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Has the author lived in Berkeley? I have, I don't think upzoning can fix it. It's a small community tucked up against the hills. New construction in the hills
by duped 3y ago
Has the author lived in Berkeley?
I have, I don't think upzoning can fix it. It's a small community tucked up against the hills. New construction in the hills is just setting the stage for the next devastating fire. Closer to the bay, it's already pretty dense. This would do a lot of good in Emeryville and Oakland, but it's not like Berkeley is suburban sprawl like over the hills in the rest of Alameda...
Berkeley needs to get rid of rent control and focus on cleaning up their streets (literally, garbage is just everywhere) before worrying about fitting more people into such a tiny area. People are already packed in like sardines.
- sanxiyn 3y ago"Berkeley is already pretty dense" is a laughable statement with its single-family homes near downtown.
- duped 3y agoIt's not like it's San Jose or Oakland.
- kevinburke 3y agoI mean, cleaning up the streets gets a lot easier when there isn't as much homelessness, reducing homelessness only happens when you add more homes and reduce overcrowding. In addition, new homes pay 2024 market rate property taxes, which the city can reinvest in things like garbage cans and street sweepers.
- duped 3y agoThis doesn't fix Prop 13 or rent control, which are bigger impediments to housing and taxation in Berkeley than housing. Upzoning isn't going to turn the communes into townhomes or turn that parking lot over the shellmound into housing.