Berkeley's 2020 In Review

Message from the Mayor

Unprecedented; challenging; transformative. These are just some of the words that describe 2020. Never in recent history have our lives been transformed so much in so little time. While COVID-19 defined our world this year, plenty of newsworthy events that were significant in their own right also took place, such as national demonstrations for Black Lives in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, catastrophic wildfires and a growing climate emergency, and a historic election, with record breaking turnout. Below this message is a summary of just some of the major work we have done this year as we begin a second term and a new year.

While this year has had a devastating impact on our city and world, I am hopeful for the future. With a new Presidential administration (including a Vice President who was raised in Berkeley) along with distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine, we can hope that 2021 is a better year.

In closing, I want to take this opportunity to thank the Berkeley community for all the sacrifices you have made this year in the fight against COVID-19. When the first COVID cases were reported in March and the shelter in place order imposed, we could not have predicted what was to come or that we would be required to shelter at home for 10 months. But your vigilance in protecting you and your neighbors - practicing physical distancing, wearing masks, not holding large gatherings, and following other public health requirements - has made a difference. And I know it has come at an enormous cost. And we need to stay vigilant as case rates are increasing. These next few days and weeks are the most critical and your actions will save lives.

During these difficult times, it’s hard to be inspired. But what has inspired me this past year have been the incredible acts of kindness supporting our community. Early on neighbors organized drives to collect and donate PPE. Residents raised funds to provide hot meals for nurses and doctors working around the clock caring for the sick. Neighbors checked in on seniors and those who can’t leave their homes, providing groceries and picking up medicine. I want to specifically recognize the amazing work of Berkeley Mutual Aid. You volunteered at local food banks and supported our local businesses, including through the Berkeley Relief Fund. Our city has really rallied during these tough times and lifted each other up.

Thank you Berkeley for following science, for protecting your neighbors and supporting each other.

We got through 2020 and there is light at the end of the tunnel. My very best to you and your family for a safe, healthy and prosperous new year. Thank you for the honor of serving as your Mayor.

Jesse Arreguin

P.S. Tonight is the deadline to make a tax deductible donation to the Berkeley Relief Fund. Your donation will help support our struggling small businesses. Please donate today at www.berkeleyrelieffund.org.

Responding to an Unprecedented Pandemic

The emergence of COVID-19 has transformed daily life and has killed over one in 1,000 Americans.

Back in January, as the first cases of COVID-19 were being reported in the United States, Berkeley launched its Emergency Operations Center to prepare for the possibility of a major pandemic. The first case in Berkeley was reported on March 3. Two weeks later, on March 17, the Bay Area went into a lockdown. Knowing how significant the impacts would be of such an Order, that same day the City Council passed protections to commercial and residential tenants to prevent evictions and launched the Berkeley Relief Fund to support small businesses, arts organizations, and tenants impacted by COVID-19 and related government orders. Both tenant protections and the Berkeley Relief Fund have been expanded upon in the following months, with a new fundraising drive taking place for the Relief Fund.

Protecting the most vulnerable populations in Berkeley, such as the unhoused community and residents of skilled nursing facilities, quickly became a priority. Shelter and homeless services were expanded, in collaboration with nonprofits, regional, and state officials. Economic challenges led to declining city revenue, but despite the challenges, a balanced budget was approved in June and again during the mid-year budget update in December.

Thanks to the early planning and response, countless lives in Berkeley and the Bay Area were saved. But as we approach the end of the year, we enter the most dangerous period of the COVID-19 pandemic with cases and hospitalizations surging across the state. With vaccine rollout to the general public expected in Spring 2021, there still are several months ahead of us where we must continue to follow social distance protocols.

Accelerating Affordable Housing Production

Jordan Court in North Berkeley was one of several affordable housing developments that broke ground this year.

Thanks to Berkeley voters who approved Measure O, the $135 million bond for affordable housing in 2018, we have been able to move forward on several developments, including the groundbreaking this year of the first affordable housing development in North Berkeley in decades and the largest affordable housing development in Berkeley’s history. Hundreds of new units of affordable housing over multiple levels of affordability are now in the pipeline.

This year also saw the approval of the Adeline Corridor Plan, the culmination of over five years of public meetings and community input. Placing racial and social equity at the front, the Plan prioritizes the creation of affordable housing in the historically African American neighborhood of South Berkeley that has experienced displacement and gentrification in recent years. Progress is also being made on the development of housing at the Ashby and North Berkeley BART stations, with the Community Advisory Group currently engaged in a community-driven process to turn our shared vision into zoning that will guide the future of our BART stations.

Reimagining Public Safety After a National Movement

Black Lives Matter was painted on Allston Way between City Hall and Berkeley High by community members.

The murder of George Floyd in May reinvigorated the Black Lives Matter movement, leading to nationwide demonstrations in June that asked city governments to review policing policies, including Berkeley’s largest rally in recent history. In Berkeley, we were quick to launch our public safety reimagining process to keep our community safe while addressing racial biases. This includes developing BerkDOT, a new division that will provide civilian traffic enforcement, piloting the Specialized Care Unit to have trained crisis-response workers respond to 911 calls that the operator evaluated as non-criminal and that posed no imminent threat to the safety of first responders, such as calls regarding mental health. This work will continue into 2021, in consultation with the public and stakeholders, with regular updates being provided. These changes are not meant to gut the Police Department, but rather address racial inequities while removing non-emergency tasks from police officers, allowing them to better focus their resources on serious crime.

Improving Disaster Preparedness During Record Breaking Fire Season

The Bay Area became enveloped in smoke in September, bringing hazardous air quality.

After several years of record breaking seasons fueled by climate change, 2020 obliterated previous records to become the largest wildfire season in California’s history. Over 4% of the State’s land was burned, an area almost the same size as the entire nine-county Bay Area. The significant smoke produced by the fires led to Northern California being enveloped in the worst air quality in the world for weeks, at one point turning day into night.

Over the last few years, we have been improving safety conditions and expanding disaster preparedness. This includes the creation of a 19.3 mile fire break east of Tilden Park, and the largest investment the City has made in wildfire mitigation, such as reducing hazardous fire fuels, vegetation management, clearing paths, and emergency preparedness. Berkeley voters approved Measure FF this year, which will improve our dispatch system, increase ambulance and paramedic capacity, strengthen wildfire, earthquake, and other disaster preparedness with new, expanded emergency warning systems, fire fuel reduction and evacuation planning.

Planning for a Green and Resilient Future Through Vision 2050

Vision 2050 will take a generational approach to upgrading our city's infrastructure while addressing climate change.

With an aging infrastructure system and a changing climate, Berkeley needs to make a serious commitment to bringing our infrastructure into the 21st century with a focus on sustainability and resiliency. In 2018, Berkeley voters approved Measure R, which called upon the Mayor to engage citizens and experts in the development of Vision 2050, a 30-year plan to identify and guide implementation of climate-smart, technologically-advanced, integrated and efficient infrastructure to support a safe, vibrant and resilient future for Berkeley. In November, the City Council voted unanimously to accept the Vision 2050 Initiative Report and adopt the recommended City Council Actions. The principles, strategies and actions outlined in the report were referred to the City Manager for implementation in the coming years.