E-Bike Lottery, COVID-19 State of Emergency Update, and More Berkeley News

COVID-19 State of Emergency Sunsetting

In October 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California’s COVID-19 State of Emergency will end on February 28, 2023. The federal COVID-19 State of Emergency is slated to end on May 11, 2023. Most people will not see any noticeable changes, but the end of these emergencies means that eventually (but not immediately), it may become more difficult for uninsured people to receive vaccines, tests, and treatment. Publicly run testing and vaccine sites will be phased out. Most vaccine requirements will expire. Government meetings such as City Council and Commission meetings will need to return to in-person.

Berkeley has its local state of emergency relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been in place since March 17, 2020. Thanks to an intensive effort to promote social distancing and vaccinations, Berkeley’s case rate has consistently been lower than California, which has been lower than the rest of the country.

The City Manager has introduced an item to end the Proclamation of Local Emergency relating to the COVID-19 pandemic that will be voted on at the February 28th Council meeting. It is unknown if Council will decide to end or extend at this time. Regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting, a special meeting has been called on February 27th at 6:30pm to address the eviction moratorium. Specifically, the proposal calls for the eviction moratorium to be extended through April 30th, which is in alignment with Alameda County’s law and the courts. During this time, evictions are prohibited unless necessary to stop an imminent threat to the health and safety of other occupants. On May 1st, a transition period will commence, which will end on August 31, 2023. During the transition period, landlords cannot evict tenants unless there is an imminent threat to health and safety, it is an owner move-in and the Landlord owns only one residential property in Berkeley, or for lack of rent payment after the initial extended period and the tenant does not provide documentation that the lack of payment was due to COVID-19.  

Stay tuned for a newsletter in early March detailing the outcome of these meetings and how these actions will affect the community. 

New Program Provides E-Bikes to Low-Income Families

Households that make less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) ($72,200 for an individual, $106,000 for a family of four) can apply to enter a lottery for an e-bike. 50 households who qualify will be selected to receive an electric bike, in addition to a helmet, bike lock, lights, and training on safe riding after providing a $100 refundable deposit. The lottery closes on March 8, with bikes being delivered from April through June. Click here to apply.

This program was funded by the Climate Equity Pilot Fund, which the City Council approved in 2021 to support low-income and historically marginalized communities and promote building and transportation electrification. This fund creates more accessibility to support existing programs such as the Electric Mobility Roadmap and Berkeley Existing Building Electrification Strategy, allowing low-income families and individuals the ability to participate in these programs that are critical to meeting our climate goals. $600,000 has been initially provided to fund these programs, and if successful, will be expanded upon. 

Bay Ferry 2050 Survey

Bay Ferry 2050 wants to hear from our diverse Bay Area community about what’s important to you in ferry service. How should the Bay Ferry balance affordability, service frequency and speed, expansion, and environmental sustainability to be a mode of transportation you would use and trust?

Take this 5-minute survey to help San Francisco Bay Ferry re-imagine the future of water transportation and enter to win a $50 Clipper Card or a San Francisco Bay Ferry water bottle at the end of the survey. The survey closes at the end of March.

Separately, the City of Berkeley is working with the Bay Area’s ferry transportation provider, the Water Emergency Transportation Authority, on a proposed ferry terminal at the Berkeley Marina. This proposal would replace the existing dilapidated pier with a new dual-use pier for a ferry terminal and recreation. To learn more about that project, click here.

Marking One Year Since Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

In the late hours of February 23, 2022 Berkeley time, or the early hours of February 24 in Europe, Russian forces launched a full scale invasion of the democratic and independent nation of Ukraine. Despite dire predictions that Kyiv would fall within weeks or even days, war continues one year on with no endgame in sight. The tenacity and resilience of the Ukrainian people, in the face of the second largest army in the world, has inspired a massive coalition to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom against Putin’s empire-building ambitions. The ramifications of this conflict goes beyond the fate of Ukraine’s future, it has become a symbol of democratic institutions against authoritarian regimes, with repercussions that could destabilize geopolitics and expand conflict beyond this region.    

Days before the full-scale invasion began, the Berkeley City Council passed a resolution in solidarity with the democratic nation-state and peaceful people of Ukraine. Today, Berkeley still stands in strong support and solidarity with Ukraine. The one-year anniversary was marked with the raising of the Ukrainian flag, attended by Berkeley officials and the local Ukrainian-American community. You can help support the people of Ukraine by making a donation that will go to various non-profits directly working to provide support to Ukrainians impacted by the conflict. 

Youth Art Exhibit Opening

Come out to the Art/Act: Youth opening event on Friday March 10, 6-8pm at the David Brower Center (2150 Allston Way) and be inspired by the work of young environmental artists! This energizing event kicks off the David Brower Center’s latest art exhibition, “Water is Everywhere," which will be on view March 10 - June 10. 

Art/Act: Youth, the Brower Center’s annual exhibition featuring the work of local young changemakers, has expanded its reach in 2023. In addition to showcasing the work of Berkeley High School, Skyline High School, and Richmond High School, they also have work from students at North Platte High School on display. This joint exhibition represents the culmination of a two-year fellowship between two seemingly disparate places - Oakland, California and North Platte, Nebraska. The Art/Act: Educate Fellowship connects educators through the shared environmental issue of water, demonstrating commonalities across distance. Using arts-based research, teachers created curriculum to examine the various ways in which water affects the communities where they live. The fellowship challenged educators and students to work across disciplines, learning creatively and collaboratively to inspire the next visionary solutions to address our changing future.

This event is free to attend, but all tickets must be reserved in advance, so RSVP today!