Tag: evictions

By Posted on Posted in Issues

Smoking

Berkeley’s City Council postponed a vote on a ban on all smoking in all multi-unit housing in the city until their May 28 meeting. BTU has not taken a position.

From Berkeley Patch:
Berkeley could become the first rent-control city in the nation to ban secondhand tobacco smoke in all multi-unit housing if the City Council adopts an anti-tobacco ordinance that was on the May 7 council agenda, according to city staff.

The city law would make it illegal to expose neighbors in multi-unit buildings to secondhand tobacco smoke and would require all new leases in such housing to include no-smoking clauses.

The proposed ordinance was developed by staff during the past year from study of smokefree housing laws in other California cities and consultation with Berkeley’s Community Health Commission and Rent Stabilization Board, according to a detailed, 28-page staff report prepared for the council meeting. The staff met also with the Medical Cannabis Commission and the Commission on Aging, according to the report.

The staff report is attached to this article.
http://berkeley.patch.com/articles/berkeley-eyes-anti-tobacco-law-in-multi-unit-housing

By Posted on Posted in Actions

Cracked foundation

At the public hearing on April 3, Berkeley’s Planning Commission reviewed a new draft of the ordinance that is far less threatening to tenants.

After an extremely brief discussion they decided that if Rent Board staff and planning staff can agree on language, the ordinance can be forwarded to City Council.

If there is disagreement, the Planning Commission will review on May 1.

Three BTU members came to the meeting and many more sent in comments by email.

By Posted on Posted in Actions

Cottages

Suggested changes to the demolition ordinance will allow developers to tear down rent controlled buildings. Right now, builders have to replace rent controlled units with affordable housing and let low-income tenants move back in. A draft of the new law would allow empty rent controlled units to be bulldozed without being replaced. This would mean more Ellis Act evictions and a loss of affordable units citywide.

If you can’t come to the hearing on Wednesday at 7 PM at the North Berkeley Senior Center, please send an email to the Planning Commission care of aamoroso@cityofberkeley.info — they have to get this by NOON Wednesday: “Staff will not deliver to Commissioners any additional written (or email) materials received after 12:00 noon on the day of the meeting.”

BTU suggests your email be labeled “Regarding Demo Ordinance” and that it support replacing units that have been under rent control with housing that is permanently affordable to low-income folks, and that you ask for “Measure Y-type protections” if landlords want to combine units in smaller buildings.

By Posted on Posted in Actions

Soft story behind bars

The Planning Commission seeks YOUR input on changes to the demolition ordinance. A draft from the City Manager’s office would allow a new developer to tear down rent controlled buildings with no mitigation as long as the units are empty — this would encourage evictions and harassment! In addition, there has been discussion about making it “easier” for a landlord who lives in the building to combine your unit with theirs — leaving you No Place to Live!

Come to the hearing this Wednesday at the North Berkeley Senior Center
— 1901 Hearst at 7 PM.