This weekend, The Bay Area Book Festival will fill downtown Berkeley with authors, readers, and, of course, books — including this book installation called Lacuna which will be at Civic Center Park. Photo: FLUX This weekend, The Bay Area Book Festival will fill downtown Berkeley with authors, readers, and, of course, books — including this […]
Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency
Posted inCity
Nonprofit accuses city of Berkeley of ‘unethical contracting practices’ for new homeless center
Berkeley’s new approach to homeless services: the proposed Housing Crisis Resolution Center. Image: City of Berkeley Berkeley’s new approach to homeless services: the proposed Housing Crisis Resolution Center. Image: City of Berkeley The city of Berkeley says it will change its commission recommendation process after a community agency brought allegations of serious conflicts of interest during […]
Posted inCity, Community, Housing & Development
Streamlined housing crisis center slated for Berkeley
Homeless services in Berkeley can be confusing to navigate; the city has a place to streamline its offerings. Image: City of Berkeley A new one-stop homelessness services shop is in the works in Berkeley. Announced Tuesday night, the city is changing the way it funds programs offered in town, to prioritize the people with the […]
Posted inCommunity
BOSS to honor Berkeley’s ‘Rising Stars’ on Thursday
Kyle Evans, a Rising Star honoree, plans to attend Brown University. His family was homeless for several years. Photo: BOSS Kyle Evans, a Rising Star honoree, plans to attend Brown University. His family was homeless for several years. Photo: BOSS A year ago, Kyle Evans and his family were sleeping in motel rooms and, at times, their car. Despite his circumstances, Evans focused on keeping […]
Posted inEvents
The It List: Five things to do in Berkeley this weekend
Booma Cheema: stepping down as director of BOSS BOONA CHEEMA For decades Boona Cheema has been a fixture on the Berkeley scene, a recognized leader in the struggle to end homelessness in the city as well as state and national levels. (Read a profile in the San Francisco Chronicle.) On Saturday, Cheema will hand over […]
Posted inCommunity
BOSS prepares for director’s exit, plans golf fundraiser
Executive director boona cheema reviews paperwork with a member of BOSS’s Community Organizing Team. Photos: Natalie Orenstein Executive director boona cheema reviews paperwork with a member of BOSS’s Community Organizing Team. Photos: Natalie Orenstein The multi-pronged approach to combating homelessness at Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS) is based on the belief that society knows what works, […]
Posted inCommunity
Opponents of Berkeley sitting ban gear up for fight
booma cheema, the director of BOSS, or Building Opportunites for Self-Sufficiency, spoke out against the proposed sitting ban Monday at a CIty Council Agenda Committee meeting. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel Opponents of Berkeley’s sitting ban launched a counter attack against the proposed ballot initiative Monday, but their plans for a sit-in fizzled. After rejecting the idea […]
Posted inCommunity
Rotary Club builds new play structure for homeless kids
Mayor Tom Bates and kids cut ribbon on the new play structure at the Ursula Sherman Village on Harrison Street. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel For more than two years, the homeless children at the Ursula Sherman Village on Harrison Street in West Berkeley only had an empty lot to play in. The decrepit play structure that […]
