Berkeley Council Overhauls Affordable Housing Preferences in Unanimous Vote

Berkeley is changing who gets first access to its scarce city-funded affordable homes. Families displaced by BART construction and descendants of redlined neighborhoods now move to the front of the line. The City Council approved the revised Affordable Housing Preference Policy 9-0 on Oct. 13, 2026, during a long night that also finalized the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan over resident objections and advanced a rule pushing electrical transformers underground.

• Affordable housing preference overhaul passes 9-0, replacing points with ranked tiers

• San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan finalized on consent as residents decry last-minute amendments

• Transformer undergrounding rule clears first reading 7-0, with developers on board

• Measure O nearly tapped out: staff corrects a $17M figure to about $2.9M

• BART director warns of 9 PM service cutoff if the November regional measure fails

Tiers Replace Points in Affordable Housing Lottery

The basics: Preference policies set the order in which eligible applicants are considered for income-restricted units. Berkeley's 2023 policy awarded one point for each of six preferences, gave top priority to BART-displaced families and required documentation for every preference claimed.

Why it matters: Demand dwarfs supply. More than 9,000 people applied for 87 units at the Model Miller Sherrick Community, the pilot site. The old points system also conflicted with the tier model used by Doorway, the regional housing application portal.

Where things stand: The pilot produced mixed results. "17 households with ties to redlined neighborhoods moved into Model Miller Sherrick Community," said Anna Cash, Housing Policy Specialist. That is more than one in four households, and 17 BART certificates were issued.

The homeless preference largely failed. "Staff reviewed nearly 900 homeless verification forms and were able to verify few people for the preference," Cash said. Many verified applicants also lacked qualifying income.

The new policy sets three tiers: BART displacement first, descendants of redlined neighborhoods second, and displaced or current Berkeley households third. Households with children come first within each tier. Applicants will document only their highest qualifying preference. Staff told Councilmember Brent Blackaby the current policy covers 75% of units.

The other side: No one opposed the policy, but commenters pressed on its gaps. Kelly Hammergren wanted data on rejected applicants and on homeless applicants who lacked qualifying income. Moni Law said income thresholds based on area median income (AMI) exclude teachers and clerks. Monique Allen asked that outreach groups be measured on placements. Della Luna asked how applicants already in the Sherrick queue would transfer. David Shear strongly supported the revisions but said displaced middle-income residents need other solutions.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Councilmembers framed the vote as repair work. "It's deeply important that we try to right historic wrongs while also being cognizant of current needs," said Councilmember Mark Humbert.

Councilmember Ben Bartlett, who seconded the motion, noted that "it's important to realize this effort was targeted by the federal authorities." He later added: "We're not just making homes and apartments. We're reconnecting families to their roots."

Councilmember Shoshana O'Keefe credited a Central Library librarian for helping families document their displacement history. Speakers also praised Healthy Black Families for its outreach. Vote: For: 9 (Kesarwani, Taplin, Bartlett, Tregub, O'Keefe, Blackaby, Lunaparra, Humbert, Ishii), Against: 0, Absent: 0.

BART-displaced families, redlining descendants and households with children gain the most. Unhoused applicants with no income remain largely shut out.

What's next: Councilmember Igor Tregub said he expects staff to make the transition seamless for applicants already in the pipeline.

San Pablo Plan Passes Amid Trust Deficit

Why it matters: The San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan (Ordinance No. 8,034-N.S.) sets development rules for one of Berkeley's major corridors. Its second reading passed within the 9-0 consent calendar, moved by Councilmember Terry Taplin.

The other side: Residents filled the comment period with objections. Hammergren asked Council to cap units at up to 120% of AMI at 10%, return family units to 50%, restore 50 feet of ground-floor commercial space, drop minimum density and require open space.

One commenter alleged that amendments introduced the night of the first-reading hearing violated the Brown Act, California's open-meetings law. Janice Chang objected to height by right, saying it weakens density-bonus affordability. Architect Dietmar Lorenz said Council could have compromised on a six-story base. Rachel Bradley said the plan ignores gentrification and the need for family housing. Stephen Alpert called the comment sessions "performative."

Where things stand: Councilmember Rashi Kesarwani and Mayor Adena Ishii said any member may offer amendments. They noted that Tregub, O'Keefe and Blackaby also offered some, and said Council is listening but may disagree. "I don't want folks to feel like we're not listening. We absolutely are," said Ishii.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Housing builders gain clearer corridor rules. Advocates for family-sized and deeper-affordability units leave dissatisfied, and the process fight signals a lasting rift with a core group of engaged residents.

Transformers Go Underground, Pending Second Reading

The basics: Pad-mounted transformers are ground-level utility boxes, often placed at building frontages. Berkeley has no zoning standard for them, so staff said siting gets negotiated late and inconsistently.

Where things stand: The amendment to BMC 23.304.100 prohibits above-ground transformers on private property for new residential, commercial and mixed-use projects. Staff said it does not authorize placement in the public right-of-way, which stays with the city engineer. If the city engineer rejects right-of-way placement, the rule allows above-grade equipment on private property.

PG&E representative Ann Marks said the company is not always seeking pad-mounted units. "PG&E, our goal is safe, reliable energy," Marks said.

Developers backed the rule. Avi Foreman said PG&E's refusal of a subsurface transformer made an approved 75-bed project unbuildable. Patrick Kennedy said pad-mounts can cost small projects a home. A Planning Commission member said the commission unanimously supported the idea.

The other side: Brianna Morales of the Housing Action Coalition supported the intent but asked for an objective, time-bound exception and cost data before second reading. Former Councilmember Cheryl Davila asked about earthquake performance. Maria Sol urged caution in dealing with PG&E.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: "Undergrounding is a reasonable and increasingly standard expectation in built-up cities like ours," said Councilmember Humbert. Members acknowledged tradeoffs in maintenance costs and water intrusion. Councilmember Tregub thanked PG&E "for coming to the table." Vote: For: 7, Against: 0, Absent: 2 (Taplin, Bartlett).

Small infill lots and storefronts stand to gain. Implementation hinges on city engineer decisions and PG&E's technical authority.

What's next: Second reading.

Measure O Money Nearly Gone

Where things stand: Blackaby pulled three housing reports (items 18-20) for discussion. Staff corrected the Measure O report: "There's only about $2.9 million of Measure O uncommitted," said a Health, Housing and Community Services staff member, not the $17M the report listed. Across all Housing Trust Fund sources, staff said about $4.9M is uncommitted.

Staff said no future fee revenue is committed. Projects leverage $4 to $5 per Housing Trust Fund dollar, though small sites leverage far less. Measure O will not have another request for proposals because so little remains.

The other side: Law said the city's nexus study supported a 20% on-site affordable set-aside. Davila also urged at least 20%. Chang questioned giving developers incentives during an economic downturn.

Why it matters: Inclusionary fee revenue swings with the market, which leaves a new housing bond as the open question. No action was required, and a revised report will return.

BART Lays Out a Grim Fallback

Barnali Ghosh, BART Board Director, District 3, said "we are facing a $370 million structural deficit if the regional transit measure doesn't pass." The November measure would provide $310M.

Without it, a board-approved alternative plan would take effect in January. That plan includes service ending at 9 PM, station closures and layoffs, including police and cleaning staff. Downtown Berkeley is BART's busiest station.

Ghosh also cited 1,300 homes planned at the North Berkeley and Ashby stations. Mayor Ishii asked whether Peralta students could receive a Bay Pass. "I think those discussions will be ongoing," Ghosh said, citing BART's finances.

Hate Week Proclamation Splits Speakers

Council proclaimed United Against Hate Week for Oct. 18-24, 2026. "Hate has no place in Berkeley," said Councilmember Blackaby.

Reverend Neals, representing seven Jewish and Christian clergy, and Linda W. said "Zionist takeover" campaign language invokes antisemitic tropes and should be named as hate speech. Della Luna and Davila said the framing neglected anti-Black racism and Black, brown and Muslim communities.

Minor Items

• Consent calendar passed 9-0: It included the surveillance vendor accountability ordinance, with the city manager saying the first report comes in November, plus Prop 4 endorsement and office-fund grants to BORP and Creations.

• Protiviti contract: Council authorized up to $425,000 in professional services purchase orders through June 2027.

• Environmental Health fees: Revised schedule approved 7-0 without debate, effective Oct. 13, 2026.

• 2027 calendar: Adopted 7-0 without the Aug. 31 meeting, shifting summer recess to fit school schedules.

• Homeless Response Team audit: City Auditor reported five of six outstanding recommendations implemented.

Looking ahead: Watch for the transformer ordinance's second reading, the revised Measure O report, the first surveillance report and the Nov. 3, 2026, election, which will decide Prop 4 and BART's regional measure.