9-19-2024
Inspection Photos
2nd NOV
9-25-2024
Inspection Photos
In response to RFS
10-2-2024
Inspection Photos
10-4-2024
Inspection Photos
10-7-2024
Inspection Photos
3rd NOV
10-9-2024
Inspection Photos
4th NOV
10-11-2024
Inspection Photos
5th NOV
10-16-2024
Inspection Photos
6th NOV
10-25-2024
Inspection Photos
Deadline date
10-28-2024
Inspection Photos
Abatement Commenced
10-29-2024
Inspection Photos
Abatement Continued
10-30-2024
Inspection Photos
Abatement Continues
10-31-2024
Inspection Photos
Abatement Complete
11-1-2024
Inspection Photos
All Materials Off Site
Planning and Development Department
1947 Center St., 3rd Floor, Berkeley, CA 94704
Tel: 510.981.7440 TDD: 510.981.7474 Fax: 510.981.7450
E-mail: [email protected]
February 26, 2026
Paul T. & Ping H. Mak
3819 Bluff Street
Torrance, CA 90505
Subject: City Council Appeal Hearing, 2750 Cedar lien and abatement Dear Mr. and Mrs. Mak,
You are hereby notified that a hearing will be held before the Berkeley City Council on March 10, 2026, at 6:00 pm, in the School District Board Room located at 1231 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 94702, to consider the Appeal of Special Assessment Tax Lien and of the Need for Abatement Action at 2750 Cedar St. You may be, but need not be, represented by counsel. You or your designated representatives will be provided up to seven minutes to present your views and any relevant evidence to the City Council.
Copies of the staff report and related materials prepared by City staff may be found online, after the City Clerk publishes the agenda packet for this meeting. Visit https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas and select the agenda for the Regular Council meeting of March 10, scheduled for publication by the end of the business day on Thursday, February 26. That agenda will also include instructions for persons wishing to submit additional materials into the Council record. Materials may also be provided to the Council by e-mail to [email protected], in order to ensure delivery to all Councilmembers and inclusion in the agenda packet.
Sincerely,
Jordan Klein, Director
Planning & Development Department
CC: Michael Tolleson, architect/owner agent (by email to [email protected])
1 2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 ● Tel: (510) 981-7110 ● TDD: (510) 981-6903 ● Fax: (510) 981-7111 E-Mail: [email protected]
Rashi Kesarwani
Councilmember, District 1
ACTION CALENDAR
March 10, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Councilmember Rashi Kesarwani (Author)
SUBJECT: Resolution Rescinding Berkeley Police Department’s Pepper Spray Reporting Requirement
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution rescinding Berkeley Police Department’s current required notification process for reporting pepper spray via the Berkeley Police Department Use of Pepper Spray Report after each incident. Further, maintain the recording of pepper spray use within the existing use of force reporting system to minimize the administrative burden on staff. The department’s current transparency measures already provide the public with detailed data on all use of force incidents.
POLICY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
On Thursday, January 29, 2025, the Public Safety Policy Committee adopted the following action: M/S/C (Blackaby/O’Keefe) to send the item with a qualified positive recommendation to Council that includes
1) Inviting Police Accountability Board review,
2) Reaffirming the existing reporting requirements that remain in effect, and 3) Direction to the Berkeley Police Department to work to maximize the availability of the reports through the Transparency Hub1 and the Annual Report.
Vote: All Ayes.
Per the recommendation of the Public Safety Policy Committee this item seeks to reaffirm the goal of enhancing transparency within our police department and welcomes the Police Accountability Board’s input in reviewing this item and information shared about officers’ use of force.
1 Berkeley Police Transparency Hub: https://bpd-transparency-initiative-berkeleypd.hub.arcgis.com/
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2 2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 ● Tel: (510) 981-7110 ● TDD: (510) 981-6903 ● Fax: (510) 981-7111 E-Mail: [email protected]
This item also recommends a referral to the City Manager requesting the Berkeley Police Department edit the Transparency Hub Use of Force webpage to:
Enhance the definitions for the various Use of Force levels and clearly identify pepper spray use as Level 3;
Include clear navigational guidelines so users can more easily access the open data portal and seek information on chemical agent use.
CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS
Currently, the Berkeley Police Department (BPD) must notify the City Council and the Police Accountability Board within seven days every time pepper spray is used by the Police Department. The required BPD Use of Pepper Spray Report is comparable to the Use of Force Report, which is also required to be filed for these types of incidents. This duplicates both staff’s efforts and the information captured and creates an unnecessary administrative burden.
Under current policy, every deployment of pepper spray goes through the full review structure required by Policy 300 which includes documentation and supervisory evaluation. Under the current policy, officers must additionally prepare a second report for Council and the Police Accountability Board that contains nearly the same facts already captured in the use-of-force review. The two processes run side by side and track nearly identical information, which creates extra work without adding anything meaningful to the record.
The documentation and supervisory evaluation for reporting an incident that gets uploaded to the Open Data Portal on the Transparency Hub and also gets reported using the BPD Use of Pepper Spray Report (see attachment 2) is largely identical and outlined below.
Scenario 1 is the anatomy of a pepper spray use incident that gets uploaded onto the Transparency Hub:
When there is any use of force incident involving a BPD officer, including use of force incidents involving pepper spray:
Officers will fill out a report that includes information about:
o The incident itself, including time, date, location where the incident occurred and level of use of force. This includes use of force incidents involving chemical agents (including pepper spray), listed as level 3, and whether the incident resulted in an arrest;
o The suspect themselves, including age, race, sex, subject altered state, and use of force reason;
o The Officer involved, including the officer role (for example, trainee, Primary Officer, Cover Officer, etc.)
3 2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 ● Tel: (510) 981-7110 ● TDD: (510) 981-6903 ● Fax: (510) 981-7111 E-Mail: [email protected]
Once the report has been completed, the Supervising Officer/Sergeant of the team will fill out a report for the use of force incident. This involves looking for completion and compliance in reporting. This process includes:
o Reviewing the case report, and
o Reviewing the Body Worn Camera videos
Once the Supervising Officer report has been completed, it is then reviewed by:
o The Lieutenant of the unit, then handed off to
o A police captain who approves the report
Once finalized, the information is added to the database and the Transparency Hub.
Scenario 2 is the anatomy of a pepper spray use incident that gets filled out and reported using the BPD Use of Pepper Spray Report:
When there is any use of force incident involving pepper spray:
The officer involved will complete the entire process explained in scenario 1 above. In addition,
The officer involved will separately fill out the BPD Use of Pepper Spray Report form (attachment 2)
Officers will fill out a report that includes information about:
o The incident itself, including time, date, location where the incident occurred. This includes use whether first aid was administered for the subject.
o The suspect themselves, including age, race, sex, and use of force reason;
o The Officer involved, including the officer role (for example, trainee, Primary Officer, Cover Officer, etc.)
The report is reviewed by:
o The Supervising Officer/Sergeant of the unit, then handed off and reviewed by
o The Lieutenant of the unit, then handed off and reviewed by o A Captain in the department, then handed off and reviewed by o The Police Chief, who then shares the information with o The City Manager, who then sends an email sharing the report to o The City Council including the Mayor, for their situational awareness.
The notable areas where the two systems of reporting are not exactly the same are:
4 2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 ● Tel: (510) 981-7110 ● TDD: (510) 981-6903 ● Fax: (510) 981-7111 E-Mail: [email protected]
1) Personally identifiable information is NOT included on the open data portal on the Transparency Hub to maintain privacy of individuals; this type of information could be included in the BPD Use of Pepper Spray Report; and 2) The information reported on the BPD Use of Pepper Spray Report is NOT shared with the public.
The Department already publishes detailed information on all use of force incidents through its Transparency Hub which is continuously updated and always available to the public at all times. That system shows when pepper spray is used and places it within the broader context of overall use of force reporting. Because the public already receives this comprehensive, routine data an additional stand-alone pepper spray report no longer serves a unique purpose. That report is neither available to the public nor does it further the department’s transparency goals. The proposed change is an efficiency measure that would simply eliminate the additional and duplicative reporting mechanism; it would maintain the reporting of pepper spray use as it currently exists within the Transparency Hub.
BACKGROUND
In 1997, the Berkeley City Council instituted a separate notification process for reporting pepper spray use.2 That requirement helped build accountability and oversight during an era of evolving police practices and before reporting mechanisms were significantly improved. That time pre-dated the Department’s Transparency Hub and came before BPD implemented a comprehensive use of force reporting mechanism that contains vast quantities of data and documents all related incidents, including all those involving pepper spray. Currently this website is updated daily. This overhaul of reporting procedures has made the separate pepper spray notification via the BPD Use of Pepper Spray Report obsolete.
PROPOSED CHANGES AND RATIONALE FOR RECOMMENDATION
The proposed resolution would eliminate the mandate requiring Council notification for every use of pepper spray via the BPD Use of Pepper Spray Report. All incidents will continue to be documented through the existing use of force reporting system and be readily available to the public on the Transparency Hub. This adjustment simplifies administrative procedures and avoids duplicative reporting while preserving transparency and accountability. The current reporting framework captures all instances of pepper spray use alongside other use of force incidents. Maintaining a separate notification requirement burdens staff with redundant documentation and is not readily available to the public. The change will streamline operations and allow personnel to devote more attention to critical matters without sacrificing public oversight. 2 See Attachment 3
5 2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 ● Tel: (510) 981-7110 ● TDD: (510) 981-6903 ● Fax: (510) 981-7111 E-Mail: [email protected]
FISCAL IMPACTS
No significant additional expenditures are anticipated. The proposed change is expected to yield administrative efficiencies that may result in minor cost savings.
CONTACT PERSON
Councilmember Rashi Kesarwani, District 1 (510) 981-7110
ATTACHMENTS
1) Resolution
2) Berkeley Police Department Use of Pepper Spray Report 3) Minutes for the Regular City Council Meeting, September 16, 1997
6 2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 ● Tel: (510) 981-7110 ● TDD: (510) 981-6903 ● Fax: (510) 981-7111 E-Mail: [email protected]
RESOLUTION NO. ##,###-N.S.
RESOLUTION RESCINDING THE PEPPER SPRAY INCIDENT NOTIFICATION
REQUIREMENT
WHEREAS, in 1997 the City Council established a requirement for the Berkeley Police Department to notify Council each time pepper spray is used as a measure to bolster accountability; and
WHEREAS, the separate notification process was introduced at a time when reporting mechanisms were limited and provided necessary oversight; and WHEREAS, the Berkeley Police Department has since implemented a comprehensive use-of-force reporting system that documents all related incidents, including those involving pepper spray; and
WHEREAS, the continued requirement for separate notification creates redundant administrative tasks that strain City resources; and
WHEREAS, rescinding the notification requirement will simplify reporting procedures and allow staff to concentrate on more critical operational matters while preserving public transparency.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Berkeley that:
1. The requirement for the Berkeley Police Department to notify the City Council every time pepper spray is used is hereby rescinded.
2. All pepper spray incidents shall be recorded as part of the established use-of-force reporting system in accordance with current departmental protocols.
Berkeley Police Department
Use of Pepper Spray Report
(Note – this is a public document)
This report is to be completed by any Department employee who use “Oleoresin Capsicum” OC spray during the performance of his or her duties. The authorization for this report comes from City of Berkeley Council action taken September 16, 1997, directing that any use of “OC” be reported to the City council and the Police Review Commission via the Police Department’s Chain of Command as a public record within seven (7) days of its use.
Date:
Date of Pepper Spray Report
From:
Note: This for is to be completed by the Department employee using the spray. If that person is unable to complete this form due to injury, it shall be completed by his or her immediate supervisor.
Case Number(s):
Incident Date:
Incident Time:
Incident Location:
Application was: Effective Ineffective
Subject: Adult Juvenile
Subject description:
Sex Height Weight
First Aid for Subject: Paramedic responded and administered First Aid Yes No Additional comments on First Aid rendered:
Nature of Incident:
Summary and justification of the Actions of Officer(s) Involved:
2 | P a g e
Please print and route through Chain of Command to the Office of the Chief.
Duty Supervisor
Watch Commander
Operations Captain
Chief of Police
ACTION CALENDAR
March 10, 2026
(Continued from February 24, 2026)
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Mayor Adena Ishii
Subject: City of Berkeley’s 2026 State and Federal Legislative Platform
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a Resolution approving the City of Berkeley’s 2026 State and Federal Legislative Platform.
CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS
The proposed 2026 State and Federal Legislative Platform outlines the City’s legislative priority areas related to homelessness, housing, economic development, infrastructure, public safety, sustainability and the environment, and health. In addition, the platform supports the City’s efforts to seek federal and state funding assistance in the areas of affordable housing and homelessness, infrastructure improvements and climate resiliency. These legislative priorities support the City’s long-term Strategic Plan goals, including providing state-of-the-art, well-maintained infrastructure; creating affordable housing and housing support services; creating a resilient and safe city, and continuing to be a global leader in addressing climate change, advancing environmental justice, and protecting the environment.
RATIONALE FOR RECOMMENDATION
A formally adopted legislative platform clearly indicates the City’s policy and funding priorities, allowing for more effective, targeted advocacy for the City’s needs at the state and federal level.
BACKGROUND
The City Manager and City Department Directors provided input regarding the priority areas and projects to include within the 2026 legislative platform. The 2026 legislative platform largely updates the prior City Council approved 2024 platform.
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ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE IMPACTS
While adopting the legislative platform will not directly impact climate or improve environmental sustainability, these items will be supported by the platform through related policy and funding priorities.
FISCAL IMPACTS OF RECOMMENDATION
Formal adoption and use of a legislative platform, by clearly indicating the City of Berkeley’s priorities, may increase the City’s effectiveness when competing for federal or state funding opportunities.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS CONSIDERED
The City could choose not to formally adopt a legislative platform. This could result in missing funding opportunities and a less clear position, voice or impact during state and federal level policy discussions and decisions.
CONTACT PERSON
Mayor Adena Ishii
(510) 981-7100
Attachments: 1: Resolution Exhibit A: City of Berkeley’s 2026 State and Federal Legislative Platform
RESOLUTION NO. ##,###-N.S.
CITY OF BERKELEY 2026 STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM WHEREAS, the City of Berkeley has an interest in indicating to state and federal government the City’s own legislative platform; and
WHEREAS, said platform can improve the City’s ability to influence state and federal policy; and
WHEREAS, said platform can improve the City’s effectiveness when competing for state and federal funding opportunities; and
WHEREAS, the City of Berkeley 2026 State and Federal Legislative Platform clearly outlines the City’s policy and funding priorities.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Berkeley that the Council approves Exhibit A, the City of Berkeley’s 2026 State and Federal Legislative Platform.
Exhibits A: City of Berkeley 2026 State and Federal Legislative Platform
M E M O R A N D U M
To: The Honorable Adena Ishii and Members of the Berkeley City Council CC: Paul Buddenhagen, City Manager
From: Christopher Townsend, President, Townsend Public Affairs, Inc.
Niccolo De Luca, Vice President
Carlin Shelby, Deputy Director
Kerri West, Senior Associate
Joseph Melo, Federal Deputy Director
Joe Hansen, Federal Legislative Analyst
Date: February 24, 2026
Subject: Draft 2026 State and Federal Legislative Agenda In consultation with the City of Berkeley, Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. (TPA) has prepared this draft 2026 Legislative Platform. The City’s legislative platform for 2026 reflects the priorities of the Mayor, the City Council, and the people of Berkeley. The platform will include advocating for legislation, regulations, and funding that is consistent with the City’s adopted goals.
Once adopted, this blueprint will be shared with key stakeholders in the State Legislature and Governor’s Administration as well as Congress. However, it will be necessary to remain nimble and responsive as we move through the legislative year. Our legislative agenda will be fluid as some issues will be addressed with introduced legislation.
TPA has proudly partnered with the City of Berkeley for nearly 16 years, delivering meaningful results through sustained advocacy and strategic engagement. Over the course of this partnership, we have advanced seven City-sponsored legislative proposals signed into law, collaborated on more than 90 pieces of legislation, and helped secure over $23 million in state and federal funding for the City’s priority projects.
Proposed Legislative Priorities for 2026
It is expected that the State Legislature in 2026 will maintain its focus on its recent priorities including efforts to counter federal actions, homelessness and behavioral health, housing and greater access, public safety, and transportation and infrastructure. This will also be Governor Newsom’s final year in office. The State Legislature reconvened on January 5, 2026 to resume legislative activities. Legislators may begin introducing new pieces of legislation, many of which may be like bills that did not advance in 2025, the second year of the two-year legislative cycle.
In Washington, DC, Congressional Leaders and the White House have primarily focused on non-local issues, though opportunities remain in infrastructure, transportation, housing, and public safety. Many funding opportunities and programs are restarting operations following mass layoffs of federal civil service employees and structural changes to program administration. The federal government shutdown having significantly delayed legislative action this fall, we expect substantive activity in the Spring of 2026.
Proposed 2026 Legislative Platform Page 2 of 7 Federal and State Legislative Monitoring and Potential Action The following legislative priorities are being recommended for monitoring, analysis, and potential action.
The City Council may choose to take a position on a piece of legislation, continue to monitor without a position, or determine if any further response is required.
TPA maintains a constantly updated matrix of state legislation and in years past have presented recommendations after session has started then providing rolling updates. TPA will monitor legislative activity in the following areas.
Homelessness
Policy Priorities:
1) Prevent displacement of tenants and residents
2) Expand emergency, transitional, and permanent housing opportunities 3) Expand resources and housing alternatives for unhoused persons who suffer with severe mental illness or substance use disorder who may also require conservatorship 4) Support legislative efforts that require counties to partner with cities when receiving direct allocation of homeless funds and have a regional focus in the expenditure of state funds 5) Support legislative efforts that will allocate State homeless dollars such as the HHAP program and others, based off city point-in-time count numbers
6) Support legislative changes to Coordinated Entry requirements that allow local governments to prioritize based on local unsheltered needs and encampment resolution for housing placements 7) Support legislative efforts that have a focus on keeping people in housing, once placed, for many years which could include legislative changes to emergency shelter crisis declarations 8) Support legislative efforts that address racial disparities in homelessness 9) Support legislative efforts that provide state funded minimum basic income for those who are unhoused or at risk of becoming unhoused
Funding Priorities:
1) Expand funding for homeless services (e.g., the wrap around services necessary for transitional and permanent housing), non-congregate shelters and emergency shelters, as well as operating costs for permanent supportive housing
2) Funding for permanent housing interventions that reduce and prevent homelessness 3) Support for more mental health and behavioral health outreach services; incentivize County provision of In-Lieu of Services in the CalAIM system change 4) Funding for targeted homeless prevention programs that provide financial assistance, legal and housing navigation services
5) Funding for employment, wage-earning programs for homeless people 6) Funding for substance abuse services
7) Support funding efforts for non-congregate shelter and allow existing rent subsidies sources to be used to subsidize the rent at these programs
8) Support funding for homeless services (e.g., the wrap around services necessary for transitional and permanent housing) and emergency shelters, as well as operating costs for permanent supportive housing
9) Investment in extremely low income housing for those experiencing homelessness 10) Investment in mental health treatment across the continuum of care, including efforts to support or encourage creation of additional board and care beds as well as subacute treatment and psychiatric skilled nursing facilities
Housing
Policy Priorities:
1) Help promote and support housing legislation to enable the construction of more housing at various income levels; fight to repeal Article 34 which requires a local vote to authorize building affordable housing.
Proposed 2026 Legislative Platform Page 3 of 7 2) Support legislation that advances the creation or funding of affordable housing projects 3) Pursue updates to the State building code, if necessary, and to promote innovative forms of housing construction, including Prohousing codes like single stair. 4) Support legislative and funding efforts relating to housing preservation and acquisition and operation 5) Support legislative efforts to reduce the voter threshold for passage of affordable housing bonds 6) Oppose legislative efforts to limit the ability of voters to raise revenues for local government services either by raising voter threshold requirements or prohibiting them from approving real estate transfer tax increases.
7) Support legislative efforts to repeal or reform the Ellis Act and the Costa–Hawkins Rental Housing Act
8) Support policy efforts to utilize the enhanced, lower bond finance threshold of 25% for the Low- Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), supplement other affordable housing development programs 9) Work with UC Regents to help support more opportunities for student housing 10) Support legislative efforts that clarify recent ADU related legislation and count ADUs towards RHNA goals
11) Support efforts that also encourage other forms of housing such as co-ops, land trusts, social housing, public housing, and other efforts
12) Advocate for the restoration of any proposed reductions in funding to affordable housing programs including the Multifamily Housing Program, Transit Oriented Development Program, Infill and Infrastructure Grant Program, and others.
13) Streamline Surplus Lands Act
14) Housing Element reform – shorten the time HCD has from 18 months to 6 months (or just generally less) to give local jurisdictions the additional year to complete the housing element. Current timelines are too short for local jurisdictions.
Funding Priorities:
1) Support for soft-story seismic retrofits
2) Funding for housing programs that that support Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing 3) Funding for innovative programs to prevent displacement and address hazardous housing conditions
4) Enhance funding of state programs for operating costs that support permanent affordable housing for individuals with area median income up to 120 percent (which includes extremely low-income up to moderate incomes, i.e., workforce housing)
5) Enhance funding opportunities for existing state programs to help support bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in connection to housing
6) Develop a state funding program that can support small sites acquisition and rehab (like San Francisco)
7) Expand funding for transit-oriented development and affordable housing on transit agency sites 8) Support funding for remediation of hazardous sites (to make viable for housing) 9) Support efforts to create more student housing funding opportunities 10) Support funding for rehabilitation of low-income housing for older adults Economic Development
Policy Priorities:
1) Support funding for arts and cultural spaces, arts education, and outdoor commerce 2) Measures providing for new tax increment financing opportunities (i.e., business district establishment or Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts) to support commercial districts as well as infrastructure and affordable housing
3) Efforts to encourage the development of sectors (and real estate sites) that align with quality job opportunities in local manufacturing, light industrial, bioscience, research and development, and other priority industry sectors. This includes environmental remediation of large industrial sites for redevelopment into research and development and/or life sciences use
Proposed 2026 Legislative Platform Page 4 of 7 4) Cannabis Tax reform which includes lowering taxes and tax simplification 5) Support efforts to address the digital divide
6) Support legislation relating to Online Sales Tax Distribution Formula reform that enhances city revenue
7) Support legislative and other efforts for programs that create pathways out of poverty, including guaranteed income programs
8) Support State funded small business displacement funds similar to tenant relocation funds to help small businesses relocate if their existing space is lost due to building demolition for housing.
Funding Priorities:
1) Support funding for environmental remediation at the Pacific Steel site and other toxic sites throughout the City
2) Support funding for the seismic retrofit and renovation of public landmarked municipal buildings (Civic Center, Veterans Building)
3) Loan access for minority- and women-owned businesses who experience difficulties in accessing loans from private banks
Infrastructure
Policy Priorities:
1) Support developing climate smart, resilient infrastructure to address growing climate threats and address deferred maintenance
2) Funding for programmatic implementation of hardware and software to ensure security 3) Funding for programmatic initiatives to advance use of technology in partnership with delivering cutting edge and strategic programs
4) Funding for upgrading and updating outdated technological infrastructure 5) Measures affecting funding for roads, transit, “last mile” projects and goods movement as well as alternative modes of transportation (bikes, ebikes, e-scooters, etc.), and support the needs of the disabled community
6) Support efforts to ensure funding programs within the federal 2026 Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act will support locally controlled urban infrastructure projects, multi-modal projects, and projects in disadvantaged communities
7) Support efforts to help commuters and increase public transportation and last mile expansion 8) Measures that tax ride sharing networks and help reduce vehicle congestion 9) Measures that support data sharing of TNCs with local government 10) Support regional transportation projects that would provide a benefit to the City and surrounding communities
11) Support for public infrastructure projects including the Ashby/North Berkeley BART Development, Berkeley Pier/Ferry Terminal Project, Maudelle Shirek (Old City Hall), Veterans Building, Transfer Station, Dispatch Center Modernization and San Pablo Park and Pool 12) Increasing resiliency of public infrastructure from threats of climate change 13) Support for public infrastructure that supports ADA access to all City facilities including buildings, Right of Way, and Parks
14) Support equity in infrastructure by improving City facilities and amenities in South and West Berkeley
15) Expand EIFD resources to include services for underserved communities Funding Priorities:
1) Increased funding for bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements to reduce traffic collisions and achieve Vision Zero objectives
2) Increased funding for utility undergrounding, especially in high fire zones 3) Increased funding to address the wildland urban interface and fire safety 4) Funding to electrify and add e-charging in public facilities and for the public fleet and to provide public e-charging stations
Proposed 2026 Legislative Platform Page 5 of 7 5) Funding for the Safe Routes to School program
6) Funding to enhance and build recreation facilities to address neighborhood youth engagement and enrichment. (i.e., San Pablo Park and Pool)
7) Funding for cyber security and necessary, related technological improvements 8) Funding for riding transit especially when linked to housing Public Safety
Policy Priorities:
1) Support automated speed enforcement legislation and seek alternatives to sworn traffic/parking enforcement
2) Support efforts to have non-sworn staff to investigate and report taking 3) Support disaster preparedness, training, response, and resilience efforts, particularly WUI wildfire safety
4) Criminal justice reform
5) Support additional efforts to help prevent violence such as mental health services, supporting street outreach teams, focusing on other individuals before they are at risk 6) Support efforts that reimagine public safety and incorporate community-based organizations to help address problems
7) Support efforts to increase peace officer accountability and provide a means of decertifying police officers who engage in serious misconduct
8) Support legislative efforts that seek to legalize safe crossings for pedestrians aka ‘jaywalking’, allows cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, red lights as stop signs and yield at traffic light intersections if they're making a right-hand turn, and other related efforts 9) Support legislative modifications to the CalVIP program to help cities such as Berkeley 10) Support legislation and funding to improve fire safety, including undergrounding utilities Funding Priorities:
1) Support funding opportunities for alternative traffic enforcement efforts 2) Support funding opportunities for violence prevention services 3) Support funding opportunities for dispatch and service redesign or expansion 4) Support funding opportunities to modernize law enforcement efforts that enhance situational awareness, and help officers respond faster and more effectively to ongoing crimes 5) Support wildland fire mitigation grants to support home hardening, vegetation management and suppression and response such as low or no-interest loan/grant programs to assist homeowners in clearing hazardous vegetation and hardening homes in high fire hazard zones 6) Support funding opportunities for community paramedicine and alternative destination protocols 7) Support funding/resources for analysis, development and implementation of road network for wildfire evacuation programs
8) Support funding for park access and ADA amenities
9) Support funding for criminal justice diversion initiatives and ensure programs funded levels committed under Proposition 47 are maintained
10) Support funding for law enforcement engagement and community-centered collaborative approaches in support of reimagining public safety efforts (Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Program)
Sustainability and the Environment
Policy Priorities:
1) Support legislative efforts to incentivize Low-Carbon Construction: ability to and tools for incentivizing lower-carbon construction with fees from higher-carbon construction projects 2) Support legislative efforts relating to electric bicycles: legislation to subsidize electric bicycle purchase, in coordination with electric vehicle subsidies 3) Support legislative efforts to expand transportation alternatives by water (ferry) 4) Support legislative efforts to expand funding for electric vehicle charging in the public right of way
Proposed 2026 Legislative Platform Page 6 of 7 5) Measures that provide new tools and potential revenue opportunities to address illegal dumping 6) Measures that support regional planning for a climate change strategy which includes sea level rise
7) Support efforts for gray water capture
8) Remediation of open space to expand public green/open space Funding Priorities:
1) Support technological advancements that reduce our draw on paper and nonrenewable resources 2) Support development of software infrastructure to support current and emerging initiatives in the most sustainable way possible
3) Funding to support ongoing movement towards sustainable systems that require forward thinking processes and modern technological systems
4) Support funding to address sea level rise along waterfront and Aquatic Park (inclusive of state lands)
5) Support funding for electrification and seismic retrofitting of care and shelter facilities 6) Support funding for low-income solar and battery installation 7) Support for reaching Climate Action Plan, Clean Water, and Resilience Plan goals 8) Support funding for Zero Waste efforts
9) Support funding for more EV charging stations at apartments and elsewhere Health
Policy Priorities:
1) Support legislative efforts to enhance greater access to hospitals and health care 2) Support legislative efforts that will require counties to partner with cities relating to unspent Prop 63 mental health funds
3) Support legislative efforts that support and increase psychiatric care facilities and acute care facilities
4) Support legislative efforts to protect the rights of women and reproductive health 5) Support legislative efforts that increase services such as mental health, substance abuse, treatment beds and other services for people living in encampments and in unsheltered settings 6) Support legislative efforts that existing mental health and substance programming prioritize people who are referred by the homeless system
7) Support legislative efforts that soften data sharing constraints at the Federal level: HIPAA contains broad information-sharing allowances among “treatment providers” for the purposes of “care coordination”—issue guidance defining homeless encampment or homeless-serving teams as “treatment providers” and making it clear that information can be shared on a need-to-know basis 8) Support federal legislative efforts to ensure health care access for all Berkeley residents. 9) Support legislative efforts related to oversight of guardians, receivership, conservatorship and other forms of care
Funding Priorities:
1) Support funding and regulatory changes to advance for emergency readiness, particularly in relation to public health
2) Support funding efforts relating to mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, and other relates services
3) Support funding efforts for CARE Court implementation 4) Focus on funding health services for underserved communities Miscellaneous
Policy Priorities:
Proposed 2026 Legislative Platform Page 7 of 7 1) Support funding for adopted state legislative items-- no more unfunded mandates 2) Support efforts by national groups, including the US Conference of Mayors, National Association of County Organizations, Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations, National Low Income Housing Coalition, and Local Officials in Transportation (LOT) Coalition that align with City priorities.
One Time State and Federal Funding Priorities for “Member Request” Consideration As we have seen at both the Federal and State level, new initiatives and various funding opportunities have taken form over the last year. This also includes both legislative provisions that direct approved funds to be spent on specific projects, sometimes referred to as “Member Requests” or “Congressionally Directed Spending”.
As it relates to state and federal “Member Requests”/ “Congressionally Directed Spending”, our recommended strategy is for the adopted Legislative Platform to include a handful of funding buckets that capture various project themes. This provides the City with the highest amount of flexibility as it is important to not only reflect the priorities of the state and federal lawmakers who sponsor these requests, but also to ensure that the City’s projects fit the eligibility requirements of the various state and federal funding sources.
These buckets include:
● Affordable Housing/Homelessness which could include funding to reduce unsheltered homelessness including outreach and mental health services, non-congregate shelter, housing subsidies and gap funding for affordable housing and permanent supportive housing projects including new construction and acquisition and rehabilitation of housing. ● Infrastructure Improvements which could include funding for enhancements to public infrastructure including landmark sites, active transportation enhancements which include bicycle and pedestrian upgrades at various city locations such as the Car Free Telegraph project. ● Climate Resiliency which could include funding for reducing risk of fires in the wildland urban interface, sea level rise, and other related items.
Process for Reporting/Next Steps
In addition to weekly legislative updates and other communications we send to the City Team, TPA suggests verbal reports to the City Council when the State Legislature is on recess. For example, we would report out in April while they are on Spring Recess, during July while they are on Summer Recess, and in November or December when Session has concluded.
Due to the ever-changing nature of legislation in Sacramento and Washington, TPA will provide monthly updates which can be shared with the City Council.
Communications
All communications submitted to the City Council are
public record. Communications are not published directly to the City’s website. Copies of individual communications are available for viewing at the City Clerk Department and through Records Online.
City Clerk Department
2180 Milvia Street
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 981-6900
Records Online
https://records.cityofberkeley.info/
To search for communications associated with a particular City Council meeting using Records Online:
1. Select Search Type = “Public – Communication Query (Keywords)”
2. From Date: Enter the date of the Council meeting
3. To Date: Enter the date of the Council meeting (this may match the From Date field)
4. Click the “Search” button
5. Communication packets matching the entered criteria will be returned
6. Click the desired file in the Results column to view the document as a PDF