We need to center racial equity in our housing solutions and address the historical gaps that continue to this day as a result of discriminatory housing policies.

We need to build more housing with a focus on affordable housing and support the new regional housing measure so we can leverage our city funding sources.

We need more resources to protect tenants and address their habitability concerns, so that they can live in safe and healthy environments.

People shouldn’t have to live on the street, so we need to offer safe and comfortable shelters as alternatives. We need more shelters that ensure families stay together, provide personal safety and secure storage, and offer appropriate resources for mental health and rapid rehousing. We need shelters that are specifically for families and survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking.

We also should provide mental health support at all points in people's pathways to stable, permanent housing.

1/5

Short term: Enact immediate solutions so that people feel free to move throughout the city and participate in the community without fear by supporting proven prevention solutions like catalytic converter etchings and posting signs warning people about car break-ins. We must also ensure that the police have the tools and resources to investigate crime.

Intermediate term: Implement the recommended tiered dispatch system and fully staff the mental health response teams because mental health crises don’t just occur between the hours of 6am and 4pm. Build safer streets for all by investing in safety infrastructure, prioritizing Safe Routes to Schools, and investing in sidewalk infrastructure.

Long-term: Address the root causes of crime by investing in mental health support, youth programming, housing, and social services.

2/5

Increase after-school programming for BUSD students to supplement their classwork and engage them in activities outside of the classroom

Develop a paid internship program across the City of Berkeley departments that assists students from Berkeley High School, Berkeley City College, and UC Berkeley students with becoming more civically engaged, learning about potential career paths in city government, and gaining professional skills and work experience.

Build more affordable housing for teachers, staff, and students to reduce homelessness and commute times so teachers can teach, students can learn, and staff can support our schools.

3/5

Address the poor living conditions in senior homes by ensuring city employees, like tenant counselors and building inspectors, are hired to support residents and enforce public health and safety laws.

Ensure older adults, who are most impacted by the effects of climate change and natural disasters, are supported in local evacuation plans with a specific focus on flooding in the flat lands and fires in the hills.

Ensure the implementation of the Age-Friendly Berkeley Action Plan, and work with the city and community to determine future needs, including an update of the plan.

4/5

We are great planners in Berkeley, with dozens of well-researched, thoughtful plans and hundreds of great ideas sitting on the shelf. Yet, there is a big piece missing: accountability

We need to increase transparency around implementation, including regular progress reports and financial statements, made available to the public.

We need to increase public involvement around next steps when plans are completed, both to provide input and to hold city leaders accountable for making measurable progress. For example, if Berkeley has a great solution and no funds to implement it, the public needs to know and weigh in on possible reprioritization of funds.

The city should work closely and cooperatively with the independent, elected City Auditor to achieve these goals.

5/5