Berkeley Weekly Update - 1/30/24

Improving City Emergency Services Response

In 2020, Berkeley voters approved Measure FF, a parcel tax that generates $8.5 million annually for fire services and emergency response. Highlights of recent programs and initiatives created as a result of Measure FF include the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, a new outdoor warning system, and the creation of the Wildland Urban Interface Division to address vegetation management. Another major improvement that recently reached a major milestone is the completion of the City’s first Standards of Cover Study and Community Risk Assessment.

The purpose of this study is to define appropriate levels of service for Fire and Emergency Medical Services based on a comprehensive analysis of historical factors and future community factors such as aging, population growth, and hazards such as climate change. In total, the plan identifies 17 key findings and 10 recommendations to ensure that the Berkeley Fire Department is able to swiftly respond to requests for services which are projected to increase in the coming years and decades. This includes the addition of two more ambulances, upgrades to the dispatch center, advancing Vision Zero, and staffing increases.

The City is already in the process of implementing the recommendations and will provide annual updates going forward.

Affordable Housing Applications Open

Rendering of the Maudelle Miller Shirek Community, which will finish construction in the coming months. Credit: **Resources for Community Development**

The Maudelle Miller Shirek Community, named after the longtime South Berkeley Councilmember and Vice Mayor, will become the latest affordable housing project to be completed in Berkeley when it opens in Spring 2024. There are 87 units which range from studios to 3 bedrooms for people at 30%-60% Area Median Income ($35,520-$71,040 for a household of two), located a block away from Ashby BART. Applications are now open to apply for housing at this location, which must be submitted by February 12 at 5pm. Qualified applicants will be entered into a lottery to determine their position on the waiting list.

Applicants who meet criteria under the new Housing Preference Policy, which includes being displaced or a descendent of someone displaced by BART construction in the 1960s, can get additional priority in this building or other affordable housing developments in Berkeley. Qualifying for a preference does not guarantee placement in a unit. Applicants who have been displaced by BART receive first priority, and other applicants are ranked by the total number of preference points.

The Maudelle Miller Shirek Community was made possible in part by Measure O, a $135 million affordable housing bond approved by Berkeley voters in 2018. Since then, $111 million in funds have been spent, creating at least 900 units of housing in addition to 44 shelter beds. Hundreds of units of affordable housing are either under construction, approved, or proposed in Berkeley, which will come online over the coming years.

Berkeley's First Youth Poet Laureate Announced

Julia Segrè becomes Berkeley's first Youth Poet Laureate. Source: **Berkeley Public Library**

Congratulations to Julia Segrè, who was selected as the inaugural Berkeley Youth Poet Laureate. The Berkeley High junior was inspired by her 7th grade English teacher to get involved with slam poetry, and had served as the Alameda County co-Vice Youth Poet Laureate in 2022. In addition to her literary talents, she also is an athlete on Berkeley High’s Ultimate Frisbee Team. Serena Griffin, a junior at St. Mary’s College High School, was selected as the Vice Youth Poet Laureate. She is a lifelong songwriter who performs original songs at La Peña Cultural Center’s open mic nights.

Over the last six months, a diverse panel of judges have vetted submissions from 20 teenage candidates who attend school or live in Berkeley. The Youth Poet Laureate will have the opportunity to perform at library and city functions, lead a community art project, and participate in writing workshops and would be eligible to represent Berkeley in the National Youth Poet Laureate Competition.

Rental Assistance Update

The City Council has remained committed to supporting tenants who are struggling to pay rent after the eviction moratorium came to an end last year. Through our partnership with the Eviction Defense Center, 123 households have remained stably housed through approximately $850k in COVID related rental assistance. An additional 96 applicants are eligible for nearly $1.14 million in rental assistance, meaning nearly $2 million is total commitments. The Council has recently allocated an additional $1 million to ensure that funding continues for this critical program.

If you need rental assistance, click here to learn about the Housing Retention Program to see if you qualify.