Posted inOpinion

Op-ed: Council must adequately regulate short term rentals to protect Berkeley’s housing supply

Tonight the Berkeley City Council will vote on legalizing and regulating short-term rentals, defined as rentals which last for less than fourteen days.  Currently, such rentals are illegal in Berkeley, though that hasn’t stopped multi-billion dollar companies such as Airbnb from ignoring the law.  With Airbnb’s assistance, certain landlords around the state have been able […]

Posted inOpinion

Op-ed: Why Airbnb is so popular among Berkeley homeowners (A cautionary tale on renting space in your home).

Berkeley City Council is attempting to promote creation of long-term housing by reducing restrictions on “granny flats” and “accessory dwelling units” (ADU’s). The state of California similarly has Government Code Section 65583(c)(1). But something crucial is missing: social protection for homeowners. Operating an ADU or granny flat is socially quite different from owning an apartment […]

Posted inCity, Housing & Development

Officials to relax rules for Berkeley ‘granny flats’

An accessory dwelling unit on Virginia Street. Photo: Frameworks Berkeley officials voted unanimously Tuesday night to streamline the process for homeowners who want to add secondary units — sometimes called in-law units or granny flats — to their properties. Supporters of the draft plan say it is a sustainable approach to increasing density and will allow more […]