We’re excited to announce that the Berkeley Tenants Unions membership has overwhelmingly voted to make the following endorsements:
People Powered Progressives Slate (Avery Arbaugh, Alfred Twu, Paola Laverde, Michael Cheng, Carol Coyote Cook, Sadia Khan, and John “Chip” Moore) for Alameda County Democratic Central Committee
YES on Berkeley Measure H (parcel tax renewal to fund schools)
YES on Alameda County Measure A (civil service)
YES on Alameda County Measure B (recalls)
OPPOSE recalling District Attorney Pamela Price
Additionally, the BTU membership previously voted to endorse:
Cecilia Lunaparra for Berkeley City Council District 7 (special election)
Nikki Bas for Alameda County Supervisor District 5
Margot Smith for State Assembly District 14
Jovanka Beckles for State Senate District 7
Barbara Lee for US Senate
YES on the Proposed Berkeley Measure to Strengthen the City’s Rent Control Ordinance
YES on the ballot measure to repeal Article XXXIV of the California Constitution (November)
A big thank you to everyone who voted on all of our endorsements.
We’re excited to announce that the Berkeley Tenants Unions membership has overwhelmingly voted to make the following endorsements:
Cecilia Lunaparra for Berkeley City Council District 7 (special election)
Nikki Bas for Alameda County Supervisor District 5
Margot Smith for State Assembly District 14
YES on the Proposed Berkeley Measure to Strengthen the City’s Rent Control Ordinance
Additionally, the BTU membership previously voted to endorse:
Barbara Lee for US Senate
Jovanka Beckles for State Senate District 7
YES on the ballot measure to repeal Article XXXIV of the California Constitution (November)
A big thank you to everyone who voted in this election. Additionally, members-in-good-standing should be on the look out for another membership ballot that will go out shortly.
**If your landlord threatens to evict you for ANY reason, immediately email info@berkeleytenants.org with the subject line “I AM BEING EVICTED” so we can provide you help ASAP. (California tenants outside Berkeley should call Tenants Together at 888-495-8020.) Because of the extremely unfair legal deadlines for tenants facing evictions, it is crucial for tenants to react very quickly to eviction notices (even for blatantly illegal evictions). Do NOT wait to use our counseling clinic if you are facing an eviction.**
BTU is proud to hold a free monthly counseling clinic, where any East Bay* tenant may speak with a professional tenant attorney. Our next clinic will take place next Thursday, January 26 at 3-5PM via phone. In order to use the clinic, you must sign-up for a spot here by 11:59PM Sunday, January 22 (i.e. FOUR days before the clinic). However, we only have a very limited number of spots available; priority is always given to BTU members (see below for how to join or renew your dues), followed by sign-up order. (Members are also told about our clinics earlier than non-members.)
You can join BTU/pay your dues by going to our website and clicking the yellow “Donate” button in the upper-right corner. Dues are a sliding scale of just $10 – $27 per year; however, those who can afford to pay more are strongly encouraged to do so. If you’d prefer to pay dues by cash or check (which lets BTU avoid paying a transaction fee), please email info@berkeleytenants.org to have someone come pick up your dues in-person (we’ll do so in a way that maintains proper social distancing).
* Our clinics’ tenant attorneys are unfortunately only able to assist tenants living in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. If you are a tenant who lives in Solano County (or anywhere else in California), we encourage you to call Tenants Together at 888-495-8020 for counseling.
The Berkeley Student Cooperative has rooms for rent available ASAP! Housing in the co-ops to virtually ALL college and university students – you do NOT need to attend UC Berkeley in order to live in the vast majority of their properties, most of which are located extremely close to the UC Berkeley campus.
Rent is as low as $918/month, which includes meals and groceries (except in their three apartment-style properties, which do not include food).
Please join us Saturday, January 6th from 2PM to 5PM at 747 Lobos Avenue, Richmond for a house party for Jovanka Beckles for State Senate. There will be tons of labor and progressive figures to help start the sprint to the March primary election, and we’d love to have you there.
Update: Thursday March 18 is now the day TOPA will be before the City Council’s Land Use, Housing & Economic Development Committee at 10:30AM.
This Thursday, the Berkeley City Council’s Land Use Committee will hold a final hearing on The Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). Now is the time to get involved!
ACTION: Write to PolicyCommittee@cityofberkeley.info today to express your support. “I stand with the Berkeley Tenants Union in expressing enthusiasm for the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act.”
If all goes as planned, the City Council will vote on this at their April 20th meeting.
Berkeley’s TOPA is the first ordinance of its kind in the state of California, but other places have tried this model – and it works! Washington DC passed a similar law in 2002; that law has preserved over 3500 units of affordable housing in the capital.
The desperate opposition is hyperbolically claiming TOPA will “seize your private property.” While for those without property, that may not seem like a bad idea – it’s just not true! The new law would just give renters AN OPTION to pay market price before their homes are sold to a new landlord. But it also SETS UP HELP for a group of renters to buy, including the opportunity to work with affordable housing groups who may fund some of the cost, and access to special loans.
As BTU member and Berkeley leader Igor Tregub put it, TOPA “reflects core Berkeley values such as cooperative ownership, democratic control, and the empowerment of underserved communities.” It is supported by Mayor Arreguin, and the East Bay Community Law Center has done substantial work shepherding the law through its five-year process to this point – where we almost have it!
ACTION: Give public comment at the March 4th hearing via Zoom! When: Thursday, March 4, 10:30am Where: Land Use, Housing & Economic Development Meeting – The Zoom link will be posted on this web page.
You can also let your neighbors know that you support TOPA by requesting a window or lawn sign, just email yes2topa@gmail.com to request your signs today.
If your Berkeley landlord is threatening to evict you for any reason, including through the Ellis Act – immediately email us at info (at) berkeleytenants.org with the subject line “I AM BEING EVICTED” so that we can help you!
The next meeting will be Saturday, February 13 at 5:00 PM on the Zoom platform, online. Members will be sent an email about the meeting. Agenda items will be sent out soon, but the major topic of this meeting will be the status of the local eviction moratorium.
To become a member, contact Berkeley Tenants Union by email. Dues are on a sliding scale and can be paid in a number of different ways. Members are eligible for our monthly counseling sessions as well as a strong say about what issues the organization chooses for action. Ask to see the BTU by-laws for more information.
These days, BTU communicates about actions via emails and Facebook. Be sure to like the Facebook page you see displayed on the sidebar to the right!
Also, please share this Facebook link to our meeting, or a link to this post – let’s build our numbers and bring more power to the people! https://fb.me/e/3KLr3BzA5
Berkeley Tenants Are Organizing! “The current city moratorium has “weak” penalties for property owners who institute late fees, lock out tenants or threaten renters, according to (a Berkeley Tenants Union leader) Lewis. He said crucial parts of the measure, such as amendments to include renters’ rights on eviction notices, were removed Nov. 17. If the stricter moratorium passes, it will not take effect until February 2021 due to restrictions in a statewide moratorium that prevents property owners from taking tenants to court, according to Lewis.” https://www.dailycal.org/2020/12/08/berkeley-city-council-votes-on-measure-to-strengthen-eviction-moratorium/
Berkeley Landlords Are Organizing Too! “There are multiple Eviction Moratoriums in effect during this pandemic. Berkeley’s Eviction Moratorium currently prohibits any type of eviction during the local state of emergency and dictates how rent not paid during the pandemic is to be handled. The state’s Eviction Moratorium (AB 3088 effective Sept 1 to Jan 31) is currently being modified at the legislature. We expect the moratorium will be extended through June of 2021, as well as continue to defer the 25% payment of rent until then. BPOA is working to provide guidance as to how the state’s extension will interact with our local Eviction Moratorium.” https://www.bpoa.org/
Weak Federal Protections Extended by Biden “At President Biden’s direction, the eviction moratorium from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been extended to March 31. But tens of millions of people owing back rent may be forced out of their homes even with the extension. After months of wrangling, Congress allocated $25 billion in rental assistance.” https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/28/opinion/eviction-crisis-moratorium.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage
Other News The East Bay Community Law Center is working with City of Berkeley leaders to establish a housing policy called the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act. Learn more about TOPA here: https://ebclc.org/topa/
![[Logos of the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, the Contra Costa Young Democrats, Our Revolution East Bay, the California Democratic Party Renters Council, the Richmond Progressive Alliance, Black Women Organized for Political Action, the Berkeley Tenants Union, Teamster Joint Council 7, East Bay DSA, and the Diablo Valley Democratic Club]
Join co-hosts Steve Early, Suzanne Gordon, Ken Paff, Martha Gruelle, BK Williams, Kathleen Wimer, Joe Puleo, Carol Coyote Cook, Marisol Cantu, & Alexandra Early for a Richmong House Party for Jovanka Beckles for State Senate
January 6th
2-5PM
747 Lobos Ave, Richmond, CA](https://www.berkeleytenants.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/image.png)
