Expanding Renewable Energy, UC Berkeley Enrollment, COVID-19 Updates, and More Berkeley News
UC Berkeley Enrollment Cap Threatens Vibrancy of City
Last week, the California First Court of Appeal upheld a decision by the Alameda County Superior Court to freeze UC Berkeley’s enrollment rate to the same level as in 2020-21, which was unusually lower due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If the ruling is not stayed or ultimately overturned by the California Supreme Court, this will mean over 3,000 qualified students would be prevented from attending UC Berkeley. Being home to the world’s premier public university, students form a significant part of our community, whose contributions have made Berkeley the bastion of progressivism and activism.
Last Friday, the City Council held a special meeting where it voted unanimously to submit an amicus brief in the case of Save Berkeley’s Neighborhoods v. The Regents of the University of California. This decision was made in part due to the negative impacts such a decision would have on the city’s economy. For example, the City’s revenues from its sales and use tax and hotel occupancy tax are likely to decline due to decreased patronage of local businesses by students and their families. Students are a vital part of the local workforce at a time when we are experiencing a labor shortage. Without employees to fill these jobs, many businesses would risk closing. Additionally, the intellectual capital gained through student contribution is at risk of being lost - students playing a central role in many local start-ups and innovative businesses.
While the City had originally sued UC, the City’s position was out of concern to the unmitigated impacts of a major increase in student population. However, placing an enrollment cap was never a remedy the City sought nor advocated for. We welcome additional students, but this must be done in a way that does not result in compromising our ability to provide services to our community. In July 2021, the City and University reached an historic agreement to address mitigations related to its impacts on the City. The University will provide $83 million to the City over the next 16 years to pay for fire and city services and for projects supporting Berkeley residents within a half mile of the UC main campus and Clark Kerr Campus. In addition the campus committed in its 2021 Long Range Development Plan that it would not be a growth campus and would keep student enrollment at a 1% increase per year.
For additional thoughts on this issue, read this opinion piece I co-authored with Councilmembers Rigel Robinson and Lori Droste last week in the Los Angeles Times.
COVID-19 Updates
Confirmed cases since December 1, 2021. The spike on February 23rd was due to a significant number of lab results being released in one day, not an outbreak.
COVID-19 cases continue to decline after reaching record-breaking highs in mid-January as the Omicron variant swept through the region. As of Thursday, February 24, there have been 12,698 cases of COVID-19, with an average of 60 cases a day over the past week. In mid-January, cases were averaging nearly 200 cases a day. Over 7,400 cases, or almost 60% of all cases in Berkeley since the beginning of the pandemic, have happened since December 1, 2021. Fortunately, due to our high vaccination rate, hospitalizations remained low in Berkeley during this latest Omicron surge. For additional information, visit the City’s COVID-19 dashboard.
Last week, the Health Order around mask mandates expired. While masks are no longer required in most settings for people who are vaccinated, wearing a mask in indoor public settings remains strongly recommended. Businesses have the option of requiring patrons to wear masks. Places that still require masking regardless of vaccination status are: public transportation; health care settings; congregate settings like correctional facilities and homeless shelters; long term care facilities; and in K-12 schools and childcare settings.
Despite these relaxations and the State’s recent plans for transitioning from a pandemic to an endemic, COVID-19 remains a serious health risk. The situation may be improving, but the risk of a new variant emerging and local outbreaks remain. If you need a vaccine or booster, click here to schedule an appointment. If you are looking for a test, click here.
The City of Berkeley, in partnership with Carbon Health, is hosting three vaccine clinics in the upcoming weeks. First, Second, and Additional/Booster Pfizer doses will be available. Anyone over the age of 5 can get their first or second dose of the Pfizer vaccine AND will receive a $25 Target gift card for receiving a first or second dose. This clinic is located at Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch Library, 1901 Russell St. The dates are Tuesday, 3/1 from 10:30am-5:30pm, Tuesday, 3/8 from 10:30am-5:30pm, and Tuesday 3/15 from 11:30am-6:30pm. Appointments are required, click here to schedule and appointment.
Street Detours During Sunday's Berkeley Half Marathon
The Berkeley Half Marathon returns this Sunday, February 27th. Thousands of runners throughout the region are expected to join, with the race starting and ending in the Civic Center area. Various road closures and detours will take place throughout the morning, so if you have travel plans, be sure to plan ahead. In most cases, road closures along the route will begin around 7am-8am and will reopen around 10am-12pm. For a full list of street closures, click here. Even if you do not live on a street that is closed, if you live near one, traffic may be diverted to your street. Several AC Transit lines will also be impacted as a result. For a list of bus detours, click here. For additional information about the half marathon, click here.
Residential Electricity Accounts Transitioning to 100% Renewable
Starting in March, your household will begin receiving 100% California solar and wind electricity service. In June 2021, the City Council voted to transition all Berkeley electricity accounts to East Bay Community Energy’s Renewable 100 plan. Since 2018 East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) has been our local electricity supplier serving customers in Berkeley and Alameda County.
Renewable 100 is the cleanest energy choice available, and costs an additional one cent per kilowatt-hour over PG&E rates, or about $5 more per month for a typical Berkeley home. Commercial customers in Berkeley will be placed on Renewable 100 in October 2022.
No action is needed to receive Renewable 100 electricity service. Customers who prefer to remain in the current Bright Choice plan, which has been the default for Berkeley to date, can do so by visiting the EBCE website and clicking on “Remain on Bright Choice,” or by calling 1-833-699-EBCE. EBCE’s Bright Choice service is priced 1% below PG&E rates and has approximately 5% more renewable energy than PG&E. Learn more about EBCE’s electric service choices.
Customers who are on bill assistance programs such as CARE, FERA, and Medical Baseline programs will remain on the less expensive Bright Choice service automatically, but can still choose Renewable 100. Customers can change their EBCE service or return to PG&E service anytime.
Reimagining Public Safety Worksession on March 10th
In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the City Council took action to begin a community process to reimagining public safety in Berkeley. In December 2020, the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force was established, consisting of community members appointed by each Councilmember, the Mental Health Commission, Youth Commission, and Police Review Commission, the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC), the Berkeley Community Safety Coalition and at-large members appointed by the Task Force. The purpose of this Task Force is to make recommendations on programs, structures and initiatives to outline a new, community-centered safety paradigm as a foundation for deep and lasting change, grounded in the principles of Reduce, Improve and Re-Invest.
The Task Force has worked with the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR), who provided technical expertise and developed a report. The Task Force also developed a report that builds upon the recommendations of NICJR. On Thursday, March 10, 2022, the Berkeley City Council will hold a work session to hear the recommendations from the Task Force and NICJR and begin the discussion on how to advance this important work. The agenda will be posted here once published. Your input will be valuable in determining the next steps. You can read the NICJR report here, and the accompanying Task Force report here.
Black History Month Celebratory Event this Saturday
The Black Lives Matter flag has been flown at the Berkeley Civic Center during the month of February.
Join us this Saturday morning for a celebration of Black culture as we close out Black History Month. The virtual event will be focused around the theme of Changing the Narrative: Eliminating Negative Stereotypes About Black People. It will feature a list of speakers and entertainment, with journalist and TV commentator Roland Martin providing the keynote address.
Event sponsors include Berkeley Juneteenth Cultural Celebrations; Berkeley Black Ecumenical Ministerial Alliance; African American/Black Professionals & Community Network, Inc.; Berkeley NAACP; Cevo Presents; The Center For Food Faith & Justice; Berkeley Jr. Jackets; Black Repertory Group, Inc.; and African American Steering Committee for Health and Wellness.
WHAT: Black History Month Celebration
WHEN: Saturday, February 26, 10am-12:30pm
WHERE: Zoom, register here
Chancellor's Community Partnership Fund Accepting Applications
After a brief pause, the 16th cycle of the Chancellor's Community Partnership Fund has launched! In the 2022-23 grant cycle, the Chancellor's Community Partnership Fund will make approximately $300,000 in grants to innovative campus-community partnerships designed to improve the quality of life for Berkeley residents. Applications are due March 28, 2022 with funds available ahead of the fall 2022 semester.
The UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Community Partnership Fund (the Fund) invests in projects and programs that establish new or existing partnerships between UC Berkeley and Berkeley community entities that improve the quality of life for people who live or work in Berkeley. The Fund seeks partnerships and collaborations that are designed to match the university’s expertise and service with community wisdom and leadership. Eligibility is limited to projects and programs that have at least one community partner and one UC Berkeley partner. An ideal campus/community partnership gives students, faculty and staff an opportunity to bring the university’s public service mission to life in community projects that further social justice and racial equity. Projects that benefit specific neighborhoods or groups of Berkeleyans are preferred.
All grants will be for one-year projects or programs. Education-related grant applicants are required to demonstrate that their project is aligned with and furthers the objectives of the Berkeley 2020 Vision: Equity in Education. The 2020 Vision is Berkeley’s city-wide effort that strives to eliminate racial disparities in academic achievement in Berkeley’s public schools. The 2020 Vision partners include: Berkeley Unified School District, the City of Berkeley, Berkeley City College, UC Berkeley and several community-based organizations. All grants are encouraged to align with relevant city policies and initiatives that were developed with community engagement and/or are equity focused.
Applicants must complete the Grant Application packet, including a budget worksheet, due March 28, 2022 (please aim for before 5 p.m.). A limited number of Planning Grants will be accepted for groups or partnerships early in their process of developing an action plan and meaningful partnerships. Eligible projects must have at least one community partner and one university partner. UC Berkeley student organizations that are actively supported by a faculty or staff advisor are encouraged to apply.
Application forms and related documents, along with detailed timelines and FAQs, can be found here.