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Comments on Berkeley Redistricting Map Drafts

Kelly Hammargren

Sunday January 23, 2022 - 09:50:00 PM

Points on Redistricting

California Elections Code, Division 21, Chapter 9, 23002.

(j) The commission shall publish a map of the proposed new district boundaries and make that map available to the public for at least seven days before that map may be adopted. The commission shall hold at least three public hearings preceding the hearing at which the new boundaries are adopted.

(k) The commission shall not draw districts for the purpose of favoring or discriminating against a political party or an incumbent or political candidate.

The percentage is rounded to the nearest whole number. White, Black, Hispanic and Asian are listed as those are the largest census groups. 12% of Berkeley residents are multi-racial.

One Student District with International House, Neighborhoods United, Two High Fire Districts

AMBER

District 1

District 2

District 3

District 4

District 5

District 6

District 7

District 8

White

51%

43%

45%

42%

69%

62%

32%

59%

Black

10%

18%

15%

Hispanic

15%

17%

15%

12%

24%

11%

Asian

15%

13%

14%

31%

13%

18%

36%

19%

Renter

54%

62%

67%

79%

28%

36%

94%

59%

Owner

46%

38%

33%

21%

72%

64%

41%

4 majority White districts, 4 minority majority districts, 6 majority renter districts

Two Student Districts, Single Waterfront District, Splits McGee Spaulding District / District 4 , into four pieces with parts in Districts 1,3,4 and 5, High Fire Zones split into Districts 6,7,8

BLUE

District 1

District 2

District 3

District 4

District 5

District 6

District 7

District 8

White

50%

40%

46%

33%

66%

67%

39%

62%

Black

19%

16%

Hispanic

12%

20%

15%

19%

10%

Asian

19%

11%

14%

37%

15%

16%

32%

16%

Renter

60%

59%

63%

92%

38%

29%

87%

56%

Owner

40%

41%

34%

62%

71%

13%

44%

3 majority White districts, 1 split 50/50 majority/minority, 6 majority renter districts

Two Student Districts. Four Fire Zone Districts, District 4 split with McGee Spaulding extending from Sacramento to wildland urban interface

MAROON

District 1

District 2

District 3

District 4

District 5

District 6

District 7

District 8

White

51%

43%

45%

41%

64%

67%

35%

57%

Black

10%

18%

16%

10%

Hispanic

15%

17%

16%

14%

24%

10%

Asian

15%

13%

14%

30%

17%

16%

32%

21%

Renter

54%

62%

66%

79%

43%

28%

89%

61%

Owner

46%

38%

34%

20%

57%

72%

11%

39%

4 majority White districts, 4 minority majority districts, 6 majority renter districts

One Student District with International House, Single Waterfront District, Two Fire Districts

ORANGE

District 1

District 2

District 3

District 4

District 5

District 6

District 7

District 8

White

53%

40%

45%

42%

69%

62%

32%

59%

Black

19%

15%

Hispanic

12%

20%

15%

12%

24%

11%

Asian

17%

11%

14%

31%

13%

18%

36%

19%

Renter

44%

59%

67%

79%

28%

36%

94%

59%

Owner

57%

41%

33%

21%

72%

64%

41%

4 majority White districts, 4 minority majority districts, 5 majority renter districts

BCA Description of neighborhoods

Bateman Neighborhood Association: The City has designated your neighborhood WEST of Telegraph Ave. with the borders being Adeline to Telegraph and Ashby to the Oakland border. I tried to tell them that your neighborhood is actually EAST of Telegraph around Alta Bates, but they did not change it. It would be helpful if you would write in to tell them what your actual borders are.

Berkeley South: Your neighborhood has been mis-labeled as the Bateman Neighborhood. See my note above. Every one of the 4 draft maps under consideration has carved your neighborhood out of South Berkeley's District 3 and moved you to Lori Droste's District 8, to "Unify the Bateman Neighborhood in District 8".

Claremont-Elmwood Neighborhood Association and Panoramic Hills Association: The biggest question for your neighborhoods is whether Panoramic Hill should be in District 8 or District 7. The Amber and Orange maps put Panoramic Hill in District 8 with CENA so that the high fire zones are consolidated into 2 districts. The Blue and Maroon maps put Panoramic Hill in District 7 and divides the high fire zones into 3 and 4 districts, respectively.

LeConte Neighborhood Association: The Maroon map divides your neighborhood along Ellsworth with the eastern portion in District 8 and the western portion in District 3. The other 3 maps have unified your neighborhood. The Amber and Orange maps put you in District 3 and the Blue map puts you in District 8.

McGee-Spaulding Neighbors in Action: The Blue map divides your neighborhood in half at Allston Way and puts the north part in District 1 and the south part in an elongated District 3. The Maroon map creates an elongated District 4 that spans from Sacramento to Grizzly Peak with much more narrow North-South borders. Both the Amber and the Orange Maps keep your neighborhood intact. Your comments will be very important.

North Berkeley Neighborhood Alliance: The Blue map splits your neighborhood at Sacramento with the west portion in District 1 and the east portion in District 5. The Amber, Orange, and Maroon maps use MLK as the eastern border and keeps you in District 1.

West Berkeley/Poet's Corner/Oceanview: The most radical change proposed is to put all of the marina and West Berkeley to San Pablo Ave in one district which will also include San Pablo Park. Both the Blue and the Orange maps create this new district and call it District 2. Poet's Corner moves to District 1 in this scenario. The Amber and Maroon maps keep District 1 and District 2 separated at University Ave and Poet's Corner remains in District 2.