Public Comment

New: Sacramento Streamlining Deal: What's in store for your neighborhood?

Thomas Lord
Friday June 17, 2016 - 06:26:00 PM
The whole city: Impact Map with Key
Thomas Lord
The whole city: Impact Map with Key
South and southwest Berkeley
Thomas Lord
South and southwest Berkeley
North Berkeley
Thomas Lord
North Berkeley
Elmwood
Thomas Lord
Elmwood

What will be the impact on Berkeley of Governor Brown's Streamlining Affordable Housing bill? What will be built in your neighborhood?

When passed (which seems likely), the bill will end the process of public hearing and review for many high-impact projects. Builders of multi-unit apartments and mixed-use buildings will be able to build by-right, so long as they include a small number of means-tested, so-called affordable units, and so long as the project requires no zoning variances.

Example impacts

If you have been going to public meetings, hoping to influence the development of the Adeline Corridor near Ashby BART: The Governor's bill will allow projects with five stories (and possibly larger) to proceed without any further public input or hearing, and without any chance to appeal. If you have fought for large amounts of affordable housing in this area, too bad. Know that the Governor's bill will permit 90% of the new units to be market rate. 

If you live near North Berkeley BART: You are safe from any large impact. To the west, east, and south of the station, small 2-story projects are possible. Blocks on the north side of the station, where highly restrictive zoning was originally designed to keep the neighborhood wealthy and white, will be exempt from the Streamlining bill. 

If you live anywhere near campus: Close to Cal it will be open season for four story, five, and perhaps taller projects -- unless, that is, you live a few blocks to the north. To the north, where zoning restrictions were originally intended to preserve the neighborhood as rich and caucasian, many blocks are exempt from the Streamlining bill. 

The Lorin district vs. Elmwood: All along Adeline and Shattuck, five story structures can be streamlined; four stories, just to the north of Ashby. In contrast, much of the Elmwood will be entirely protected from streamlining (again, by historically racist zoning). Two story projects and, close to Ashby, three stories might be built. 

All of University Avenue, and All of San Pablo Avenue: These commercial corridors will permit 5-story structures by-right, even adjacent to existing residential "R-2" areas. 

Near San Pablo Park: Blocks to the north, west, and east of the park will be somewhat spared from the Streamlining bill because of their historic zoning against lower income households. Nevertheless, immediately adjacent to those protected blocks, four and five story projects may be streamlined on Ashby, Sacramento, and San Pablo. 

If your rent controlled unit stands in the way: Streamlining will create not only by-right development, but also by-right demolition, including the demolition of rent controlled units. (A Berkeley ordinance requires that you are paid some money to help cover the costs of being kicked out.) 

These maps can help you begin to explore the impact on your neck of the woods.