The Helen Diller Family Foundation is paying for the complex, but building it may require evicting people from a rent-controlled building.
Berkeley Tenants Union
Posted inCity
Mayor: Tenants’ ‘first dibs to buy’ policy on hold until fall due to feasibility, timing
Mayor Jesse Arreguín received pushback from supporters and opposition of the Tenant’s Opportunity to Purchase Act during the months-long process.
Posted inCity
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.
Posted inCity
Berkeley ‘golden duplex’ vote highlights conflicts between tenants and landlords
The City Council will look tonight at whether to place a measure on the November ballot eliminating the rent control exemption for golden duplexes.
Posted inHousing & Development
Renters rally against UC Berkeley’s possible attempt to evict them from rent-controlled building
Cal is buying 1921 Walnut St. and may tear it down to make way for a student housing complex that can hold 850 to 1,000 students.
Posted inCity
Vote-by-mail election coming to downtown Berkeley
Ben Gould and Kate Harrison and duking it out to represent downtown residents on the Berkeley City Council. Photos: Courtesy of the candidate campaigns Despite the new calendar year, “Election 2016” is not quite over in Berkeley. Downtown residents will have another chance to cast a ballot, beginning Feb. 6, to choose the next City Council […]
Posted inCity, Housing & Development
Berkeley council votes to crack down on short-term rentals of multiple units by same owner
There are hundreds of rooms and units available to rent on Airbnb even though short-term rentals are currently illegal in Berkeley. Image: Airbnb Prompted by concern that too many units are being taken off Berkeley’s long-term housing market for short-term uses such as Airbnb, the City Council voted Thursday to penalize landlords who rent out multiple properties for less […]
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 inCity
Berkeley City Council OKs spare bedrooms, but not backyard cottages, for short-term rentals
The new rules also make it clear that owners of multi-unit apartment buildings cannot rent their apartments for less than 14 days.
Posted inCrime & Safety, Housing & Development
Berkeley zoning board to consider demolition on Durant
The owners of the 2-story, 18-unit apartment building at 2631 Durant Ave. want to demolish the structure, currently vacant, and build a 5-story, 56-unit apartment. Photo: Google Maps The Berkeley Zoning Adjustments Board will consider granting a permit to demolish a 2-story, 18-unit rent-controlled apartment building on Durant Avenue at its meeting Thursday, June 25, as […]
Posted inBusiness, City, Housing & Development
Short-term rentals are squeezing out Berkeley renters
The owners of this rent-controlled apartment complex at 3100 College Ave. are renting out three of its apartments on Airbnb. Berkeley law does not allow rentals shorter than 14 days. Photo: Melati Citrawireja This is the first story in a Berkeleyside series on housing. Read the second story on rental rate increases here. In late […]