zoning Adjustments Board
Berkeley will soon be home to a major research and development center
Developers will construct two modern buildings and add a strolling path with native plants along Bolivar Drive by Aquatic Park.
Proposed development near Aquatic Park could bring in 1,600 workers
Two developers, working in conjunction with the Jones family who own the land, want to build two Class A R&D buildings.
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.
Urban planning
City looking for feedback on electrification blueprint
The meeting drew about 100 people who raised concerns about equity and affordability.
In historic vote, Berkeley puts $53M toward affordable housing at BART
It is the single largest investment in affordable housing Berkeley has made, the mayor said Tuesday night.
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.
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.
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.
UC Berkeley will explore moving 8-unit rent-controlled building as part of $82.6M settlement
The university will also pay $920,000 into the city’s Housing Trust Fund as recompense for the structure.
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.
Related stories
Berkeley rent board appoints DéSeana Williams as new executive director
Williams will make a starting salary of $200,366 on an initial three-year contract.
