Berkeley Weekly Update - 12/19/23

City Budget Update

Last week, the City Council voted on the Annual Appropriations Ordinance (AAO), which provides an update on the City Budget adopted in June. This action is done periodically to adjust the budget based on updated revenue and expenditure projections. It also provides an opportunity to fund projects and programs that have been referred but not yet funded in the previous budget cycle.

Approximately $14 million in additional funds were available. Funds were allocated to hire more staff to address various programs, such as social workers, a new deputy city attorney, green building program coordinator, and legislative staff. Equity was a major highlight, with additional funds going towards the acquisition of affordable and supportive housing, funding for the Berkeley Food Network, and youth violence prevention. The complete, updated budget can be found here.

North Berkeley BART Design Standards Approved

A major update in the plans to redevelop North Berkeley BART has been completed. Last week, Council approved objective design standards for housing at the site, which enables the development team to submit plans for future development.

The site is expected to have 750 new units of housing with a goal of 50% at below market rate. The development will be done by the North Berkeley Housing Partners, a team of developers from BRIDGE Housing, Insight Housing, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, and AvalonBay Communities. Construction is expected to begin in 2025. For more details on the project, click here.

Join the Berkeley FireSafe Council Email List

The Berkeley FireSafe Council (BFSC) is a community not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization with the primary mission of preventing the next catastrophic fire in Berkeley. BFSC works directly with the City and residents to remove hazardous fuel, and supports the Berkeley Fire Department and other public officials in their fire safety and preparedness efforts. Please join BFSC’s email list to receive fire safety information specific to Berkeley and surrounding areas by clicking on this link. BFSC distributes several communications each year, including progress reports on fuel reduction and home hardening programs by the City of Berkeley and other public land owners in our area.

City Job Openings

Join a passionate and diverse team of City staff who work together to provide essential programs and services for the Berkeley community. To learn more about what positions are currently open, click here.

The City of Berkeley strives to reflect the needs of our diverse community by attracting and retaining a diverse workforce. If you have the drive and the passion to contribute to the well-being of the City's community and fulfill your career aspiration in serving the public, you have come to the right place.

Mayor's Office Closed 12/25 - 1/1

The Mayor’s Office will be closed the last week of the year. The City will have reduced services during this time. We will also be pausing our weekly updates for a few weeks. But stay tuned for our annual recap newsletter, which will be published on December 28th. Happy Holidays and we will see you next year.