Wonderful Chez Panisse lunch with equally wonderful people - City Manager Paul Buddenhagen, @ericpanzer.bsky.social, @loridroste.bsky.social, Beth Gerstein, and Councilmember Rashi Kesarwani. Lori is leaving our staff to become planning and housing director for SPUR!

What a week for Berkeley: -passed the budget addressing the structural deficit -opened the Willard Clubhouse which will children and families across Berkeley -passed Missing Middle 🎉 to address skyrocketing housing costs and scarcity I couldn’t be prouder of our city.

“when can my city get a Zohran” we already have our in Berkeley, that’s @cecilialunaparra.bsky.social, she makes housing vision charts with rose logos on them

It's done!! On a unanimous council vote, and after 6+ years, countless hours of public comment, and more than 40 community meetings... ...Berkeley has *officially* ended single-family only zoning and legalized multifamily housing citywide!!!

Hooray!

CM Kesarwani is making a motion! It would allow up to 70 units/acre, an effectiveness analysis report being triggered after 2 years or 25 projects, and a few other add-ons. And folks, it's unanimous! After more than 6 years, Berkeley has *finally* eliminated single-family only zoning!!!

CM Kesarwani speaking now, looking like we're going to compromise at 70 du/a, which is still extremely reasonable!

Sounds like Berkeley City Council has that votes to replace all residential zoning (outside the firezones) with Middle Housing after 6 years of debate and studies. 70 dwelling units per acre, 60% lot coverage, 3-story limit. In all non-fire risk residential zones below.

We're on to council comments now. Incredible comment from CM Humbert on the need for this rezoning: are we truly an equitable community, or are we just cosplaying as one? 🔥🔥🔥

Comment of the night goes to Mily, a young renter who says she was priced out of the city. She uses the rest of her time to cite things that took less time than this rezoning, including: - The Civil War - WWI - US involvement in WW2 - Construction of the Bay Bridge - The dot com bubble

You guys have no idea how crazy it is to see local berkeley pro housing folks of all ages dominate the council hearing for Middle Housing. I thought we were going to get swamped for sure with all the fearmongering.

Happy Thursday, folks! I'm spending my evening (virtually) in Berkeley, where the City Council will *finally* vote on the Middle Housing Ordinance to legalize duplexes, fourplexes & small apartments in most neighborhoods throughout the city. Grab some 🍿, 🧵 starts here!

Karen Chapple, preeminent scholar on anti-displacement policy supports Berkeley’s missing middle ordinance

Karen Chapple, preeminent scholar on anti-displacement policy supports Berkeley’s missing middle ordinance

More critical support for Thursday’s middle housing proposal in Berkeley!

We love to see leading environmentalists thinking globally and acting locally.

Housing policy is climate policy

Stephen Menendian, preeminent scholar of racial inequality, segregation, and land use strongly urges Berkeley to pass the middle housing ordinance.

Nobel Prize winning climate scientist, coordinating lead author of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Former US State Department Science Envoy SUPPORTS MIDDLE HOUSING ordinance in Berkeley

Assemblymember Buffy Wicks urges Berkeley to support middle housing ordinance

Housing Policy is Climate Policy

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scientists urge support of Berkeley’s middle housing ordinance.

I very much appreciate this argument for "missing middle" housing in #Berkeley, from my City Councilmember, @markhumbert.bsky.social. Berkeley (and elsewhere) regularly leaves a big gap between our stated values and our actions. Mark is calling on us to close that gap, and I agree.

By championing the strongest CEQA reforms in decades, @governor.ca.gov is showing that CA is ready to meet this moment. Building housing in environmentally responsible locations will tackle our housing crisis, advance our climate goals & deliver on the promise of a government that solves problems.

1/ Today @gavinnewsom.bsky.social showed his commitment to tackling the delays, costs & frivolous lawsuits that make it so hard to build in CA. His proposed budget supports the strongest reforms to CEQA in decades by enacting my & @buffywicks.bsky.social’s CEQA reform bills, SB 607 & AB 609. 🧵

"In 2020, [Portland, OR] approved building [middle housing] on lots zoned for single family homes... A new report from the City says, it's working. 1,400 new units built in just a few years and each one is $300,000 less expensive than a typical single family home." @nbcnews.com

Donald Shoup revolutionized how we think about parking, cities, and transportation. His work will shape urban policy for generations. I was honored to have his support and will always be inspired by his legacy in his memory, Im revisiting this: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

Interactive piece on proportional representation in the NYT today 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

www.berkeleyside.org/2025/01/11/b... A must-read for all Berkeleyans!

I'm excited to share the first deep dive post on DisabilitYIMBY! It's a detailed look at the founding of the #disability rights movement in Berkeley, and how NIMBYism blocked thousands of people with disabilities from being able to live there. Check it out 😉 #housing #yimby #DisabilityRights

Twinsies!

I’m a little disappointed I didn’t get a pic of @buffywicks.bsky.social in her @bart.gov sweater

Let’s go lesbians, let’s go!

We took BART to our first date, and even our wedding. Please join me in congratulating @barnalighosh.bsky.social, the newest member of the @bart.gov board of directors!

Exciting day for Berkeley! Congrats to Mayor @adenaishii.bsky.social Terry Taplin, Shoshana O’Keefe, and @brentblackaby.bsky.social (and Ben Bartlett who was out of town).

The Tsunami Warning has been CANCELLED for Coastal Areas of California and Oregon inws.ncep.noaa.gov/a/a.php?i=10...

• See Berkeley's Emergency Map: protect.genasys.com/ for updates. • Radio stations: KQED 88.5 FM, KCBS 740 AM, KGO 810 AM, and KNBR 680 AM • Local news. • City of Berkeley Radio: 1610 AM

I couldn’t be more excited for Berkeley today.