Vision 2050, Restaurant Week, New Council Districts, and More Berkeley News
Public Input on Implementation of Vision 2050
Most of Berkeley’s streets, sidewalks, sewers, parks, playgrounds, and public buildings were built over 75 years ago and are in need of repair. The accelerating impacts of climate change and growing need for affordable housing create new challenges for the safety and sustainability of our community. To address these needs, we embarked on Vision 2050, a long-term plan to improve local infrastructure in order to meet the serious challenges of the future.
In the coming weeks, the City will be holding virtual large area public meetings for Berkeley residents to share additional feedback on their priorities for addressing our most pressing infrastructure and affordable housing needs. Meetings will include a staff presentation and provide time for general comments and a Q & A session. Meetings are organized by Council Districts. To find your district, click here. The meetings are as follows:
Districts 5 & 6: March 30, 7pm-9pm
Districts 7 & 8: April 6, 7pm-9pm
Districts 3 & 4: April 13, 7pm-9pm
Districts 1 & 2: April 20, 7pm-9pm
For additional information and links to the meetings, click here.
Summer Activities from the Parks Department
The Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Department (PRW) typically offers between 45 - 55 special events per year for Berkeley residents to enjoy. These offerings were dramatically reduced in 2020 and 2021 due to precautions related to Covid-19. In the Spring and Summer of 2022, PRW will once again offer many of these events. While the Bay Festival and the July 4th Celebration and Fireworks will not be held, dozens of events are scheduled in the coming months. A full list of the planned activities can be found here.
Registration for summer camps are also live. For a list of summer camp activities, click here. Additional events and details can be found on the City’s Recreation webpage.
2022 Berkeley Restaurant Week
Berkeley Restaurant Week (#BRW22) tips off this week with a basketball-inspired theme, “March Munch Madness,” and creative offers from the city’s all-star restaurants. More than 50 local restaurants are set to “hoop it up” with special value menus and tiered pricing options: “Lay Ups” from $10-$20; “Jump Shots” from $20-$30; “Three Pointers” from $30-$40; and “Full Court Press” offers starting at $40. Plus, diners can put a little something extra on their plate by purchasing a $75 or more Berkeley Bucks card to get a free $25 bonus card. Berkeley Bucks are accepted at nearly half of the participating #BRW22 locations.
BerkeleyRestaurantWeek.com has all the participating restaurants and menus. Create your dining dream team from BRW Hall of Famers like Julia’s, Zino, Berkeley Boathouse, COMAL, Gather, Eureka, Riva Cucina, La Marcha, Agrodolce and more. Rising stars too, including Oceanview Diner, Study Hall, D’yar Mediterranean Cuisine, Sistory Thai Kitchen, Yifang Taiwan Fruit Tea, Humbowl, Heroic Italian, and Abstract Table. Many #BRW22 menus feature pairings with local drinks producers like Hammerling Wine, Blue Willow Teaspot and Takara Sake.
In a #BRW22 exclusive, Berkeley Restaurant Week will be featured on the new MOPO app. Launching this week in partnership with Visit Berkeley, MOPO is a new mobile app that helps locals and visitors find unique and meaningful things to do. In the MOPO #BRW22 showcase, users can find everything about participating restaurants and menus, hear about the hottest spots in the app’s social feed, and find additional things to do in Berkeley. To install the free app and explore the #BRW22 showcase: http://invite.mopo.life/brw22.
Berkeley Restaurant Week “March Munch Madness” is presented by Visit Berkeley, with support from partners BARTable, menumodo, MOPO and Berkeleyside.
Historic Action to Serve Unhoused Population at People's Park
A rendering of the supportive housing planned for People’s Park, as seen from the new open, green park space — People’s Park Glade — that is being designed. (Image: LMS Architects/Hood Design Studio)
As the result of an unprecedented partnership between the City of Berkeley, UC Berkeley and local non-profit organizations, unhoused persons currently living in People’s Park will be offered interim housing in a converted motel, as well as a wide array of services that will support their transition to permanent housing. Additionally, the University, City and First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley are working together to construct and fund the operations of a new daytime drop-in center on the church’s grounds, where services and support will be provided for community members in need.
To support unhoused community members, a lease agreement with the Rodeway Inn will provide 42 rooms that will house those currently living in People’s Park. Each resident will be provided with a recently remodeled private room; a kitchenette and bathroom; clean linens and essential toiletries; regular housekeeping service; and access to laundry facilities. In addition, a local, highly experienced non-profit, Abode Services, will offer residents daily meal service; access to clinical healthcare and counseling; transportation support; and housing “navigators” who will assist the Rodeway Inn residents with their transition to permanent housing solutions.
To serve unhoused community members who currently use People’s Park and the Telegraph neighborhood during the day, the Governing Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley unanimously approved a proposal by the church’s Campus Response Committee to establish the Sacred Rest Drop-In Center on its property. The University has awarded a two-year $500,000 grant, and the City will provide an additional $250,000 to another, experienced local non-profit, The Village of Love, for the provision of services at the center. Those services will include meals, mental health counseling, document preparation, housing navigation, shelter referrals, benefits access, and more. Here, too, a powerful coalition of community organizations and city offices will be joining forces to provide additional services to those in need.
Construction of urgently needed student housing for more than 1,100 students on the People’s Park site is scheduled to begin during the Summer of 2022, at which point the park will be closed. The People’s Park project also includes the construction of 100 units of permanent supportive housing for formerly unhoused and low-income community members, a project element that will be developed and operated by the local non-profit developer Resources for Community Development (RCD) with supportive services provided by LifeLong Medical Care. The project will preserve 60% of the park’s ground as revitalized open space, which will include a commemoration of the park’s important history and legacy. Additional information about the project can be found here.
New Council District Map Approved
The final map developed by the Independent Redistricting Commission is now approved and will go into effect for the 2022 election.
On Tuesday, the City Council adopted a new council district map after the development and approval of the redistricting plan from the Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC). The map is similar to the previous version, with small changes to accommodate for population shifts.
The IRC was formed after Berkeley voters approved Measure W1 in 2016. This changed the decennial redistricting process to have an independent commission draw a new map. Previously, new Council districts were decided by the City Council. The Commission consisted of 13 members - one for each of the eight districts and five at large. These commissioners were chosen at random via a lottery drawing, and were vetted to ensure there are no conflicts of interest.
The new map will go into effect for the 2022 election, and will remain until the next redistricting process which will take place after the 2030 US Census. A detailed version of the map can be found here.
How to Support the People of Ukraine
The Ukrainian flag has flown at the Berkeley Civic Center since the war began last month.
There's an immediate need for relief for Ukrainians that will arrive faster than 501c3 organizations can get money and resources to them. If you're in a position to make a contribution, we urge you to send money to Igor Tregub by Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, or mail. Many of you likely know Igor. He's an ally to Friends of Adeline, a Ukrainian native, a Berkeley resident, an activist, and a former Rent Board Commissioner. For more background, read this article by KTVU about Igor's fundraising efforts. Igor is in touch with Ukrainian citizens who can immediately get funds to where they're needed most. Please give generously.
HOW TO SEND MONEY TO IGOR
Venmo: @igor-Tregub
PayPal: itregub@gmail.com or 510-295-8798
Zelle: 510-295-8798
Checks can be mailed to Igor Tregub, 1043 Virginia St, Berkeley, Ca 94710.
Please Include the note "Immediate Ukraine aid."
If you prefer to give to a 501C3 organization, give here:
Tideline Relaunches Ferry Service
Tideline’s ferry service from the Berkeley Marina to San Francisco resumed this week. Currently, there are two morning routes and two evening routes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. More services will be added as demand grows. From the Berkeley Marina (K-Dock), commuters can arrive at either Pier 1.5 (Ferry Building) or Pier 52 (Mission Bay near UCSF and the Chase Center). The fleet is equipped with free WiFi, beverage service, flat screen TVs and restrooms. Bikes are also welcome. Reservations are required before arriving. To book tickets, review the full schedule, and get additional information, click here.
How to Remove Your Old Mattress
Berkeley has long championed environmental stewardship. We are pleased to work with the Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) to ensure used mattresses are properly recycled. More than 75% of a mattress can be recycled and turned into everyday products like carpet padding, industrial filters, construction rebar and more.
Bye Bye Mattress is a mattress recycling program operating in California. The program was established by law and is operated by Mattress Recycling Council, a nonprofit that uses a recycling fee collected on each mattress and box spring sold, making recycling easier in our communities.
Whether a city picks up your discarded mattress, a retailer takes it back with your new purchase or you drop it off, the Bye Bye Mattress program converts your old product from waste to recycling. As a result, our landfills and incinerators are less crowded as old mattresses are recycled into new, useful products.
California residents can drop off their old mattresses and box springs at no-cost at a participating collection site or event. Unit limits vary by location and residency restrictions may apply. We recommend contacting the location prior to drop-off.
Visit ByeByeMattress.com for more information, including recycling locations and events.