Agenda packet — Berkeley City Council, June 23, 2026 (part 1 of 3)

Tuesday, June 23, 2026 REVISED AGENDA Page 1

R E V I S E D P R O C L AM AT I O N

C AL L I N G A S P E C I AL M E E T I N G O F T H E

B E R K E L E Y C I T Y C O U N C I L
( R E V I S E D T O A D D A T E L E C O N F E R E N C E L O C A T I O N ) In accordance with the authority in me vested, I do hereby call the Berkeley City Council in special session as follows:

Tuesday, June 23, 2026
6:00 PM
SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD ROOM - 1231 ADDISON STREET, BERKELEY, CA 94702 TELECONFERENCE LOCATION - 1027 BANCROFT WAY, BERKELEY, CA 94710

ADENA ISHII, MAYOR
Councilmembers:

DISTRICT 1 – RASHI KESARWANI DISTRICT 5 – SHOSHANA O’KEEFE DISTRICT 2 – TERRY TAPLIN DISTRICT 6 – BRENT BLACKABY
DISTRICT 3 – BEN BARTLETT DISTRICT 7 – CECILIA LUNAPARRA DISTRICT 4 – IGOR TREGUB DISTRICT 8 – MARK HUMBERT
This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid model with both in -person and virtual attendance. Attend this meeting remotely using Zoom. To request to speak, use the “raise hand” function in Zoom. To join by phone: Dial 1-669- 254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free) and enter Meeting ID: 165 657 5431. To provide public comment, Press *9 and wait to be recognized by the Chair. To submit a written communication for the public record, email [email protected].

Live captioned broadcasts of Council meetings are available on B -TV (Channel 33) and via internet video stream.

All Council meetings are recorded.

This meeting will be conducted in accordance with the Brown Act, Government Code Section 54953. Any member of the public may attend this meeting, however, if you are feeling sick, please do not attend the meeting in person.

The City Council may take action related to any subject listed on the Agenda.

Pursuant to the City Council Rules of Procedure and State Law, the presiding officer may remove, or cause the removal of, an individual for disrupting the meeting. Prior to removing an individual, the presiding officer shall warn the individual that their behavior is disrupting the meeting and that their failure to cease their behavior may result in their removal. The presiding officer may then remove the individual if they do not promptly cease their disruptive behavior. “Disrupting” means engaging in behavior during a meeting of a legislative body that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting and includes, but is not limited to, a failure to comply with reasonable and lawful regulations adopted by a legislative body, or engaging in behavior that constitutes use of force or a true threat of force.

Government Code Section 84308 (Levine Act) - Parties to a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use are required to disclose if they made contributions over $5 00 within the prior 12 months to any City employee or officer. Parties and participants with a financial interest are prohibited from making more than $500 in contributions to a decisionmaker for the 12 months after the final decision is rendered on the proceeding.

The above contribution disclosures and restrictions do not apply when the proceeding is competitively bid, or involves a personnel or labor contract. For more information, see Government Code Section 84308.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2026 REVISED AGENDA Page 2
Preliminary Matters
Roll Call:

Action Calendar
The public may comment on each item listed on the agenda for action. For items moved to the Action Calendar from the Consent Calendar or Information Calendar, persons who spoke on the item during the Consent Calendar public comment period may speak again during the Action Calendar public comment period on the item
The Presiding Officer will request that persons wishing to speak line up at the podium, or use the "raise hand" function in Zoom, to determine the number of persons interested in speaking at that time. If ten or fewer persons are interested in speaking on an individual agenda item, each speaker may speak for two minutes. If there are more than ten persons interested in speaking, the Presiding Officer may limit the public comment for all speakers to one minute per speaker. Speakers are permitted to yield the ir time to one other speaker, however no one speaker shall have more than four minutes. The Presiding Officer may, with the consent of persons representing both sides of an issue, allocate a block of time to each side to present their issue.

Action items may be reordered at the discretion of the Chair with the consent of Council.

The Presiding Officer may open and close an additional comment period for Action items on this agenda (excluding any public hearings, appeals, and/or quasi-judicial matters), at the start of the Action Calendar.

Those who speak on an item during this comment period may not speak a second time when the item is taken up by Council.

1. Adoption of Fiscal Years 2027 and 2028 Biennial Budget and Fiscal Years 2027 – 2031 Capital Improvement Program
From: City Manager
Recommendation:

Adopt a Resolution:

1. Adopting the Fiscal Years 2027 & 2028 (“FY27 and FY28”) Biennial Budget and the Fiscal Years 2027 – 2031 Capital Improvement Program (Five-Year CIP) as contained in the City Manager’s FY27 & FY28 Proposed Biennial Budget, and as amended by subsequent Council action.

2. Authorizing the City Manager to provide applicable advances to community agencies receiving City funds in FY27, as reflected in Attachment 2 to the report, and as amended by subsequent Council action.

Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Maricar Dupaya, Budget Manager, (510) 981-7000

2. FY 2027 Annual Appropriations Ordinance
From: City Manager
Recommendation: Adopt first reading of an Ordinance adopting the FY 2027 Annual Appropriations Ordinance (AAO) in the amount of $916,819,369 (gross appropriations) and $791,496,351 (net appropriations).

Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Maricar Dupaya, Budget Manager, (510) 981-7000 Adjournment
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Tuesday, June 23, 2026 REVISED AGENDA Page 3
I hereby request that the City Clerk of the City of Berkeley cause personal notice to be given to each member of the Berkeley City Council on the time and place of said meeting, forthwith.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the official seal of the City of Berkeley to be affixed on this 22nd day of June, 2026.

/s/ Adena Ishii, Mayor
Public Notice – this Proclamation serves as the official agenda for this meeting.

ATTEST:

Mark Numainville, City Clerk

NOTICE CONCERNING YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS : If you object to a decision by the City Council to approve or deny a use permit or variance for a project the following requirements and restrictions apply:
1) No lawsuit challenging a City decision to deny (Code Civ. Proc. §1094.6(b)) or approve (Gov. Code 65009(c)(5)) a use permit or variance may be filed more than 90 days after the date the Notice of Decision of the action of the City Council is mailed. Any lawsuit not filed within that 90 -day period will be barred. 2) In any lawsuit that may be filed against a City Council decision to approve or deny a use permit or variance, the issues and evidence will be limited to those raised by you or someone else, orally or in writing, at a public hearing or prior to the close of the last public hearing on the project.

Archived indexed video streams are available at: berkeleyca.gov/council-agendas.

Channel 33 rebroadcasts the following Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. and Sunday at 9:00 a.m.

Communications to the City Council are public record and will become part of the City’s electronic records, which are accessible through the City’s website. Please note: e-mail addresses, names, addresses, and other contact information are not required, but if included in any communication to the City Council, will become part of the public record. If you do not want your e-mail address or any other contact information to be made public, you may deliver communications via U.S. Postal Service to the City Clerk Department at 2180 Milvia Street. If you do not want your contact information included in the public record, please do not include that information in your communication. Please contact the City Clerk Department for further information.

Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection at the public counter at the City Clerk Department located on the first floor of City Hall located at 2180 Milvia Street, and through the City's online records portal:
https://records.cityofberkeley.info/.

Agendas, agenda reports, and revised/supplemental material may be accessed via the online agenda for this meeting at: berkeleyca.gov/council-agendas
and may be accessed at reference desks at the following locations:

City Clerk Department - 2180 Milvia Street, First Floor Tel: 510-981-6900, TDD: 510-981-6903, Fax: 510-981-6901 Email: [email protected]

Libraries: Main – 2090 Kittredge Street,
Claremont Branch – 2940 Benvenue, West Branch – 1125 University, North Branch – 1170 The Alameda, Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch – 1901 Russell

COMMUNICATION ACCESS INFORMATION:

This meeting is being held in a wheelchair accessible location.

To request a disability-related accommodation(s) to participate in the meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact the Disability Services specialist at [email protected] or (510) 981-6418 (V) at least three business days before the meeting date.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2026 REVISED AGENDA Page 4
Attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various scents, whether natural or manufactured, in products and materials. Please help the City respect these needs.

Captioning services are provided at the meeting, on B -TV, and on the Internet. In addition, assisted listening devices for the hearing impaired are available from the City Clerk prior to the meeting, and are to be returned before the end of the meeting.

If you have obtained interpretation services for your use during a City Council meeting and would like to request assistance, please contact the City Clerk Department at (510) 981 -6900, [email protected], or in-person during the meeting.

Questions regarding public participation may be addressed to the City Clerk Department (510) 981 -6900 or by email at [email protected].

Communications
Council rules limit action on Communications to referral to the City Manager and/or Boards and Commissions for investigation and/or recommendations. All communications submitted to Council are public record. Copies of individual communications are available for viewing at the City Clerk Department and through Records Online.

Item #1: Fiscal Years 2027 & 2028 Biennial Budget Adoption and 5-Year CIP Adoption

1. Keith May on behalf of the Disaster and Fire Safety Commission Rev - 4
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 AGENDA Page 1

P R O C L AM AT I O N

C AL L I N G A S P E C I AL M E E T I N G O F T H E

B E R K E L E Y C I T Y C O U N C I L
In accordance with the authority in me vested, I do hereby call the Berkeley City Council in special session as follows:

Tuesday, June 23, 2026
6:00 PM
SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD ROOM - 1231 ADDISON STREET, BERKELEY, CA 94702

ADENA ISHII, MAYOR
Councilmembers:

Live captioned broadcasts of Council meetings are available on B -TV (Channel 33) and via internet video stream.

All Council meetings are recorded.

The City Council may take action related to any subject listed on the Agenda.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2026 AGENDA Page 2
Preliminary Matters
Roll Call:

Action items may be reordered at the discretion of the Chair with the consent of Council.

Those who speak on an item during this comment period may not speak a second time when the item is taken up by Council.

1. Adoption of Fiscal Years 2027 and 2028 Biennial Budget and Fiscal Years 2027 – 2031 Capital Improvement Program
From: City Manager
Recommendation:

Adopt a Resolution:

Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Maricar Dupaya, Budget Manager, (510) 981-7000

Financial Implications: See report
Contact: Maricar Dupaya, Budget Manager, (510) 981-7000 Adjournment

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Tuesday, June 23, 2026 AGENDA Page 3
I hereby request that the City Clerk of the City of Berkeley cause personal notice to be given to each member of the Berkeley City Council on the time and place of said meeting, forthwith.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the official seal of the City of Berkeley to be affixed on this 18th day of June, 2026.

/s/ Adena Ishii, Mayor
Public Notice – this Proclamation serves as the official agenda for this meeting.

ATTEST:

Mark Numainville, City Clerk

Archived indexed video streams are available at: berkeleyca.gov/council-agendas.

Channel 33 rebroadcasts the following Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. and Sunday at 9:00 a.m.

City Clerk Department - 2180 Milvia Street, First Floor Tel: 510-981-6900, TDD: 510-981-6903, Fax: 510-981-6901 Email: [email protected]

Libraries: Main – 2090 Kittredge Street,
Claremont Branch – 2940 Benvenue, West Branch – 1125 University, North Branch – 1170 The Alameda, Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch – 1901 Russell

COMMUNICATION ACCESS INFORMATION:

This meeting is being held in a wheelchair accessible location.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2026 AGENDA Page 4
Attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various scents, whether natural or manufactured, in products and materials. Please help the City respect these needs.

Questions regarding public participation may be addressed to the City Clerk Department (510) 981 -6900 or by email at [email protected].

Item #1: Fiscal Years 2027 & 2028 Biennial Budget Adoption and 5-Year CIP Adoption

1. Keith May on behalf of the Disaster and Fire Safety Commission

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Office of the City Manager
2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 ● Tel: (510) 981-7000 ● TDD: (510) 981-6903 ● Fax: (510) 981-7099 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.CityofBerkeley.info/Manager

ACTION CALENDAR
June 23, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Paul Buddenhagen, City Manager
Submitted by: Maricar Dupaya, Budget Manager
Subject: Adoption of Fiscal Years 2027 and 2028 Biennial Budget and Fiscal Years 2027 – 2031 Capital Improvement Program

RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a Resolution:

FISCAL IMPACTS OF RECOMMENDATION
The total proposed citywide expenditure for all funds in FY27 is $916.8 million (gross appropriations), decreasing to $871.8 million in FY28. In FY27, the General Fund (Fund 011) expenditures are estimated at $313.8 million and the balance of $603 million represents all other City funds. In FY28, the General Fund (Fund 011) expenditures are estimated at $319.5 million and the balance of $552.3 million represents all other City funds.

This fiscal information will be reflected in a separate Annual Appropriation Ordinance on the City Council's agenda on June 23, 2026.

Funding Source Revenue Expenditures Revenue Expenditures General Fund $314,898,507 $313,849,211 $320,288,556 $319,537,568 Other Funds $470,934,714 $602,970,158 $467,904,297 $552,308,164 Total All Funds $785,833,221 $916,819,369 $788,192,853 $871,845,732 Fiscal Year 2027 Fiscal Year 2028

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Adoption of the Biennial Budget and Five-Year CIP ACTION CALENDAR June 23, 2026

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CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS
The City of Berkeley continues to face a long‑standing structural deficit in the General Fund. The FY 2027–FY 2028 Proposed Biennial Budget reflects a shift away from heavy reliance on one‑time balancing measures toward long‑term, structural adjustments designed to restore the City’s fiscal stability.

Development of the biennial budget began in October 2025 with the release of the FY 27 and FY28 Budget Development Instructions. Departments reviewed personnel allocations and then the Budget Office developed the personnel cost model using live payroll data as of October 16, 2025. Personnel budgets incorporate projected equity and cost‑of‑living adjustments pursuant to current labor agreements and updated benefit rates, including health and dental cost increases, CalPERS contribution amounts, Retiree Medical and Workers’ Compensation rates, and other benefits and add‑pays.

For FY27 and FY28, the City focused on developing budgets with prior‑year expenditures, eliminating inefficiencies, and removing outdated budgeting and spending patterns. These principles guided the development of overtime, hourly, and non‑personnel budgets. Once the baseline budgets were established, the City moved into the budget‑balancing phase, recognizing that significant reductions would be required.

The City projects General Fund structural deficits of $29.25 million in FY27 (after the allocation of one-time resources) and $29.53 million in FY28. Departments with deficits in other funds were also required to submit balancing plans. To address the General Fund gap, the City conducted a citywide budget balancing exercise from January through March 2026. Departments and Charter Officers were instructed to:
 Identify 10% and 12.5% General Fund reduction proposals;  Address deficits in structurally imbalanced non‑General Fund operations; and  Submit revenue‑generating proposals.

The balancing plan resulted in:
 Proposed reductions in staffing and non-personnel expenditures to address the structural deficit in the General Fund as well as other funds, including the Off- Street Parking Fund, Building Maintenance Fund, Building Purchases and Management Fund (1947 Center Street), Marina Fund, Capital Improvement Fund, IT Cost Allocation Plan Fund, and multiple funds supporting Mental Health and Behavioral Health Services.

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Adoption of the Biennial Budget and Five-Year CIP ACTION CALENDAR June 23, 2026

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 Reallocating (cost shifts) personnel and non-personnel expenditures to other funds that are not in fiscal distress and for which the shifted expenditures are appropriate.
 General Fund support for the City’s legally obligated payments for debt service associated with the purchase of 1947 Center Street.
 Reducing the Parking Meter Fund transfer to the General Fund to stabilize parking operations and ensure that the City can satisfy bond obligations.  Refining non‑departmental budgets.
 Strategically using one‑time resources to smooth the deficit across the two fiscal years and support programs and services to be funded until the outcome of a proposed Sales and Use Tax measure for the November 2026 ballot is determined.

The Budget Balancing Plan1 was presented to the City’s Budget and Finance Policy Committee on April 16 and 23, 2026 and subsequently to the City Council on May 19, 2026 as part of the discussion on the FY27 and FY28 Proposed Biennial Budget.

The Proposed Biennial Budget includes the City’s balancing plan, projected revenues, proposed expenditures by fund, departmental expenditure plans, staffing levels, strategic plan updates, and performance measures. The Proposed Five‑Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) outlines the City’s infrastructure projects for the next five fiscal years and highlights significant unfunded capital needs.

The Proposed FY27 and FY28 Biennial Budget was presented to City Council on May 19, 2026, as agenda item #21.2
The Proposed Five-Year CIP was presented to City Council on June 16, 2026, as agenda item #40c, as well as a continued discussion of the Proposed FY27 and FY28 Budget (agenda item #40a). The Mayor’s Proposed Budget for FY27 and FY 28 was also submitted for Council consideration.3
The FY27 and FY28 Proposed Biennial Budget and the Proposed Five-Year CIP support the City’s strategic goals of providing an efficient and financially-healthy City government and providing state-of-the-art, well-maintained infrastructure, amenities, and facilities.
1 https://berkeleyca.gov/sites/default/files/legislative-body-meeting-agendas/2026-04- 16%20Agenda%20Packet%20-%20Budget.pdf
2 https://berkeleyca.gov/sites/default/files/city-council-meetings/2026-05-19%20Agenda%20Packet%20- %20Council%20-%20WEB.pdf
3 https://berkeleyca.gov/city-council-regular-meeting-eagenda-june-16-2026

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Adoption of the Biennial Budget and Five-Year CIP ACTION CALENDAR June 23, 2026

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ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE IMPACTS
Actions included in the Proposed Biennial Budget and Five-Year CIP will be developed and implemented in alignment with the City’s environmental sustainability goals and requirements.

ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS CONSIDERED
No alternative actions have been considered.

CONTACT PERSON
Maricar Dupaya, Budget Manager, City Manager’s Office, 981-7000 Attachments:
1: Resolution: Adoption of Fiscal Years 2027 and 2028 Biennial Budget and Fiscal Years 2027 – 2031 Capital Improvement Program
Exhibit A: Proposed FY 2027 and FY 2028 Biennial Budget documents Exhibit B: Proposed FY 2027 – FY 2031 Capital Improvement Program Overview Exhibit C: Schedule of Changes to Proposed FY 2027 – FY 2028 Biennial Budget Exhibit D: Mayor's Budget Recommendation
2: Community Agency List

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2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 ● Tel: (510) 981-7000 ● TDD: (510) 981-6903 ● Fax: (510) 981-7099 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.CityofBerkeley.info/Manager

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RESOLUTION NO.

ADOPTING THE CITY OF BERKELEY BIENNIAL BUDGET FOR
FISCAL YEARS 2027 and 2028 AND ADOPTING THE CITY OF BERKELEY FISCAL YEAR 2027 – FISCAL YEAR 2031 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WHEREAS, on May 19, 2026, the City Manager presented to the City Council the Fiscal Years 2027 and 2028 (“FY 2027 and FY 2028”) Proposed Biennial Budget; and WHEREAS, on June 16, 2026, the City Manager presented to the City Council the Fiscal Year 2027 – Fiscal Year 2031 (Five-Year CIP) Capital Improvement Program; and WHEREAS, the City Council held a series of meetings to consider the Proposed Biennial Budget and Five-Year CIP on May 19, 2026, June 16, 2026 and June 23, 2026; and WHEREAS, on June 16, 2026, the Mayor submitted recommended adjustments to the FY 2027 and FY 2028 Proposed Biennial Budget; and
WHEREAS, members of the City Council presented recommended revisions to the Proposed Biennial Budget at the Council meeting on June 23, 2026; WHEREAS, funding for community agency contracts, including the 2025-2028 grantees, is contingent on the availability of funds and the adoption of each budget cycle; and WHEREAS, in addition to formal budget adoption, City Council action is required to authorize advances for select community agencies receiving funds in FY 2027 in an amount up to 25% of the agency’s allocation; and
WHEREAS, on September 22, 2021, the City of Berkeley was awarded HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program (HOME-ARP) funding in the amount of $2,735,696, and the City submitted an allocation plan describing how the funds would be distributed in accordance with the regulations, specifically to serve four required qualifying populations; and
WHEREAS, the City received additional direction from the federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on serving HOME-ARP qualifying populations.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Berkeley adopts the FY 2027 and FY 2028 Budget contained in the City Manager’s Proposed FY 2027 and FY 2028 Budget and as amended by subsequent Council action on June 23, 2026.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Berkely adopts the Fiscal Year 2027 – Fiscal Year 2031 Capital Improvement Program.

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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the appropriations constituting the FY 2027 Adopted Budget will be reflected in a separate FY 2027 Annual Appropriation Ordinance, as required by the City Charter.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Manager is authorized to execute contracts and /or amendments, as necessary, to provide advances to community agencies receiving City funds in FY 2027.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager or his designee is authorized to approve advance payments to agencies awarded contracts through the Youth Equity Partnership and Housing and Community Services, pending timely, complete, and accurate agency submission of required documentation and reports. City review and approval of fiscal and program reports is required before each payment will be released.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Manager or designee is authorized to maintain the discretion of requiring more frequent invoices and reports from new grantees or in contracts deemed to require closer scrutiny, and also maintains the discretion to terminate contracts based on factors outlined in the contract boilerplate, including but not limited to, the contractor's failure to fulfill obligations.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Manager is authorized to refuse to execute or amend a contract with any agency that has not provided required contract exhibits and documentation within 60 days of award of funding.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Manager is authorized to execute other resultant agreements and amendments with other agencies relating to receipt and expenditure under CDBG, HOME, ESG, or CSBG Program in accordance with the proposals for community agency funding approved through the budget process. A record copy of said contracts and any amendments are on file with the Office of the City Clerk.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Manager is authorized to redistribute HOME- ARP funds from one eligible program to another within the community agency portfolio in order to better meet the qualifying populations under the HOME-ARP regulations. All the services funded through the RFP are accessible to the qualifying populations under the HOME-ARP regulation and funds may be redistributed as needed throughout the grant period;.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Manager is authorized to reallocate any and all HOME-ARP earlier awarded but unspent funds from Prior Year 2025/Fiscal Year 2026 into Prior Year 2026/Fiscal Year 2027 and re-distribute the funds for community agencies providing eligible supportive services in Berkeley serving all qualifying populations under the HOME-ARP regulations.

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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Manager is authorized to use the following invoicing/reporting system in contract administration for Housing and Community Services (HCS) and Youth Equity Partnership (YEP), but maintains the discretion to amend these requirements depending on risk factors associated with past performance, the amount and type of funding an agency receives, and/or whether or not an agency is a new grantee:

Fiscal Reports
 All agencies, regardless of funding level, are required to submit quarterly statements of expense and quarterly requests for advance payment. The final statement of expense for each fiscal year must be accompanied by a copy of the agency’s General Ledger and a Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for each program.
• October 15, for the 3-month period ending September 30 • January 15, for the 3-month period ending December 31 • April 15, for the 3-month period ending March 31
• July 31, for the 3-month period ending June 30. The final statement of expense for each fiscal year must be accompanied by a copy of the agency’s General Ledger and a Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for each program.

Program Reports
• Agencies funded with non-federal funding: End-of-year narrative summary of accomplishments for the following types of programs, due by July 15: 1) Drop- In Services only with no intensive case management attached, 2) Meal Programs, and 3) Recreation Services.
• All other agencies with non-federal funding: Two program reports, due by January 15 and July 15.
• Agencies with federal funding (any amount): Four program reports, due by October 15, January 15, April 15, and July 15.

Attachment:

1. Resolution: Adopting the City of Berkeley Biennial Budget for Fiscal Years 2027 and 2028 and adopting the City of Berkeley Fiscal Year 2027 – Fiscal Year 2031 Capital Improvement Program
Exhibit A: Proposed FY 2027 and FY 2028 Biennial Budget documents Exhibit B: Proposed FY 2027 – FY 2031 Capital Improvement Program Overview Exhibit C: Schedule of Changes to Proposed FY 2027 – FY 2028 Biennial Budget Exhibit D: Mayor's Budget Recommendation

2. Community Agency List

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Department
Narratives,
Performance
Measures,
and Strategic
Plans

Exhibit A

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2 City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Attorney’s Office 3 City Attorney’s Office
Mission Statement
The mission of the City Attorney’s Office is to provide the City with the highest caliber legal services and advice and to protect and advance the interests of this dynamic City by all legal and ethical means.

Organizational Chart
Legal Oﬃce Supervisor(1)
(Underﬁlled with Assistant
Management Analyst
City Attorney (1)
Deputy City
Attorney IV (8)
Deputy City
Attorney I (2)
Assistant City
Attorney (1)
Risk
Manager (1)
Assistant to the
City Attorney (1)
Senior Legal Secretary (1) Paralegal (2)
City Attorney’s Office Overview
The City Attorney’s Office provides legal advice and support to the entire City, including the City Council, City Manager, all City Departments, as well as appointed City Boards and Commissions.

In addition, the
City Attorney’s Office:
‣ Supports the City in its legislative and policy efforts; ‣ Responds to claims and represents the City in a wide array of litigation; ‣ Brings litigation on behalf of the City to protect the City’s interest; ‣ Drafts and/or reviews contracts, leases, ordinances, and resolutions; ‣ Provides advice and legal analysis regarding ballot measures; ‣ Provides legal support to the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic; ‣ Provides legal support to City affordable housing programs; ‣ Supports City staff in enforcement of the City’s laws and regulations; ‣ Supports the City in land use and development efforts and modernizing its planning and zoning framework;
Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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4 City Attorney’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 ‣ Supports infrastructure projects and economic development efforts; ‣ Responds to Public Records Act (PRA) requests on behalf of the City Council, as well as coordinating responses to PRA requests that involve multiple departments; ‣ Staffs the Fair Campaign Practices Commission and the Open Government Commission; ‣ Provides support to the City’s Independent Redistricting Commission; ‣ Provides support to the Police Accountability Board and the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force;
‣ Acts as the Risk Manager for the City; and
‣ Provides training to City staff, City Council, and City Boards and Commissions on a range of legal issues, including the Brown Act, the Public Records Act, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and conflicts of inter
est.

Challenges
The City Attorney’s Office’s challenges/opportunities include:
‣ Rapid Changes in State Land Use Laws
In recent years, California’s housing crisis has been the primary focus of land use legislation,
with over 100 substantial housing-related land use bills enacted since 2016.  The 2023 legislative session continued this trend, with Governor Gavin Newsom signing a package of 56 housing-related bills on October 11, 2023, most of which addr
ess land use issues. This trend has increased the City Council’s and the Mayor’s reliance on advice from the CAO. With the housing crisis expected to continue unabated for the foreseeable future, we anticipate an ongoing need for extensive legal advice on the City
’s compliance with these and other new laws that encourage the production of housing.
‣ Increased Need to Support New Policy Initiatives
The Council created a set of Policy Committee to help navigate new policy initiatives. The City Attorney staffs these meetings routinely and plays a central role in providing legal advice throughout
the legislative process. The number and complexity of new ordinances and other policy initiatives by the City Council, or by City boards or commissions, require significant City Attorney staff time to assist with drafting legislation and navigating legal issues. The propensity of the City Council to pursue groundbreaking, innovative legislation requires significant research and analysis prior to the adoption of the legislation, and the City Attorney’s Office is also responsible for defending legal challenges to the legislation.
‣ Increasing Number of Complex Litigation Matters
An evolving legal landscape and the need to support City Council and staff priorities has resulted
in an increasing number of complex litigation cases being handled by the City Attorney’s Office. The City is also pursuing a number of initiatives proactively including affirmative lawsuits to protect the City’s interests. The prosecution and defense of these lawsuits requires additional resources and time for the legal staff. In addition, City Attorney staff has been heavily involved in navigating the legal issues surrounding the new UC Berkeley Long Range Development Plan.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Attorney’s Office 5 ‣ Substantially Increased Volume of Public Records Act Requests The number and scope of Public Records Act requests fielded by the City Attorney’s Office has gener
ally increased over the past ten years with a substantial uptick originating in 2021 and 2022. Responding to these requests increasingly calls for the review and production of voluminous electronic records (e.g., emails and texts) – a new body of work that our office is supporting that did not exist previously attributable to the advent of new Police Record Disclosure Laws.
‣ Significant Upcoming Development Projects
The City is either considering or actively pursuing a number of development projects, including: T
ransit Oriented Development at the North Berkeley and Ashby BART stations; a Marina- Specific Plan and Pier/Ferry Project; housing development at the West Berkeley Service Center property; Berkeley Forge / Gilman Gateway development; and renovation and redesign of the Civic Center area. These projects require support from the CAO in negotiating term sheets with developers and public agencies, complying with CEQA and NEPA, and reviewing a variety of transactional documents.

Accomplishments
Highlights of recent City Attorney’s Office accomplishments include:

Defensive Litigation
‣ Homeless Encampment-Related Litigation
A sharp rise in litigation over abatement of Berkeley’s homeless encampments has requir
ed an unprecedented investment of City Attorney resources over the past year.

These lawsuits have proliferated as advocates for the unhoused pursue new legal theories in the aftermath of a major Supreme Court loss. The cases frequently involve emergency requests for relief that present novel legal issues, which demand intensive fact gathering, legal research, and brief drafting on compressed timelines controlled by plaintiffs and the courts. Effectively defending the City in this posture requires substantial coordination across multiple departments to gather accurate information, determine strategy, and ensure compliance with evolving court directives.

The City has faced lawsuits from both nearby business owners and encampment residents, compounding this work and creating conflicting pressures and demands.

Despite these challenges, we have vigorously defended the City’s interests in more than seven separate lawsuits, including a proposed class action. CAO has opposed more than a dozen substantive motions in these matters, requiring extensive briefing and declarations, and appeared in court at least two dozen times. CAO has been active in taking plaintiff depositions and exchanging written discovery in these matters. The office recently appealed two adverse rulings that we believe are inconsistent with governing law and is preparing for trial in the lawsuit filed by nearby business owners, set for summer 2026.Related to this litigation, although not exclusively, the City has seen a massive uptick in encampment residents filing disability accommodation requests related to planned abatement actions. These requests have consumed considerable CAO resources that are required to ensure that such requests are handled in a legally compliant manner and consistent with applicable court directives.CAO anticipates that this challenging litigation environment will continue to consume disproportionate Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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6 City Attorney’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 resources through the next two fiscal years, given the pending appeals, proposed class action, and case set for trial this summer.
‣ RealPage First Amendment Lawsuit
The City is currently defending more than 36 active public liability and/or civil rights cases, ranging from slip-and-fall cases to allegations of excessive police use of force.

The City defends these cases aggressively, including engaging in extensive discovery, and seeks
to resolve cases on the pleadings or at the summary judgment stage, where possible. Although the City maintains insurance coverage for many of these matters, the City pays up to the first $500,000 in litigation and settlement costs for each case from its Public Liability Fund.
‣ Tort, Civil Rights & Other Public Liability Litigation The City is currently defending more than 36 active public liability and/or civil rights cases, ranging from slip-and-fall cases to allegations of excessive police use of force.

‣ Employment Litigation and Labor Arbitrations/Charges
CAO is currently defending seven active employment suits, six of which have been brought b
y current and former employees of a single division against the City and a former supervisor. At least five of these cases are set to go to trial between summer 2026 and summer 2027. Each case involves depositions, document discovery, and motion practice to attempt to dispose of some or all claims before trial. While we have been partially successful in dismissing some claims from certain suits, it is likely that at least some claims will survive summary judgment and go to trial, absent mutually agreeable settlements. If any of these cases proceeds to trial, it will require a large commitment of CAO resources. Although not litigation strictly speaking, CAO has also seen a rise in employee discipline and union grievance disputes being advanced to arbitration in the past year. CAO is currently anticipating at least four arbitrations in the next six to nine months. All of these arbitrations, which are essentially informal trials without a jury, require significant attorney preparation and hearing time. In addition, the City has defended against several unfair labor practice charges that City unions have filed with the Public Employee Relations Board related to alleged management policy changes.

Affirmative Litigation
‣ Proactively Challenging Trump Administration Attacks
The City Attorney’s Office has proactively challenged the Trump administration’s threats to withhold federal funding based on the City’s sanctuary status and other progressive values.

Due to the CAO’s diligence, the City is now a plaintiff in three separate lawsuits that have secured court orders safeguarding at least $60 million in federal funding that the City relies on to provide key services like supportive housing, emergency response, and transportation improvements. CAO has also monitored and advised on numerous Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Attorney’s Office 7 time-sensitive federal grants questions and key federal policy changes that impact the City’s federally funded programs. The office has also tracked litigation brought by other groups t
o ensure that it adequately protects the City’s interests, such that the City does not need to mount its own challenge, saving critical resources.

CAO has also coordinated with local jurisdictions and the state Department of Justice to prepare for litigation challenging potential National Guard and/or mass immigration agent deployments; vetted and joined many amicus briefs with other jurisdictions supporting sanctuary jurisdictions like Rochester who have been targeted by the Trump administration for lawful sanctuary activities; and responded to a threatening letter from the federal Attorney General in response to City’s placement on short list of sanctuary jurisdictions. CAO is prepared to bring affirmative challenges to emerging federal issues that impact the City, as well as to defend the City if the administration were to sue the City for its sanctuary, DEI, or other lawful activities. ‣ Monsanto Settlement
CAO helped secure a $2,192,556 settlement award from the City’s participation in affirmative litigation against Monsanto related to PCB contamination in local waterways.

The majority of these
settlement funds were transferred to an unrestricted General Fund account and allocated towards general Council fiscal policies. None of this money went to provide legal services despite a portion of these funds being earmarked . ‣ Opioid Manufacturers/Distributors Settlement
The City Attorney’s Office has facilitated the City’s participation in a number of nationwide settlement agreements with companies that have contributed to the opioid crisis.

Our office has ensured that
the Council was timely informed about, and authorized
participation in, these settlement agreements, which earmarked funds for the City of Berkeley. These settlement proceeds have allowed HHCS to receive over $1.5M to fund intervention, treatment, education, and recovery services to address the impacts of the opioid crisis within the City.

Drafting and Legal Review of the following noteworthy ordinances:
‣ Sanctuary City Ordinance and Related Policies
The City Attorney’s Office has played a lead role in advancing the City’s status as a sanctuary jurisdiction at the forefront of modern immigration policy. Our office drafted a legally
compliant, effective, and widely-supported Sanctuary City Ordinance in collaboration with various community stakeholders, advised on concomitant updates to the Sanctuary Contracting Ordinance, developed and presented a City-wide training on Sanctuary City Ordinance compliance, drafted a policy limiting the unauthorized use of city property for non-city purposes, which would include commandeering a city lot for immigration enforcement staging, and advised the Council on various other immigration enforcement-related issues. Our office continues to closely collaborate with local and state jurisdictions nationwide to ensure that Berkeley stays on the cutting edge of the modern sanctuary movement.
‣ EMBER Ordinance
The City Attorney’s Office played a key role in protecting the City from a CEQA challenge to the EMBER ordinance, a critical disaster preparedness law that created new defensible
space requirements in the Berkeley Hills areas most susceptible to wildfires.

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8 City Attorney’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 The ordinance faced significant public resistance due to its mandate to remove and/ or replace landscaping within 30 feet of homes, a measure intended to avoid a repeat of the devastating 2025 wildfires in Southern California. Our office analyzed relevant CEQA exemptions, helped the Fire Department strengthen its record in order to rely on multiple ex
emptions, advised on ordinance and staff report language, and drafted the Notice of Exemption, which shortened the statute of limitations for an opponent to bring a CEQA challenge. As a result, the statute of limitations passed without a challenge, an impressive result given that CEQA is one of the primary strategies opponents use to halt or delay controversial City actions.
‣ Middle Housing zoning changes and other entry-level homeownership support initiatives
The City Attorney’s Office also helped develop legally defensible Middle Housing zoning changes to upzone historically redlined neighborhoods and allow for multi-unit housing de
velopment throughout the City. These amendments and the process through which they were adopted were not challenged in court, despite the substantial public controversy they engendered, a testament to CAO’s careful crafting. Our office also closely collaborated with the Planning Department to navigate complex legal issues presented by a number of other initiatives aimed at reducing costs for entry-level homeownership, such as ordinance amendments that allow ADUs to be sold as condominiums and ordinance amendments and a template for a new restricted covenant that together will allow for streamlined small-lot subdivisions pursuant to SB 684.

Surveillance Technology, Public Safety, and Police Accountability ‣ Police Accountability Board Support
In the past several years, CAO has provided ongoing support to the Police Accountability Board, including by resolving novel and cutting-edge legal issues pertaining to police ov
ersight and the PAB’s role under the Charter. With CAO’s legal guidance, and the help of labor negotiators retained by CAO, the City has also now almost completed negotiations for the PAB’s permanent regulations, which have helped the City to avoid administrative proceedings before the state Public Employment Relations Board.

CAO has also worked with the Police Department and with the PAB on the acquisition of new surveillance technology to ensure open public reporting on the use of such technology and to protect the City’s data from improper access by federal immigration authorities.
‣ Gun Violence Restraining Orders
The City Attorney’s Office supports the Police Department by representing it in civil court seeking gun violence restraining orders (GVROs) stemming from acts of violence and threats
of violence perpetrated in the community. State law permits a civil court to grant a GVRO for up to five years prohibiting a person from possessing firearms based upon clear and convincing evidence that the person poses a significant danger of causing harm to themselves or others through continued possession of firearms.

Oftentimes, these civil restraining orders are sought where criminal prosecution is unlikely or where the Department has identified a need to bar someone from obtaining firearms regardless of a pending criminal case.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Attorney’s Office 9 During the last budget cycle, the City Attorney’s Office has successfully argued for and obtained restraining orders in seven cases. Two successful cases of particular note are a GVRO awar
ded after a resident threatened to shoot anyone who came onto his property after a 9-year-old boy entered his yard to retrieve a ball, and a GVRO awarded after a business owner repeatedly fired a pistol at random from a commercial rooftop.

Brown Act and Ethics Compliance Issues
‣ Remote Meeting Accommodations Policy
In response to a lawsuit from a member of the Commission on Disability, CAO was instrumental in crafting the City’s new accommodations policy, which allows all members of City boar
ds and commissions to attend meetings remotely as an accommodation upon self-attesting to a disability-related need to do so. The California Attorney General later affirmed that the creation of a policy like Berkeley’s is fully compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and the state Brown Act, which ensures open and public access to government meetings.
‣ Brown Act Training
On May 5, 2025, staff and attorneys from the City Attorney’s Office provided training to the City Council on compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act, which governs meetings of all City
legislative bodies. The City Attorney’s Office regularly provides guidance on Brown Act compliance to City staff and officials.
‣ Navigating Disruptions to City Operations in light of Gaza Protests The City Attorney’s Office also represented the City in Brown Act litigation arising from the City Council’s handling of persistent disruptions at numerous meetings in late 2023 and early 2024. Although the City prevailed before the Superior Court, plaintiffs appealed and ultimately obtained a ruling that the practices the Council employed to continue City business during the disruptions did not comply with the Brown Act. CAO subsequently r
epresented the City in settlement negotiations and advised on future practices to ensure compliance with the appellate decision. ‣ Ethics/Conflict of Interest Work
The City Attorney’s Office regularly provides guidance to City staff and officials on a variety of issues related to conflicts of interest and other government ethics topics. This work includes
advising Councilmembers and commissioners on possible conflicts that may exist with regard to specific items of business that come before their respective legislative bodies. This work involves navigating complex state and local rules regarding conflicts, often in the context of high-profile legislative proposals.

Our office also regularly advises councilmember offices and the City Auditor on reimbursement of travel expenses and the permissible uses of council office budget funds.

Public Records Act Modernization and Accountability
The CAO manages a high volume of PRA requests. This volume has more than tripled since 2019. In FY25, the CAO managed 701 PRAs, 337 of which were directed to the CAO, 87 to the City Manager’s Office, 235 that were multidepartment requests Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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10 City Attorney’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 and 42 that were directed to the Mayor and Council. Even where PRAs are directed to other departments, CAO provides significant legal advice and assistance. In FY26, thus far, CAO has managed 477 PRAs, 231 of which were directed to the CAO, 81 to the City Manager’s Office, 129 that were multidepartment requests, and 36 that were directed to the Mayor and Council. CAO has observed trends across these requests, including use of AI tools by requestors, which has made some requests more complex and difficult to respond
to.

CalPERS and Other Human Resources Support
‣ CalPERS Audits
Our office has helped navigate complex legal issues in response to CalPERS audits which scrutinized how the City reported certain special compensation types for Police and Fire employ
ees. We facilitated conversations with CalPERS to understand the legal basis for their concerns, negotiated with union attorneys, and drafted MOU amendments to ensure that the MOU’s method of compounding special compensation described the parties’ agreement adequately and accurately. We also provided template response letters that City staff and individual retirees could send CalPERS to preserve appeal rights and avoid immediate penalties. Our office’s involvement protected numerous retirees from having their pensions reduced and avoided significant penalties for the City. ‣ FLSA Compliance Work
CAO has spearheaded an ongoing project with Payroll, Human Resources, and the City Manager’s Office, to ensure that the City is fully compliant with FLSA’s complex regular rate
and overtime rules for all bargaining units.
2024 and 2026 Election Support
‣ Youth Voting (Measure Y1 Implementation)
Among other measures, the City Attorney’s Office supported the implementation of youth voting for 16- and 17-year-olds for the first time in BUSD School Board elections in 202

4. In doing so, our office worked in close coordination with the City Clerk and in coordination with counsel for Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD), as well as representatives from the Alameda County Registrar of Voters and other stakeholders. .

This work included drafting a new chapter of the Municipal Code (BMC Ch. 2.15) to implement Charter amendments adopted by voters in 2016 permitting youth voting, negotiating with stakeholders regarding youth voting processes, and assessing legal risk and recent case law.

Office and Insurance/Risk Modernization
‣ Insurance Risk Pool/Risk Manager Position
Our office handles management of all claims against the City through the Bay Cities Joint Powers Insurance Authority (BJCPIA), among other insurance coverage and risk management functions. In the FY25/26
Budget Cycle, the City Council approved funding
for a Risk Manager position to bring critical expertise to the management of claims and insurance issues, as well as increase capacity of the attorneys within CAO that currently cover the work.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Attorney’s Office 11 ‣ Office Modernization Efforts including IT Infrastructure CAO has invested in two technology tools—an e-discovery platform and a document management program—that are necessary to handle in-house litigation document discov
ery and process high-volume PRA productions.Logikcull is a cloud-based legal technology platform focused on e-discovery. It is used by legal teams to streamline the process of collecting, processing, reviewing, and producing electronically stored information for litigation, investigations, PRAs and compliance matters. In modern litigation, this kind of e-discovery tool is critical to meet our obligations under court rules and procedures. With a sharp increase in PRAs filed over the past few years, this tool also allows legal and support staff to effectively and efficiently manage large volume responses to PRAs. Filevine is a comprehensive, cloud-based legal case management and practice management platform designed to help manage documents, client communication, and deadlines. The CAO is currently customizing the platform to fit the workflow processes of the office as well as organizing historical documents for migration
to the platform. The platform will empower CAO staff to effectively manage cases and projects and work collaboratively with internal staff and external partners.

The platform, once implemented, will enhance the CAO’s intake process, organization and management of cases and provide better navigation and searchability of historical records, allowing CAO to continue providing timely and accurate advice.

Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
‣ Staffing:
‣ Elimination of one Senior Legal Secretary position ($142,630). ‣ Proposed elimination of one Paralegal position ($201,650). ‣ Creation and recruitment of Risk Manager ($225,846).
‣ Operations:
‣ Proposed elimination of all budgets for training and conferences ($50,258). ‣ Implementation of Logikcull for processing growing volumes of PRAs. ($70,932) ‣ Implementation of Filevine for CAO Document and Case management ($34,176).

In the FY 2027 & FY 2028 Biennial Budget, the City Attorney’s Office is asking for:
‣ $1.3 Million per year in non-personnel budget to fund outside legal and professional services to assist the CAO with current high volumes of complex, specialized litigation. In years past, the CAO has funded these needs with salary savings and roll up cost savings from
the budget. Heading into FY27, the CAO is projecting that similar savings to fund these services will not be available at the same level.

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12 City Auditor’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Auditor’s Office
Mission Statement
The mission of the City Auditor’s Office is to promote transparency and accountability in Berkeley government. Integrity, independence, impact, and equity are core tenets of our operations.

Those
values ensure the Office provides a fair, balanced, and objective opinion on the status of the City operations being audited with the interest of the Berkeley community in mind.

Organizational Chart
City Auditor
People of
Berkeley
■ Performance Audit
■ Whistleblower Program
■ Payroll Audit
City Auditor’s Office Overview
The City Auditor is an elected official who serves the residents of Berkeley. The City Charter and Berkeley Municipal Code give the City Auditor’s Office the authority and responsibility for conducting per
formance, financial, and compliance audits, administering a whistleblower program, and monitoring citywide payroll operations to ensure payroll transactions are processed accurately and timely. The City Auditor’s Office plays a vital role in ensuring taxpayer money is spent responsibly and equitably. The Office also examines payroll for compliance with employee compensation policies, laws, and regulations.

The City of Berkeley Auditor’s Office is divided into three divisions: Performance Audit, Whistleblower Program, and Payroll Audit:
‣ Performance Audit Division: The Performance Audit Division evaluates city services and operations using rigorous government auditing standards.

Per
formance Audit issues independent evidence-based audits and special reports with recommendations for city leadership to improve services and operations.

Performance Audit also monitors and reports on the City’s progress implementing recommendations through a public dashboard.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Auditor’s Office 13 ‣ Whistleblower Program Division: The Whistleblower Program Division reviews and investigates allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse of city resources. The program makes
recommendations to City Council and the City Manager on how to improve internal controls.
‣ Payroll Audit Division: The Payroll Audit Division coordinates and monitors certain portions of the citywide payroll operations, including assisting management with compliance on feder
al, state, and local tax and labor laws. While decisions about pay policies are not within the purview of this office, consistent review of various parts of the city payroll system helps prevent fraud and address incorrect payments.

Challenges
The City Auditor’s Office challenges include:
‣ Budget Reductions: To contribute to the City’s efforts to address the structural budget deficit, the Auditor’s Office reduced its baseline budget as much as possible while fulfilling its
Charter mandates. The Auditor’s Office reduced the budget for staff training significantly which will limit staff’s ability to meet government audit requirements for professional development. The Auditor’s Office also reduced the non-personnel budget for the Payroll Audit Division by reducing payroll expenditures with the Employee Access portal implementation. Due to budget reductions, the Auditor’s Office had to pause expanding the Whistleblower Program to the public. This limits the ability to broaden outreach and handle more reports. Expanding publicly will require additional resources in the future.
‣ Citywide Retention: As in previous years, the City’s challenges with short staffing have made it difficult for departments to provide information and implement audit recommendations.

This has limited the Auditor’s ability to conduct and follow up on audits to ensure the City is aware of and addressing the risks identified in audit reports.

Staff turnover in other city departments has also impacted the workload in Payroll Audit.

Departments rely on Payroll Audit staff to assist their new hires in their payroll tasks and in fulfilling their payroll responsibilities. Additionally, when information is not entered correctly, adjusting the information on the back end requires even more time, resulting in increased workload for Payroll Audit staff.
‣ ExecuTime Implementation: Payroll Audit is a central contributor working with Human Resources, the IT Department, and the City Manager’s Office to implement ExecuTime, the Cit
y’s new electronic time and attendance system, as part of the ERMA payroll upgrade. ExecuTime will replace the manual timekeeping process with a digital system that accurately records employee hours, improves efficiency, and reduces the risk of errors or improper payments. The system will provide supervisors with real-time access to employee hours, supporting improved employee benefits administration. This additional project will increase workload for Payroll Audit staff. ‣ Payroll Workload and System Requirements: An independent audit of the Payroll Audit Division found that implementing the City’s new financial system ERMA in 2021 led to a significa
nt increase in errors in departments’ payroll submissions, which greatly increased Payroll Audit’s workload to correct the errors. As a result, Payroll Audit had less resources to update the City’s payroll manual to reflect the new financial system while Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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14 City Auditor’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 also ensuring accurate biweekly payroll. However, the auditors did not find any material errors that weren’t previously identified and corrected by the Payroll Audit Division.

Accomplishments
Highlights of the City Auditor’s Office accomplishments include:
‣ Performance Audit Division: In 2024 and 2025, the Performance Audit Division issued audits of the City’s restaurant inspections program and Homeless Response Team, and a follow-up r
eport on citywide lease management. In the first part of 2026, the Division also issued audits of the City’s non-competitive contracts and financial condition, as well as a guide on measuring the City’s performance. Together, the recommendations and information in these reports help the City improve programs and operations and promote accountability and efficiency.

To ensure that audits have meaningful impact, Performance Audit followed up with departments on audit recommendations and reported on their status in annual reports and a public online dashboard. One highlight is that Human Resources implemented a recommendation to fill vacancies in key recruiting positions. This significantly increased the City’s capacity to conduct recruitments, resulting in new hires outpacing separations. Another highlight is that the Environmental Health Division fully caught up on all inspections of high- and very high-risk facilities that were not inspected in 2023 and developed new policies to improve coverage of inspections moving forward.

In 2024 and 2025, departments implemented a total of 36 recommendations identified in audit reports.

In 2025, the Performance Audit Division won a national award from the Association of Local Gov
ernment Auditors (ALGA) for its audit on Berkeley’s restaurant inspections. This marks the fourth time the Auditor’s Office has won a national award since 2020. ‣ Whistleblower Program Division: The Whistleblower Program Division strengthened the foundation of the Whistleblower Program this year, enhancing intake and investigation procedur
es and working closely with departments to address fraud, waste, and abuse.

The Auditor’s independence ensures the integrity of the Whistleblower Program, which operates as an important and trustworthy channel for employees to report ethical concerns. As part of its progress, the Whistleblower Program also published its first public report in 2026, increasing the visibility of the program’s impact. ‣ Payroll Audit Division: Payroll Audit played a key role in advancing the City’s Employee Access self-service system. In partnership with Human Resources, the Information Technology Depar
tment, and the City Manager’s Office, Payroll Audit contributed to system configurations and internal controls to ensure payroll processes are properly supported. Through this effort, Payroll Audit helped employees to securely access their payroll information.

Payroll Audit continued to strengthen internal controls to ensure accuracy, accountability, and compliance with regulations and labor agreements, all aimed at maintaining integrity of the payroll system. Payroll Audit also regularly evaluated payroll procedures, system configurations, and earning code usage to ensure they aligned with current labor agreements and operational practices. The Division also initiated a comprehensive review of the City’s overtime compensation practices with external legal counsel specializing in Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) compliance. This proactive evaluation strengthens Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Auditor’s Office 15 payroll compliance, reinforces internal controls, and helps mitigate financial and legal risks.

Additionally, the
Auditor’s Office contracted with an independent third-party auditor to audit Payroll Audit and strengthen internal controls. Overall, the audit found that Payroll Audit’s procedures ensured city employees received accurate pay and benefits in the sample data they tested. They also found that Payroll Audit correctly applied various payroll, labor, and statutory rules, ensuring high-risk components of each payroll are handled accurately despite system constraints.

Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
The Auditor’s Office is proposing decreasing its FY 27 Budget by $288,560, or 7.3% over the FY 27 Baseline Budget of $3,929,199 in accordance with citywide budget reductions.

The Office
is also proposing decreasing the FY 28 Budget by $367,458, or 9% over the FY 28 Baseline Budget of $4,061,371. These reductions include decreased non-personnel costs in staff training and Payroll Audit expenditures. The Office also decreased the personnel budget by alternating fund sources for personnel and accounting for underfilled
positions and staff members on leave. These reductions represent an effort to balance the need for budget reductions while fulfilling the Auditor’s Charter-mandated duties. The Auditor’s Office has no vacancies and therefore cannot hold positions vacant as a budget reduction strategy. However, the Auditor’s Office is prepared to give back salary savings to provide funding for essential city services.

While the Auditor’s Office will continue to meet Charter-mandated responsibilities, budget reductions will impact audit work. The Whistleblower Program has paused expanding the reporting hotline to accept reports from the public due to limited resources and staff capacity. Additionally, increased workload in the Payroll Audit Division from correcting department payroll errors will affect the implementation timeline for ExecuTime and updates to the City’s payroll manual. Budget reductions may also limit the number of audits and recommendations Performance Audit can produce.

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16 City Auditor’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Performance Measures Summary
The below table summarizes the City Auditor’s Office performance measures.

Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Performance Reports issued(1) Count of total reports (i.e., audit, informational, report on follow-ups)
n/a(2) 11 reports n/a
Performance Recommendations
issued
Count of all issued
recommendations; count of
recommendations by type
n/a 23 recommendations:
• 12 Efficiency and Effectiveness
• 9 Transparency and Accountability
• 1 Internal Controls
• 1 Training
n/a
Performance Recommendations
implemented
(2)
Count of all recommendations
implemented by management
n/a 36 recommendations:
• 17 Efficiency and Effectiveness
• 10 Transparency and Accountability
• 5 Regulatory Compliance
• 2 Internal Controls
• 1 Training
• 1 Equity (may overlap with other
recommendation types)
n/a
Payroll Accurate, correct
paychecks
Number of accurate and correct
paychecks divided by total number
of paychecks
99% 99.9% accuracy (18 incorrect
paychecks in two years)
●
●
Payroll Corrections made to
personnel actions
(PAs)
Number of P
As in which Payroll
Audit identified and corrected
errors divided by the number of PAs
audited
▼
●
84% error rate n/a(3)

●
●
Meeting/exceeding target ▲
●
Target is to increase numbers/percentages
●
●
Near target ▼
●
Target is to decrease numbers/percentages
●
●
Not meeting target

(1) Number of reports issued in calendar years 2024 and 2025. (2) Recommendations implemented in calendar years 2024 and 2025. This number includes recommendations from audits issued before 2024. (3) 84% of audited PAs had errors that Payroll Audit identified in December 2025 and reported to Human Resources for correction.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Clerk’s Department 17 City Clerk’s Department
Mission Statement
The City Clerk Department provides Citywide oversight for legislative proceedings of the City Council and its committees. As the Elections Official and Filing Officer, the City Clerk administers municipal elections, campaign finance, and conflict of inter est regulations. As the Records
Manager, the Department administers the Citywide Records Management Program to maintain the integrity of documented actions of the legislative bodies, and accessibility to the public.

The Department performs all mandated functions under the United States Constitution, the Constitution of the State of California, State Codes, the Charter of the City of Berkeley, and the Berkeley Municipal Code
Organizational Chart
Citywide Records
Program
Public Information
Electronic Records
Contracts Processing
Agenda Process
Legislative History
Municipal Code
Appeals/Public Hearings
Elections/Campaign
Finance
Lobbyist Registration
Commissions Conﬂict of
Interest/Form 700
Front Counter
ERMA Transactions
Oﬃce Support
City Clerk
City Clerk Department Overview
The City Clerk Department delivers the following services:
‣ City Council and Commission Support: City Clerk staff prepares the agendas, agenda packets, minutes, and legal notices for the City Council, the Successor Agency to the Redev
elopment Agency, and the Joint Powers Financing Authority, and provides for the captioning and indexing of meeting video streams. The City Clerk Department also provides support to all six City Council Policy Committees and completes the necessary arrangements to ensure an effective meeting. The City Clerk administers the commission appointment process, maintains the information regarding the commission rules and regulations, and serves as an advisor for commission secretaries.

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18 City Clerk’s Department City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 ‣ Legislative History: The City Clerk facilitates, manages, and supports the meetings of the City Council, the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency, the Joint Powers Financing Authority
, and Council Policy Committees, and maintains the legislative history of the City (i.e., ordinances, resolutions, minutes), including the Charter and the Municipal Code. ‣ Public Information and Records: The Department provides general information and services to the public including: 1) administration of the Domestic Partnership Registry; 2) codification of the Municipal Code; and 3) access to public information and records.

Members of the public are welcome to visit the City Clerk Department to research and review legislative actions, candidate and ballot measure information, campaign and conflict of inter
est filings, registered lobbyists disclosure statements, and other public information. City Clerk staff maintains a broad range of information on the City’s website at https:/ /berkeleyca.gov/your-government/about- us/departments/city-clerk-department.

The De
partment also maintains the Records Online public access portal. This portal provides the public with quick and easy access to vital City records such as minutes, ordinances, resolutions, staff reports, election information, and contracts. ‣ Citywide Records Management: The City Clerk is the Custodian of Records for the City and as such, administers the Citywide Records Program, prepares and maintains the Cit
y’s Records Retention Schedule and provides education to departments on the principles of records management and industry best practices by providing trainings, guidance, and advice as needed. The City Clerk contracts with an off-site records storage facility where 11,000 boxes of City records are stored. The Department is responsible for managing the storage, retrieval, retention, and authorized destruction of all official City records.
‣ Campaign and Conflict Law: The City Clerk is the local Filing Officer for the State of California. The City Clerk maintains regulations and forms under the State’s Political Reform Act, Berkele
y’s Election Reform Act and Lobbyist Registration Act, and the Berkeley public financing ordinance. All local campaign committees are required to file campaign statements with the City Clerk. All designated employees, elected officials and appointed commissioners are required to file conflict of interest statements with the City Clerk. ‣ Elections: The City Clerk is the Elections Official and administers the City’s regular and special municipal elections in accordance with state and local laws including: 1) the nomination pr
ocess for candidates for Mayor, Council, Auditor, Rent Board, and School Board; 2) processing and managing the initiative, referendum, and recall petitions; 3) ballot measure argument filing; 4) coordination with the Alameda County Registrar of Voters for regular and special elections services; and 5) ensuring transparency, accessibility, and equity in
the public’s engagement with the municipal election process.

The City Clerk is the Charter-designated secretary for the Independent Redistricting Commission, a 13-member commission tasked with redrawing the Council district boundaries after each decennial census.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Clerk’s Department 19 Challenges
City Clerk Department challenges include:
‣ Election Cost Uncertainty: The City relies on the Alameda County Registrar of Voters to provide regular and special election services as well as the additional services related to Ran
ked-Choice Voting. Election services have seen a steep increase since 2018, with the City’s first million-dollar election in 2020. It is uncertain at this time if the change to an all-mail-ballot County and other new state mandates will affect election costs on an ongoing basis.
‣ Unplanned Elections: The two unplanned resignations and the resulting special elections have diverted a significant amount of staff resources originally planned for critical special pr
ojects such as the Records Retention Schedule Update, Commissioners Manual Update, and implementing new cost saving technology for broadcasting and captioning city council meetings.
‣ Continuous Demands for Increased Technology Services: The City Clerk Department relies heavily on external software to automate processes and also has a high demand for ser
vice from the Department of Information Technology. Maintaining existing software and implementing new software to increase efficiency require a significant amount of IT resources.

Accomplishments
Highlights of recent City Clerk Department accomplishments include:
‣ Full Implementation of Hybrid Meeting Procedures: The City Clerk Department researched, developed, tested, and refined procedures and technology needs for the conduct of “
hybrid” meetings of legislative bodies. The City Council and its six policy committees now meet in a hybrid model for all regular and special meetings. This has increased civic participation and access to the local decision-making process for residents and stakeholders.
‣ Rebuilding Staffing Rates and Service to the Public: From April 2022 – August 2023, the City Cl
erk Department turned over 50% of its staff due to retirements and promotions.

Leadership in the department, with assistance from Human Resources, has rebuilt the staffing levels and aggressively trained and onboarded new staff in order to maintain baseline ser
vices and properly serve internal and external customers. ‣ Major Software Update: In 2023 the Department completed a major upgrade to its agenda management software and digital records repository (OnBase). OnBase is a critical business system that is used to create agendas and agenda packets for the City council and the P
olicy Committees. It is also the digital records repository which stores the legislative history of the city and provides the back end to the Records Online public access portal. This upgrade will ensure reliability, integrity and efficiency for internal and external services.

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20 City Clerk’s Department City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
FY 2027 and FY2028 significant changes for City Clerk’s Office are as follows:
‣ FY 2027 reduction of approximately $210,000 for overtime and non-personnel ‣ FY 2028 reduction of $1,167,000 in overtime and non-personnel. $1,000,000 of which will be set aside for the increase in citywide property and liability insurance.

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Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Clerk’s Department 21 Performance Measures Summary
The below table summarizes the City Clerk Department’s performance measures.

Measure Description Tar get Actual Tracking
Number of City Council
legislative items collated,
track
ed per agenda and minutes
Count of items per meeting (from meeting
agenda plus any added items reflected in
minutes)
n/a
(1) CY 2024: 732 items
CY 2025: 665 items
n/a
Number of Policy Committee
legislative items collated,
tracked per agenda and minutes
Count of items per meeting (from meeting
agenda plus any added items reflected in
minutes); the same items appear on multiple
agendas andmust be processed and compiled
anew for each meeting (including amendments
and revised versions)
n/a CY 2024: 324 items
CY 2025: 260 items
n/a
Number of city records indexed
in the public records portal
Count of records indexed to the portal n/a CY 2024: 2,557 records CY 2025: 2,217 records
n/a
Number of City Council meetings
and Policy Committee meetings
administered
Total count of City Council and Policy
Committee meetings
n/a CY 2024: 123 meetings
CY 2025: 125 meetings
n/a
Number of political reform and
lobbyist disclosures processed
Count of campaign finance filings, lobbyist
disclosures, and Form 700 filings
n/a CY 2024:
• 929 campaign finance filings
• 79 lobbyist disclosures
• 997 Form 700 filings
CY2025:
• 172 campaign finance filings
• 88 lobbyist disclosures
• 1,055 Form 700 filings
n/a
Number of communications the
City Clerk receives
Count of communications n/a CY 2024: 4,254 communications CY 2025: 4,359 communications
n/a

●
●
Meeting/exceeding target ▲
●
Target is to increase numbers/percentages
●
●
Near target ▼
●
Target is to decrease numbers/percentages
●
●
Not meeting target

(1) There are no “targets” for the City Clerk’s Office, as their numbers are directly dependent on the amount of City Council activity and mandated filings in a given year.

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22 City Manager’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Manager’s Office
Mission Statement
The mission of the City Manager’s Office is to build and maintain, through sound management principles and community participation, an effective City government organization; to ensure the effectiv
e delivery of services; to provide the management direction and support for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of all City programs; and to ensure coordination and consistency in implementing policies and programs approved by the City Council.

Organizational Chart
CommunicationsAdministration Oﬃce of Economic
Development
City Manager
Deputy City
Manager
■ Appeals
■ Budget
■ Civic Arts
■ Neighborhood
Services
■ Reimagining Public
Safety
■ Special Projects
City Manager’s Office Overview
As the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Berkeley, the City Manager is responsible for ensuring the overall effectiveness of the city organization, acting as a conduit between the legislative and ex
ecutive branches and presenting Council with a balanced budget. Within the City Manager’s Office, the City Manager also directly oversees several divisions and major programs that deliver the following services
‣ Appeals responsible for administrative hearings. The most common hearings are conducted for parking citation appeals, business license tax appeals, empty homes tax appeals,
administrative citation appeals, nuisance abatement appeals, spay/neuter appeals, and vicious/dangerous animal appeals.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Manager’s Office 23 ‣ Civic Arts supports a culturally vibrant and diverse arts ecosystem in Berkeley through grantmaking, public art, cultural programming, and strategic arts planning through grant opportunities
and opportunities for artists to develop and display work in the public realm, while stewarding the City’s public art collection, which includes nearly 100 works of art in the City’s care. Civic Arts manages City-operated gallery spaces and administers the City’s Poet Laureate Program. Staff provide administrative support to the Civic Arts Commission, an active body with multiple subcommittees and an ambitious work plan. ‣ Communications oversees strategic communications and media relations and is responsible for the City’s website (over 1 million visitors annually), social media, and subscription-based email lists (there are more than 13,500 subscribers for the Citywide newsletter). The Division is also a key partner in emergency communications, when the rapid dissemination of coordinated information is critical to community safety and building trust.
‣ Neighborhood Services Division consists of four units described below:
‣ Animal Care Services provides a multitude of services for the cities of Berkeley, Emeryville, and Albany, and shelters animals from Berkeley, Albany, Piedmont, and Emeryville
though a contract with those cities. The services include removal of injured or deceased wildlife and impoundment of stray animals, investigation of animal-related neglect, cruelty, nuisance, and bite cases, and sheltering services including intake, care, reunification, adoption, and community support programs as well as enforcement of city ordinances related to animals. The shelter houses a highly successful adoption program and consistently maintains a live release rate above 90%. Animal Care Services also supports homeless and low-income pet owners by providing free pet food and other pet supplies daily on a walk-in basis.

With field services available daily and the shelter open seven days a week, Animal Care Ser
vices is easily accessible and user-friendly.
‣ Code Enforcement Unit is responsible for the enforcement of violations of the Berkeley Municipal Code including graffiti, blight, unauthorized signage, illegal dumping, the Gr
oup Living Accommodations ordinance, and more.
‣ Special Events coordinates staff from multiple departments to safely and efficiently support a variety of street and park events that make life in Berkeley vibrant and exciting,
including the Berkeley Half Marathon, Solano stroll, Juneteenth, Telegraph Holiday Fair, and many more.
‣ Homeless Response Team (HRT) responds to unsheltered homelessness, including homeless encampments. Its mission is to resolve unsheltered homelessness through the pr
ovision of interim and permanent housing and other supportive services, as well as to coordinate the many City and nonprofit staff who work in and are impacted by homeless encampments in providing harm-reduction oriented, pragmatic interventions that maintain health and safety for the unsheltered and the broader Berkeley community.
‣ Office of Budget and Fiscal Management (Budget) is responsible for the preparation, development and management of the City’s budget. The division provides financial analysis and suppor
t to the organization, City Council and the Budget and Finance Policy Committee. In addition, Budget processes payroll for several City departments.

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24 City Manager’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 ‣ Office of Economic Development (OED) helps businesses, entrepreneurs, and community organizations get started, grow and thrive. OED supports Berkeley’s commercial sectors, pro
vides technical assistance, expands economic opportunities, and helps maintain a healthy business climate.
‣ Reimagining Public Safety (RPS) advances an equitable, coordinated, and community- centered approach to public safety in Berkeley through strategic grant development, and regional
partnership building. The initiative prioritizes prevention, wellness, service coordination, and community trust.
‣ Special Projects Division (SPD) leads citywide efforts to improve efficiency, transparency and consistency; and implements the Employer of Choice initiative to improve organizational
culture.

Challenges
The City Manager’s Office challenges include:
‣ Appeals Unit is a staff of one person and the lack of contingency staffing presents a challenge.
‣ Civic Arts has been operating with reduced staffing and administrative support while continuing to manage grants, public art, gallery programming, cultural planning work, the Poet Laur
eate Program, and commission support. The elimination of a vacant Economic Development Project Coordinator assigned to Civic Arts, reduction in Office Specialist support, and 10% reduction in General Fund support for Civic Arts grants reduces overall capacity for grants, project delivery, contract administration, invoicing, event support, and communications. As a result, Civic Arts has had to focus on maintaining core public-facing services and k
ey cultural initiatives within a leaner operational structure. ‣ Communications: The elimination of three professional communications positions will slow down message development and response times and reduce the distribution of information via web, social media and citywide newsletter. Media inquiries will be directed to individual departments. It is also anticipated that there will be delays in the Emergency Communications Plan required for Public Health accreditation. ‣ Neighborhood Services
‣ Animal Care Services: Berkeley Animal Care Services (BACS) experiences rising intake, reduced resources, increasing veterinary costs, and the loss of a key prevention program. While cat intake decreased by 18.6% due to diversion efforts, rehoming support, and the Spay Neuter Your Pet (SNYP) program, the anticipated elimination of SNYP is expected to reverse this trend, leading to increased intake and euthanasia risk
as unplanned litters rise over time. At the same time, more complex cases are increasing.

BACS is also facing challenges in meeting field service demands. With current and projected budget reductions, services in Berkeley, Albany, and Emeryville will be limited, response times will be impacted, and operations will shift toward a more reactive model, increasing risks to public safety and animal welfare.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Manager’s Office 25 Veterinary care remains a significant constraint. Limited in-house capacity (due to the lack of a full-time veterinarian) and reduced funding for outside services will likely result in incr
eased euthanasia for treatable conditions, compounded by rising veterinary costs.

Additionally, 48.7% of stray animals are brought in by individuals from outside BACS’s service area, and many should have been served by their home jurisdictions. These animals stay longer and account for approximately half of all dogs euthanized, further straining
limited resources.
‣ Code Enforcement Unit: The Code Enforcement Unit’s goal is to respond to initial complaints within a 10-day time period. The average response time is currently around 30 days. The response rate is directly related to only having three staff, two Code Enforcement Officers and a working Supervisor, to respond to complaints.

The team struggles with property owners who remain unresponsive to administrative citations as
an enforcement tool. At the beginning of the 2026 calendar year, there were roughly $1.3 million in unpaid citations associated with Code Enforcement cases over the course of several years. Since the Unit uses a progressive enforcement model where citations are only employed if educative and collaborative approaches to code compliance pro
ve unsuccessful, this represents not only a significant loss in potential revenue for the City, but it also reflects a significant amount of casework by the team. ‣ Special Events: The City has seen tremendous growth in demand for Special Events permits since the pandemic, and the City now issues more permits annually than it did
pre-COVID. Excluding Farmers Market permits, the number of street and park event permits has roughly doubled from 2021 to 2024 (from 92 to over 180) and permits have increased 22% since 2019, the year before the pandemic, when 152 permits were issued. This growth in workload, coupled with the budget’s proposed reduction in staffing levels, will strain the organization and affect baseline work and co
re functions of each of the departments involved in the permitting of special events. There is one position in Neighborhood Services dedicated to Special Events. Limited staffing to close and reopen streets in addition to staffing shortages from Police and Traffic Enforcement present significant challenges and additional concern for liability and burnout.
‣ Homeless Response Team: Proposed reductions in other city departments will likely constrain the HRT’s ability to schedule clean-ups at encampments. Moreover, this budget
does not provide for the addition of any new shelter programs and, for lack of identified funding to sustain it, discontinues the Campus Motel shelter program in FY 2027, when funding is scheduled to end. This will further constrain the Homeless Response Team’s ability to find indoor shelter options for people living in encampments, who tend to decline congregate shelter beds more frequently than they accept them. A lack of available shelter means that the overall rate of successful placement by the HRT into any form of shelter or housing has dropped sharply: in May 2025, 63% of all people served by the HRT eventually exited to some form of housing or shelter, but by November 2025, that number had dropped to 34%. With fewer indoor destinations for people living in encampments and less inter-departmental capacity to clean up after them, many encampments in Berkeley are likely to remain for extended periods of time. Finally, the team has faced a growing number
and intensity of legal challenges, including restraining orders and federal lawsuits, which not only delay or prevent important work in the field, but also create huge time burdens to Neighborhood Services staff, keeping them from Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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26 City Manager’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 working in the field. This is especially true at the Harrison St encampments, where a series of Federal court orders has greatly complicated the City’s ability to execute the Council’s September 2024
direction to staff to close these encampments.
‣ Office of the Budget and Fiscal Management: The Budget Office has been operating with limited staff for much of fiscal year 2026, while providing day-to-day core services to the
organization and tackling a multi-fund structural deficit and leading the City’s first true citywide budget reduction effort since the FY 2012 & FY 2013 Biennial Budget, when the City implemented a modest 2% General Fund reduction. While the team is focused on structurally balancing the budget, future budget years will continue to be shaped by economic uncertainty, political volatility, and rising cost. These pressures will requir
e sustained discipline, ongoing monitoring, and continued citywide collaboration to maintain long-term fiscal sustainability.
‣ Office of Economic Development: Advancing new initiatives while continuing to deliver excellent baseline services to Berkeley’s business community and specifically support to small
businesses will be a challenge with the staffing reductions that are part of the budget balancing plan.
‣ Reimagining Public Safety: Reimagining Public Safety was designed as a temporary, phased initiative to advance long-term systems change over time, rather than as a permanent standalone
service line. The challenge moving forward will be to continue supporting the highest-priority elements of this work within existing staffing and fiscal constraints while allowing adequate time to assess which strategies should be sustained, adapted, or integrated into long-term City operations.
‣ Special Projects Division: With the elimination of 2 FTE in the division and the DEI officer, the work of the Division will need to shift to focus primarily on the continued implementation of
Tyler Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) modules, continued support of Team Unity, implementing City-wide DEI education initiatives, to the extent feasible, staffing the Peace and Justice Commission, and continuing to assess the organization for opportunities to improve efficiencies.

Accomplishments
The City Manager’s Office accomplishments include:
‣ Appeals successfully expanded scope of work to include a newly amended appeals process for the Empty Homes Tax:
‣ Coordinating workflow logistics between Finance and Rent Board departments to implement appeals process for Empty Homes Tax appeal hearings ‣ Interpreting the Empty Homes Tax ordinance to provide sound judgments upon appeal
‣ Civic Arts continued to deliver strong public value across grants, public art, exhibitions, and literary arts programming. In Fiscal Year 2025, Civic Arts supported 11 individual artist projects totaling $44,000, 12 arts programs totaling $60,000, 34 festivals totaling $199,680, and 54 arts organizations totaling $444,799. Public Art accomplishments included awarding approximately $592,000 in commissions, receiving more than 2
70 RFQs, collecting more than 1,200 public surveys representing over 60 hours of public comment, installing 100 new artworks across three public buildings, supporting more than two tons of artwork at the Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza, and delivering Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Manager’s Office 27 four Cube Space exhibitions. In Fiscal Year 2026, Civic Arts awarded 111 grants totaling $658,214, with an additional $35,000 in outside grant funding through AFTA and CAC sources. The program also broadened its applicant pool, with first-time applicants representing 29% of all applicants across open grant programs, compared to a 5% benchmark. Civic Arts also continued administration of the Poet Laureate Program, reconvened the Berkeley Cultural Trust, and advanced a strategic arts resiliency study to help in
form future cultural planning and investment.
‣ Communications Division led a multi-departmental effort to improve digital accessibility on all digital platforms. Staff convened and led a citywide task force, developed trainings, started work with a vendor on an accessibility audit, and developed productive meetings with the Commission on Disability.

The division
manages berkeleyca.gov, which drew over 1 million visitors. Social media channels also saw 1 million views. The Citywide newsletter surpassed 15,000 subscribers, and 44% of recipients opened them – significantly more than the nationwide government agency average of 34%. Training and oversight of email management software facilitated sending over 400 emails to Berkeleyans in 2025. The Division supports nearly 100 web editors organization wide focused on creation and updating content on berkeleyca.gov, such as 350 posted events, 70 project pages updated, and 27 new projects posted. The report & pay tool allows visitors to access roughly 40 key services quickly. The tool had 49,000 views in 2025 and helped increase the percentage of tickets submitted online to 20% of all 311 requests.

The division developed the City’s first emergency communications plan, which includes documented workflows that were combined with regular training. ‣ Neighborhood Services
‣ Animal Care Services: In 2025, Berkeley Animal Care Services (BACS) continued to deliver strong outcomes despite ongoing challenges. BACS maintained a Live Release Rate (LRR) of 94.1%, a decrease of only half a percentage point from the prior year, even with reduced overall adoption rates, fewer rescue placements, and an increase in euthanasia.

BACS achie
ved its highest dog adoption numbers since 2014 and successfully reunited 39% of dogs (31% overall) with their owners. The shelter also reduced the average length of stay for cats by 1 day, improving shelter flow during a period of increasing case complexity.

In 2025, BA
CS increased community services compared to the prior year and onboarded 185 new volunteers, expanding the active volunteer base to nearly 400 individuals and significantly strengthening daily shelter operations and capacity.

Operationally, BACS strengthened its partnership with Friends of Berkeley Animal Care Services (FoBACS), and renegotiated service contracts with the Cities of Albany and Emeryville to more accurately reflect the cost of services, eliminating prior subsidy of these agreements and aligning services with their actual costs. ‣ Code Enforcement Unit: The Code Enforcement Unit Supervisor provides assistance and mentorship regarding enforcement practices. The Unit has been instrumental in creating
a pilot process to streamline enforcement against illegal dumping which was Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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28 City Manager’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 initiated in 2026 and addresses the top 300 properties where Public Works has done courtesy debris pickups more than 3 times in a calendar year. ‣ Special Events: Despite severe understaffing, over 300 events were permitted citywide in 2025, including weekly Farmers’ Markets, proving that despite staffing challenges in supporting these events, Berkeley continues to be a highly desirable cultural destination
for a vibrant events scene.

Additionally, to address error-prone paper-based permit process workflow system, the City Manager’s Office is working with a consultant to develop an online permit management solution for a more modern and user-friendly permit application experience for event organizers. Buildout of this software tool is expected to begin in early 2027. ‣ Homeless Response Team: In fall 2024, the HRT was awarded a $5.4 million grant from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) funds, which enabled the
team to master lease the Howard Johnson motel on University Avenue and contract with Dorothy Day house to operate it as the Capri Motel, a low-barrier, non-congregate shelter. HRT then dedicated this shelter to resolving the longstanding and dangerous encampments along 2
nd St in Northwest Berkeley, piloting an
innovative RV Buy Back program. The RV Buy Back program was evaluated by the UC San Francisco Benioff Homeless and Housing Initiative and was found to be successful in their March 2026 evaluation report. The HRT is also now a Coordinated Entry Limited Access Point, meaning they can directly assess people they work with on the street for Alameda County resources, including access to permanent supportive housing. This has enhanced the team’s ability to connect those they serve to meaningful pathways to end their homelessness.
‣ Office of the Budget and Fiscal Management: Recipient of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the FY 2025 & FY
2026 Adopted Budget Book. Through the budget process, coordinated an organization-wide budget balancing effort, resulting in structurally balanced budgets for FY 2027 and FY 2028.
‣ Office of Economic Development: OED has a unique role in directly assisting Berkeley’s business communities and sectors. In FY25&26, OED advanced and/or completed a number of high-pr
ofile revenue-generating projects that were indicated as goals in the last budget cycle, including:
‣ Facilitated Catalytic Development at West Berkeley Opportunity Sites ‣ Adoption of “Keep Innovation in Berkeley” zoning reforms to allow for expanded R&D or Research & Development uses in Berkeley’s commercial corridors ‣ Civic Center Phase III – Advancement of concept designs, building information modeling, tenant exploration and external funding opportunities including applying for Feder
al grants for seismic improvements to Berkeley’s Maudelle Shirek/Old City Hall and Veterans Memorial Buildings.
‣ Implemented Grants to support capacity in two merchant districts (Gilman and Lorin) ‣ ·Business succession planning for worker owned cooperatives ‣ Additional Zoning Ordinance Modifications to Support Small Business (State Planning Award of Excellence granted FY25).
‣ Renewal of two Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) Tourism (2025) and Downtown (2026)
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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Manager’s Office 29 ‣ Green Business Certifications: Helped 80 certified green business in Berkeley to implement environmentally sustainable practices including 12 new certifications and 11 r
ecertifications to the California Green Business program ‣ Strategic Real Estate and Development Projects: Assisted with the disposition of 1631 5
th Street, for a sale price of $750,000, $100,000 over the appraised price. ‣ Berkeley Startup Cluster (BSC) - Supported a network of ~370 innovation companies, elevated Berkeley’s profile as a top destination for founders and venture-backed startups, and gained global recognition, with interest in replicating the model internationally (Slo
venia/Sakai, Japan)
‣ Manufacturing Week 2025: Engaged approximately 500 attendees across 30 tours at two dozen manufacturers
‣ Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) –To date, 20+ loans have been executed to Berkeley businesses and the program is now serviced and administered by Working Solutions, a certi
fied Community Development Financial Institution.
‣ Business Outreach and Technical Assistance - conducted outreach and technical assistance activities, including fielding thousands of direct business inquiries by phone & email.
‣ Equity-focused programming for the innovation sector –Berkeley Ventures Berkeley Values programming includes activities that engage Berkeley startup founders, funders, and STEM industry pr
ofessionals to build a local economy that benefits our
entire community.
‣ Outdoor Commerce: As of 2025, there are 10+ installations of permanent outdoor commerce in Berkeley that contribute to outdoor commerce use fees to the city’s parking fund.
‣ Business Improvement Districts –Over the past years, the City has continued to provide technical assistance to each of the BIDs, with particular focus on bolstering the wider Be
rkeley Business District Network (BBDN).
‣ Reimagining Public Safety: Despite fiscal constraints and reduced central support capacity, the City continued to advance key Reimagining Public Safety priorities.

Accomplishments included securing appro
ximately $9 million in grants to continue
advancement of the Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Program, and development of the Berkeley CareBridge initiative, a post-arrest diversion and reentry support program focused on connecting eligible individuals to housing navigation, behavioral health and substance use disorder support, and care coordination, along with ongoing support for crisis response and dispatch reform efforts, advancement of Vision Zero and Street Trauma Prevention-related work, and continued preparation of major reports, briefings, and implementation updates for City leadership and Council. ‣ Special Projects Division (SPD): SPD led the launch of Employee Access for staff to access digital versions of their paystubs and have the ability to submit personnel actions electr
onically. Team Unity, which was able to deliver a meaningful and thoughtful appreciation event with over 600 staff participants, began social events to bring staff together and create a deeper sense of staff community, and delivered years of service gifts for staff achieving a 5-year milestone of service. The SPD facilitated receipt of Mental Health Services Act funding for the African American Holistic Resource Center (AAHRC) Sankofa Project.

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30 City Manager’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028

Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
The FY27 General Fund Baseline Budget increased by 4 percent, or $683,509 compared to FY26 Adopted, mostly due to the annual increase in personnel cost plus the cost of living increase scheduled for miscellaneous employees in FY27. The FY27 Proposed Budget reflects an overall decrease of $318,190, or 1.4 percent, compared to the FY26 Adopted Budget of $23.4 million across all funding sources. However, the FY27 proposed General Fund portion of the City Manager’s Office budget decreased by 22.7 percent, or nearly $4.1 million, from the FY26 Adopted Budget.

Sev
eral factors contributed to this reduction. As part of a robust General Fund balancing exercise, the City Manager’s Office implemented personnel and non-personnel reductions and shifted eligible costs to other appropriate funding sources. In addition, the Animal Services budget was moved out of the General Fund and into the Animal Shelter Fund (Fund 115), further reducing the City Manager’s Office General Fund budget and increasing the General Fund transfer out in the Non-Departmental budget. The addition of one-time Measure U1 funding in FY27 for the Capri lease, along with grant funding in both years, offsets some of these changes, resulting in a net overall decrease of only $318,190.

The City Manager’s Office Proposed Budget Balancing Plan is as follows:
‣ Personnel:
‣ Reduce one Community Development Project Coordinator – Office of Economic Development (filled)
‣ Reduce one Office Specialist III – Office of Economic Development and Civic Arts (filled)
‣ Reduce two Communications Specialists (both filled)
‣ Reduce one Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer (vacant) ‣ Reduce one Economic Development Project Coordinator- Civic Arts (vacant) ‣ Reduce one Program Manager II – Special Projects (filled) ‣ Reduce one Social Services Specialist (vacant)
‣ Reduce one Office Specialist II (vacant)
‣ Reduce one Administrative Assistant (vacant, frozen and unfunded since the FY26 balancing measure)
‣ Reduce one Deputy City Manager (vacant, frozen and unfunded since the FY26 balancing measure)
‣ Reduce one Digital Communications Coordinator (vacant, frozen and unfunded since the FY26 balancing measure)
‣ Reduce one Program Manager I (vacant, frozen and unfunded since the FY26 balancing measure)
‣ Significant Non-Personnel:
‣ $40,000 – Eliminate Downtown Business Association Outreach Worker contract ‣ $64,000 – Eliminate Spay and Neuter Your Pets contracts Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Manager’s Office 31 ‣ $82,497 – Reduce General Fund support for Civic Arts grants by 10% to align with proposed organization and department budget reductions
‣ $17,000 – Reduce economic development marketing budget by 10% to align with proposed organization and department budget reductions
‣ Reallocating a portion of the salary of an Assistant to the City Manager to the Public Art Fund to reflect oversight of this work resulting from the Budget Balancing Plan elimination of the
Economic Development Project Coordinator – Civic Arts and allocates a portion of a Civic Arts Coordinator position that was fully funded by the General Fund to the Public Art Fund to address the backlog of public arts projects. ‣ Allocating a portion of an Assistant to the City Manager to long-term grants that the position is managing.

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32 City Manager’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Performance Measures Summary
The below table summarizes the City Manager’s Office performance measures.

Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Neighborhood Services –
Animal Care Ser
vices
Live Release Rate
(LRR)
Live Release Rate (LRR) of all live
cat and dog intakes; target is to be
at or above the average LRR for the
previous 5 years
▲
●
• 94% ●
●
Neighborhood Services –
Animal Care Ser
vices
Return to Owner
Rate (RTOR)
Percentage of live cat and dog
intakes that are returned to their
owners; target is to be at or above
the average RTOR for the previous
5 years.
▲
●
• 25% ●
●
Neighborhood Services –
Animal Care Ser
vices
Volunteer Hours Total combined volunteer hours;
The target is at least 15,000
combined raw volunteer hours
▲
●
• 15,000 hours ●
●
Neighborhood Services –
Animal Care Ser
vices
Adoption Events Number of “out of the shelter”
adoption events; target is to
increase the number of attended
off-site adoption events and on-site
events
▲
●
• 6 events ●
●
Neighborhood Services –
Animal Care Ser
vices
Length of Stay Rate
(LOSR)
Average Length of Stay (LOS) for
cats and dogs who are returned to
owner (RTO); target is to be at or
below the average RTO LOS for the
previous 5 years
▼
●
• 3.73 days ●
●
Neighborhood Services –
Code Enforcement Unit
Case Response Time Average time from receipt of
complaint to initial city response;
target is 10 days
▼
●
• 45 days ●
●
Neighborhood Services –
Code Enforcement Unit
Case Closur e Rate Percent closed/complete/
resolved cases (excludes duplicate
complaints and invalid complaints)
▲
●
• 103% (based on 392 cases
addressed)
●
●
Neighborhood Services –
Code Enforcement Unit
Case Completion
Ratio
Ratio of clos
ed/completed/
resolved cases to total cases
received
▲
●
• 392 cases created, 413 cases
closed
●
●
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Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Manager’s Office 33 Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Neighborhood Services –
Homeless Response T
eam
Shelter Uptake Rate Percentage of shelter offers that
result in a move-in; target is 50%
▲
●
• 20% ●
●
Neighborhood Services –
Homeless Response T
eam
Housing
Assessment Rate
Percentage of individuals assisted
by the Homeless Response Team
(HRT) who receive a housing needs
assessment; target is 95%
▲
●
• 94% ●
●
Neighborhood Services –
Homeless Response T
eam
Unsheltered Exit
Rate
Percentage of clients who
leave HRT services remaining
unsheltered; target is 50% or less
▼
●
• 61% ●
●
Budget Reporting on
Unfunded Liabities
Repor
ting on unfunded liabilities
each cycle
n/a • Report issued ●
●
Budget Achieve Healthy
Reserv
es
Amounts contributed annually to
reserves
n/a • Ability to Fund Workers
Compensation Liabilities 98% of
target
• General Fund Reserves 90.9%
of 2020 target and 50.6% of 2027
target
●
●
Budget Review Contracts Number of contracts r eviewed n/a • 549 Contracts ● ●
Budget Budget Adjustments Proces sing budget adjustments to ensure the City and Departments
do not overspend appropriation
authority
n/a • 1,113 adjustments
●
●
Civic Arts –
Grants Pr
ogram
Civic Arts Grants Number of grants and total dollar
amount of Civic Arts grants;
Number of first-time applicants to
Civic Arts grants across all open
programs; target is to increase new
applicants by 5% from previous
years
n/a • 111 grants awarded, totaling
$658,214 in FY 2026

• 29% of total applicants (58 out of
202))
●
●

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34 City Manager’s Office City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Civic Arts –
Public Art Pr
ogram
Civic Arts Public Art
Projects
Number of public art projects
advanced or completed during
the fiscal year, including new
artist-commissioned projects,
installations, restorations,
conservation work, and other major
public art project milestones
New
Measure
• Data pending n/a
Office of Economic
De
velopment
Number of marketing
communications that are
disseminated through #Discovered
in Berkeley; target is to increase
campaign impact that spotlights
local Berkeley businesses and
civic pride though increases in
(1) impressions, (2) concrete
engagments, (3) banner ad “click
through” rates, (4) number of new
users/followers year over year
▲
●
• 4.6 Million impressions, 187,000
impressions, 1,852 IG Followers,
6,000 users of #DiB website, .27%
banner ad click r
ate
●
●
Office of Economic
Development
Access t
o Capital for
Small Businesses:

RLF & RLP Funds
Number of Revolving Loan Fund
(RLF) & Resilience Loan Fund
(RLP) loans executed (total $
amount loaned); target is to
increase number of loans for
financing Berkeley’s businesses
year over year
▲
●
• 7 RLF loans ($616,000); 18 RLP
loans ($346,000) for FY25
●
●
Communications Digital
Communications
Tr
aining
Number of City staff trained to use
City communication tools to plan
and deliver clear, consistent digital
communications that engage,
inform, and guide the community
on City projects and goals.
▲
●
• 304 City staff trained. This
training allows departments to
make a v
ariety of updates across
the website for events, capital
projects, general pages, commission
meetings and more.
●
●
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Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 City Manager’s Office 35 Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Communications berkeleyca.
gov website
infr
astructure
improvements
Complete substantial, system-level
improvements to the City website’s
core systems to improve efficiency,
usability, and reliability for the
public.
▲
●
• 37 updates to the technical
software for the website. This
includes upgr
ades to software and
updates for security, accessibility,
usability and more
●
●
Strategic Inititiatives All Staff
Appreciation
Number of City
Staff attending
all staff appreciation event, a
component of the Employer of
Choice Inititive to ensure we have
1 day a year to celebrate and
appreciate the work all staff do to
deliver exceptional services to our
community.
▲
●
• 650; below target goal, but much
higher attendance from before
team unity was establis
hed (prior
attendacne was 400 staff)
●
●

●
●
Meeting/exceeding target ▲
●
Target is to increase numbers/percentages
●
●
Near target ▼
●
Target is to decrease numbers/percentages
●
●
Not meeting target

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36 Finance City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Finance
Mission Statement
To conduct all of our responsibilities with integrity, warrant and receive the trust of colleagues and constituents, and to positively support the delivery of quality services to fulfill the City’s mission and citywide priorities.

Within the framework of full disclosure and quality customer service, our principal obligations are to safeguard City assets, maximize revenues, manage the business of City programs, and provide accurate, timely, and complete financial information.

Organizational Chart
Treasury General
Services Accounting
Analytical,
Systems, &
Oﬃce Support
Revenue
Collection
Oﬃce of the
Director
Finance Overview
The Finance Department supports all City departments and provides services for the entire Berkeley community. In addition to the Office of the Director and Finance Administration, the department
is organized into four divisions: Treasury, General Services, Accounting, and Revenue Collection.

The Finance Department is organized into five divisions to deliver the following baseline services:
‣ Office of the Direct and Finance Administration: The Finance Director serves as the City’s Chief Financial Officer, Investment Manager, and City Treasurer. The Director’s Office pro
vides expert, professional assistance to City management and City Departments on financial, accounting, and related matters; provides business administration and technical assistance to City departments; administers the annual budget and directs day-to-day financial operations; provides revenue and economic forecasting to City policymakers and stakeholders; manages the City and retiree medical plan investment portfolios; designs and implements an automated and integrated financial accounting system; makes presentations of the City’s financial status and operations to the City Council and other regulatory agencies; monitors developments related to finance and accounting matters and evaluates their impact on City operations and financial programs; and serves as the lead for citywide PCI compliance. ‣ Treasury: The Treasury Division is responsible for receipt recordation, deposits, and investments of City monies. It also assists the Finance Director in investing both short and long term investments
of surplus City funds; maintains fiscal accountability for all Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Finance 37 City monies; manages the City’s banking relationship; and coordinates implementation of the City’s online payment programs. .

The T
reasury Division also acts as the City’s centralized cashiering operation and accepts deposits from all City cash acceptance locations and departments. In addition, it acts as the main payment processing center for mail-in payments for Citywide billing and other revenue sources. It is responsible for revenue development, audits, and collection on delinquent accounts.
‣ General Services: The General Services Division manages a centralized Purchasing function. This division identifies equipment, goods, and services that will meet the City’s needs; cr
eates cost effective purchasing and maintenance agreements; issues and awards all non-construction bids and Request for Proposals; and opens all construction bids to obtaining the best competitive pricing for purchases while adhering to the City’s purchasing policies. It also enforces compliance of all City procurement and contracting policies. This division maintains the Purchasing information on the City’s website and assures that customers and vendors have online access to needed information and forms. The division is also responsible for mail services. ‣ Accounting: The Accounting Division serves as advisor, consultant, and an information source for other departments on financial management items and Finance Department policies and pr
ocedures. It directs the maintenance of the City’s automated accounting system, including the general ledger and all required subsidiary ledgers. The Accounting Division reviews and ensures adequate internal controls throughout the City, performs bank reconciliations, and manages all external financial audits on behalf of the City. Itis responsible for the preparation of various financial and accounting reports, including the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), State Controller’s reports, quarterly grants report, sales tax returns, payroll, and the city’s indirect cost allocation plans.

Accounting has an Accounts Payable unit which controls disbursements made from City funds, excluding those for investments, payroll, payroll liability, and the workers’ compensation administrator. This unit ensures that all disbursements are timely, accurate, and are made in compliance with all internal controls and established City policies and procedures.
‣ Revenue Collection: The Revenue Collection Division provides billing services for refuse and most other City services; prepares the City’s and Berkeley Unified School District’s special pr
operty tax rolls for inclusion on the annual property tax bill; processes transfer tax, seismic retrofit, very low-income, and private sewer lateral refunds; prepares and processes annual business licenses and residential parking permits; schedules business license appeals; administers and issues street vendor, massage, and food vendor permits; and maintains the City’s land management database. It confers with City staff and management in analyzing proposed rate structures of various City revenues. .

The Customer Service Counter is a unit within the Revenue Collection Division. It provides counter service t
o the Berkeley community and processes walk-in/drop-off payments for various Citywide billings, business licenses, residential parking permits, parking citations, and assists customers in the community service program for Project 22. This unit prepares and submits all payments received from customers to Treasury for posting in the City’s financial system. The staff provides support for updating customers’ records in the City’s parking system, maintains records of community service agreements, and processes tow and boot releases and account maintenance for parking related payment inquiries.

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38 Finance City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028

Challenges
Finance Department challenges include:
‣ Recruitment and Retention of Qualified Staff: The inability to find new personnel to replace retiring employees and fill long-vacant positions has led to increased workload and decreased
effectiveness.
‣ Limited Payment Options for Customers: In order to give the public more options to pay taxes and fees, we must invest in technology and infrastructure improvements. ‣ Issuance and Administration of Measure T1, Measure O, & General Obligation Bonds:

The ability to administer and manage the large spending plans for these initiatives requires continuing Finance resources.
‣ ERMA (Enterprise Resource Management Application): Finance continues to work on Phase 3 of the City’s Munis Financial System (Accounts Receivable/General Billing modules) in FY 2026. We have limited staff capacity, and implementation of a new revenue and cash receipting system requires near full-time commitment of subject matter experts
that are already at capacity with current operations.
‣ Aging and Inadequate Financial Systems: Working with older systems from previous decades causes process inefficiencies, requires additional staff resources to conduct City business,
and offers limited functionality to our external customers.

Accomplishments
Highlights of recent Finance Department accomplishments include:
‣ Business License Taxes: In FY 2026, the Revenue Collection Division increased the efficiency of the business license program, by:
‣ Further expanding online renewals and payments (90% of businesses now eligible) ‣ Improving system processes for increased effectiveness These efforts allowed us to complete our renewal processing and issue all tax certificates more quickly than ever before.
‣ Updated P-Card Program: The General Services Division and Financial Systems Group implemented a new Purchase Card program with our bank to provide more efficiency to our
procurement process and more detailed and accurate information to our central accounting system.
‣ Revenue Enhancement: In 2026, the Treasury Division expanded its business license and miscellaneous tax audit programs to increase revenues from non-compliant businesses ‣ Implementation of GASB Statements: In accordance with GASB 101, the Accounting division changed the way we account for the potential costs associated with compensated absences, t
o more accurately reflect future expenses.
‣ Citywide Physical Inventory: Staff completed an inventory audit of all fixed assets as part of our ongoing efforts to account for and protect City property.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Finance 39 Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
The FY 2027 Proposed Budget decreases the department budget by $685,000 or 5.7% from the FY 2026 Adopted Budget of $12.03M.

This is primarily due to efforts to balance the City’s overall General Fund Budget, and includes the following changes: .
‣ Personnel Changes:Elimination of a vacant Senior Systems Analyst position, as well as a Management Analyst and two Revenue Development Specialists. ‣ Non-Personnel Changes: - Reduction of budgeted Training by 25%.

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40 Finance City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Performance Measures Summary
The below table summarizes the Finance Department’s performance measures.

Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Administration City Financial
Condition
Maintain high bond ratings ; target is
Aa1 (Moodys) / AA+ (S&P)
Meets
requirements
• Current rating is Aa1/AA+ ●
●
Treasury Citywide
Investments
Inv
estments meet safety, liquidity, and
reasonable return requirements
Meets
requirements
$752,143,903 total cash and
investments; 3.02% pooled and

4.64% trust rate of return;
• successfully meeting safety,
liquidity, and reasonable return
requirements
●
●
Accounting City Financial
Reporting
Meet s
tatutory state submission
deadline with no findings by external
auditors
Meet deadline
with no audit
findings
• Submitted on-time, received no
audit findings
●
●
General Services Citywide Purchasing Review r equisitions submitted and determine the percentage that are
either:
• not compliant with purchasing
requirements and require returning to
the department, or
• substantially compliant but require
additional review
10% or less
noncompliant
0% partially
compliant
5,624 purchase orders, totaling
$328,057,229
• approximately 7%
noncompliant
• approximately 0% partially
compliant
●
●
Accounting Citywide Payment
Proces
sing
Review payment requests submitted
and determine the percentage that are
either:
• not compliant with payment
requirements and require returning to
the department, or,
• substantially compliant but require
additional review
10% or less
noncompliant
37,482 invoices, totaling
$403,203,808;
• approximately 5%
noncompliant/ requiring
additional review
●
●

●
●
Meeting/exceeding target ▲
●
Target is to increase numbers/percentages
●
●
Near target ▼
●
Target is to decrease numbers/percentages
●
●
Not meeting target
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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Fire Department 41 Fire Department
Mission Statement
The Berkeley Fire Department protects life, property, and the environment through emergency response, prevention, and community preparedness.

Organizational Chart
Fire
Operations
Administrative & Fiscal
Services
Oﬃce of the
Chief
Special
Operations
■ Fire Suppression
■ Training
■ Support Services
■ Emergency Medical
■ Logistics
■ Oﬃce of
Emergency
Services
■ Fire Prevention*
■ Wild Urban
Interface*
*As part of the FY27-28 budget reduction strategy, the Fire Prevention and WIldland Urban Interface Divisions are proposed to be combined into one “Urban and WUI Prevention Division” Strategic
Partnerships &
Programs
Fire Department Overview
The Berkeley Fire Department is committed to providing comprehensive fire protection, emergency medical, disaster preparedness, rescue, and other related services in an efficient, effectiv
e and caring manner to the diverse Berkeley community. The Fire Department is organized five divisions which report to the Office of the Fire Chief and deliver the following services:
‣ Office of the Fire Chief: Provides executive leadership and strategic direction for all the Department’s divisions. The Office serves as the primary liaison to City leadership, allied agencies, and the
community, driving departmental priorities, cultivating interagency partnerships, and ensuring effective labor-management relations. ‣ Administrative and Fiscal Services Division: Provides budget and fiscal services and policy management for the department, Fire and Police payroll, administrative systems, employ
ee training and development, purchasing oversight, administrative systems, and record retention compliance.

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42 Fire Department City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 ‣ Strategic Partnerships & Programs Division: Oversees the Department’s strategic planning, grant development and administration, performance measurement, and data system impr
ovements. The Division also manages public records compliance and reporting and builds organizational capacity through targeted resource development and strategic staffing.
‣ Operations Division: Encompasses four subdivisions responsible for the Department’s full operational capacity, including:
‣ Fire Suppression: Delivers front-line emergency response to Berkeley and UC Berkeley, including fire suppression, emergency medical services, technical rescue, hazardous materials
mitigation, and water rescue.
‣ Training: Develops and delivers training and professional development for all Department members. The Division operates a California State Fire Training Accredited
Local Academy, where recruits earn Firefighter I and II certifications, and provides ongoing education to support the organization’s growth and readiness. ‣ Emergency Medical Services (EMS): Oversees the Fire Department’s pre-hospital emergency medical services program, which includes EMS program management; prospectiv
e and retrospective quality improvement; management of EMS billing and the emergency health records program; and coordination with regional stakeholders, including the Alameda County EMS Agency.
‣ Logistics Provides logistical support for emergency and non-emergency operations, including apparatus design and procurement, equipment and supply distribution, and subject matter exper
tise in information technology and radio communications. ‣ Support Services Division: Oversees three distinct subdivisions in the Fire Department including:
‣ Office of the Emergency Services: Coordinates a suite of programs to build disaster resilience for the whole Berkeley community. These programs support personal prepar
edness, community connections, and government efforts that will help Berkeley respond to and recover from our next earthquake, fire, or other disaster. ‣ Fire Prevention: Plans, organizes, implements prevention and inspection programs, fire and arson investigations, vegetation management, hazard abatement, code enforcement, public fir
e safety education, plan checks, and development of codes and ordinances.
‣ Wildland Urban Interface (WUI): Addresses the wildland fire threat facing the Berkeley community by conducting vegetation management inspections, enforcement, and educating
the community.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Fire Department 43 Challenges
The Fire Department’s challenges include increasing expectations for service delivery, managing a rapid expansion of the organization, and the need for adequate facility space. Additional challenges include; cr
eating long-term plans that account for changing the mission of the organization and the replacement of predictable capital assets and infrastructure. ‣ Service Delivery: The Fire Department’s basic structure has remained largely unchanged since the 1990s, even as calls for service have increased by 65 percent and the City has ev
olved from a more suburban community into a dense urban environment. Berkeley is now the second most densely populated city in California among the 50 largest cities, behind only San Francisco.
‣ Rapid Expansion: Capital infrastructure, including fire stations, office space, and training grounds are too often in poor condition, undersized, and in need of significant maintenance or
replacement. The Department is following its Fire Facilities Master Plan that provides the leaders of today and tomorrow with a clear needs assessment and plan for the next 20 years.
‣ Capital Assets: The organization requires additional space to effectively support operations. Tenant improvements are being completed for a new Fire Headquarters in West
Berkeley. The new facility will house administrative and support staff and begin consolidating Fire personnel from multiple locations into a single central site, improving collaboration, increasing efficiency, and reducing the costs of operating multiple facilities. The Fire Department is also continuing its work with Finance and the Budget Office to strengthen long-term capital planning and begin setting aside funds for the replacement of predictable capital assets.
‣ Rapid Turnover: The organization has been navigating a period of significant workforce change. Over the past 10 years, the Department has averaged 3 to 4 retirements annually, but that pace accelerated sharply with 13 employees retiring in 2025 and another 6 to 10 projected by the end of 2026. This level of turnover presents both an opportunity and a risk to the organization. It creates more promotional opportunities and the chance t
o develop the next generation of leaders,but also results in a substantial loss of experience and institutional knowledge. These changes can affect service delivery, organizational culture, safety, and operational readiness. In response, the Department has been working to better structure itself to manage large-scale organizational transition while maintaining a strong focus on employee training, development, and succession planning.

Accomplishments
The Fire Department’s accomplishments include:
‣ Fire Headquarters Modernization: Over the past year, the Department acquired, designed, and constructed a new Fire Headquarters and City Emergency Operations Center in West
Berkeley, a major investment that will, for the first time, bring key Department operations under one roof and improve coordination, efficiency, and service delivery.

The facility includes multiple classrooms and dedicated spaces for training, education, and simulation; an employee wellness center designed to help prevent and mitigate the long-term impacts of this work; and a warehouse to strengthen logistics and operational readiness. The move will also create much-needed space at the Public Safety Building for the expansion of the 911 dispatch center as Fire relocates from that facility. Together, Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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44 Fire Department City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 these milestones lay the foundation for the next decade of progress and future facility modernization.
‣ Published the Evacuation Time Study to Strengthen Citywide Emergency Planning:

The Evacuation Time Study established expected evacuation times for multiple fire and tsunami scenarios and showed that even Berkeley’s highest-capacity roadways would be strained
during a large-scale evacuation. The findings are helping guide data-informed City planning and giving residents clearer information on how to reduce their own household evacuation times.
‣ Training, Education, and Leadership Development: The Department remains firmly committed to employee training, education, and professional development at every stage of an emplo
yee’s career. Through the California State Fire Training-accredited academy, the Department prepares both new firefighters and current personnel across all ranks and assignments to maintain certifications, strengthen hands-on skills, and improve overall performance. In 2025, staff completed 10 refresher training courses, earned 15 advanced certifications in fire, EMS, and rescue operations, and invested more than 44,000 training hours department-wide across a wide range of disciplines in support of the Department’s mission. The Department also graduated 13 employees from its new supervisor academy, reinforcing succession planning efforts and helping develop the next generation of leaders serving Berkeley and Albany. ‣ Cardiac Arrest Survival: Fire has prioritized cardiac arrest resuscitation as a core system performance measure for over a decade, building the capacity and clinical expertise that hav
e allowed Berkeley to consistently outperform county, state, and national survival benchmarks since 2015. In 2025, the Department achieved a 21.2% overall survival rate for non-traumatic cardiac arrest — more than double the national average of 10.5%.

This performance reflects sustained, long-term investment in staffing, training, modern equipment, and rigorous quality improvement, and the direct, measurable impact that investment
has on lives saved in Berkeley every year.
‣ Strengthening Community Wildfire Resilience: Over the past year, one of the Department’s most significant accomplishments in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones
was the design, refinement, and adoption of EMBER through the City Council. This landmark legislation established a stronger local framework for reducing communal wildfire risk and reflected extensive policy development, community engagement, and coordination to align Berkeley’s approach with the growing body of science on home hardening, defensible space, and ember exposure. That policy work is supported by various programs: Home Hardening Mesh Program (687 participants), Chipper Day (2,299 pickups), defensible space inspections (1,339), eucalyptus tree clean up (32 properties), and Firewise community development (19 active). The Department also continues its ongoing grant-funded programs, such as the Resident Assistance Program, helping residents with the removal of hazardous vegetation and concluded the Grizzly Peak
Fuel Break project that removed 728 tons of vegetation. ‣ Data, Transparency & Technology Improvements: Over the past year, the Department made significant strides in modernizing its data infrastructure, improving records management, and expanding public access t
o fire-related information. On the
technology side, the Department began implementing ImageTrend, a new records management system that enhances data collection, reporting, and analytics capabilities across operations. In parallel, the Department initiated the digitization of historical reports, including a WUI (Wildland Urban Interface) Dashboard providing real-time and trend-based visibility into fire risk and operational data in Berkeley’s most vulnerable Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Fire Department 45 zones, and introduced a vendor to streamline the processing of administrative citations.

The Department also advanced foundational work to modernize the city’s dispatch center, laying the
groundwork for improved call processing, interoperability, and upgrading the communications facilities infrastructure.

To strengthen public transparency and increase accessibility of information, the Department redesigned the FireSafe Berkeley website, developed public-facing Stor
yMaps explaining wildfire pathways and updated Fire Hazard Severity Zones, and created the SeeBFD Open Data Portal Hub — a centralized resource for fire-related maps, datasets, and community tools. Together, these efforts reflect the Department’s commitment to data-driven decision-making, operational accountability, and clear communication with the public.
‣ Fire Prevention and Life Safety: Staff completed adoption of the updated 2025 Fire Code, established comprehensive policies and procedures for fire inspections and investigations,
and developed new special events policies to improve applicant clarity and event safety. Inspectors conducted 8,157 inspections,1,000 of which are considered high-risk, completed over 2,700 permit plan reviews for new construction and tenant improvements, and oversaw 341 permitted events to support safe community activities.

The department also updated its outdated fee schedule to better align with industry standards and launched a citation program to address overcrowded events and parties in the south campus ar
ea.

Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
The FY 27 Proposed Budget increased by 4.4% of the FY 26 Adopted Budget of $78.2 million.

The Fire Department’s budget balancing plan includes a reduction of 12% in the FY 27 General Fund baseline budget. However, due to use of 1x sources, the General Fund reduction is proposed to be 5.4%. These budget reductions will leave the Fire Department less prepared to manage daily emergencies and catastrophic disasters. Core responsibilities will be shifted onto fewer employees who are already carrying full and complex workloads, with fewer specialized staff, fewer pr
evention and preparedness resources, and a diminished operational capacity.

The practical result is a material degradation in the Department’s ability to save lives, protect property, safeguard the environment, and meet the community’s needs when seconds matter. ‣ Significant Personnel Changes:
‣ Reduce One Associate Management Analyst (filled): This eliminates the department’s only staff dedicated to grants and will significantly restrict capacity to apply for, mo
nitor, track, and manage grants. Management of grants and performance reporting will be split between the Strategic Partnerships & Programs and Administrative and Fiscal Services Divisions. These divisions are already stretched with their various responsibilities and without a dedicated staff person, this will reduce the department’s grant capacity and effectiveness. ‣ Reduce One Temporary Program Manager II (filled): Eliminating this temporary position that was funded through FY 28 will discontinue the City’s Street Trauma Pre
vention program. The Fire Department loses its only dedicated staff for this work, including management of six internships and coordination with Public Works Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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46 Fire Department City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Transportation, and community partners. Most program functions will cease, with limited reassignment possible.
‣ Reduce One Fire Marshal FTE (vacant): Consolidating the Wildland Urban Interface and Fire Prevention divisions will shift management from a Fire Marshal to an Assistant Fir
e Chief, reducing specialized fire prevention and investigation expertise.

This change is expected to increase errors and omissions, slow design review and inspection responsiveness, reduce capacity for special event support, and hamper progress on the EMBER Initiative. The department will reprioritize work, leverage technology, and provide additional training; however, specialized capacity will be diminished.
‣ Reduce One Fire Inspector FTE (vacant): Loss of a Fire Prevention Inspector will reduce capacity for annual life-safety inspections of hazardous facilities citywide, delay construction inspections,
and increase complaints from developers and
contractors. Responsiveness to special events will also be compromised. ‣ Reduce One Fire Captain FTE (filled): Eliminating this position weakens oversight of narcotics compliance, critical equipment and supply management, documentation integrity, and inf
ection control in the emergency medical services program.

Redistribution of duties to existing staff will reduce oversight frequency and increase risk.
‣ Eliminate Five Part-Time CERT Instructor FTEs (Hourly Staff): The CERT program will be reduced or eliminated, and plans for community CPR and fire extinguisher training
will cease. Remaining staff may absorb some program elements, but most CERT offerings are expected to end or transition to an alternate model staffed with volunteers.
‣ Eliminate HHCS Funding for FTEs and Non-Personnel Expenses (Measure GG):

Savings would initially occur in HHCS, with funds redirected to Fire minimum staffing ov
ertime, lowering General Fund overtime costs. Reductions would directly impact HHCS and the impacts are discussed in the HHCS section of this report. ‣ Cost-Shift Two Firefighter FTEs from the General Fund to UC Settlement Fund:

Reducing components of the Employee Health & Wellness Program will free UC Funds t
o cover two firefighters.
‣ Close Fire Station 4; eliminate 3 Firefighter (filled), 3 Apparatus Operator (filled), and 3 Fire Captain II (filled) FTEs: Over the past three years (2022-2025), the Fire Department, on average, has responded to 17,426 calls for service. Closing Station 4
will significantly degrade response times and first-alarm effectiveness in its service area and adjacent districts. Engine 4 responded to 28 fires, 966 emergency medical incidents (including 17 cardiac arrests), and numerous other emergencies in 2025. Response time standards were not consistently met; closure of Fire Station 4 will force responses from more distant stations, further degrading performance. Delayed emergency response increases risk of fatality and property loss for fires and medical incidents and elevates firefighter risk. Redistribution of calls will increase workload and fatigue at remaining stations, reduce training time, and heighten burnout. Reliance on mutual aid will rise but is unsustainable and delayed multi-unit responses will become more common. These impacts are high-risk, daily, and cannot be fully mitigated.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Fire Department 47 The City Manager has recommended utilizing one-time funds during Fiscal Year 2027 to delay the closure of Fire Station 4 until after the results of the Sales and Use T
ax measure are disclosed in November 2026.

This is the planned contingency based on the Sales and Use Tax Measure. Should voters approve the Sales and Use Tax measure, the resulting revenue is proposed to be allocated to maintain operations at the fire station. Conversely, if the measure does not pass, the proposed station closure will be reconsidered for Fiscal Year 2028.

At present, this matter is considered critical, with the potential for significant impact across the entire City.

‣ Significant Non-Personnel Changes:
‣ Eliminate Disaster Preparedness Programs: Elimination of OES training contract, shelter supply replacement, internships, and conference budget will leave staff without external r
esources for curriculum development, shelter supply maintenance, student internships, or conference participation.
‣ Cost Shift General Fund Contracts to UC Settlement Fund: Reduced scope of work for a vendor that provides health and wellness education for fire employees.

A full-time co
ntracted human performance specialist who manages the overall employee health program and focuses on physical fitness will be lost. Educational wellness elements (sleep, nutrition, heart-rate variability) will be cut, potentially negatively affecting employee behavior, increasing workers’ compensation trends and the associated work-related underlying acute and chronic disease processes prevalent in the profession.

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48 Fire Department City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Performance Measures Summary
The below table summarizes the Fire Department’s performance measures.

Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
EMS Cardiac Arrest
Surviv
al Rate
The percentage of people who experience
cardiac arrest who, because of the City’s
emergency responders, are discharged
from the hospital neurologically intact with
a Cerebral Performance Category of 1 or 2
10% • 19.60%
●
●
EMS Intubation Success
Rate
The per
centage of patients who require
an advanced airway and for whom the
City’s responders successfully secure an
endotracheal intubation
80% • 85%
●
●
EMS Trauma Patient
On-Scene Time
T
he amount of time emergency responders
remain on scene with a patient who has
critical traumatic injuries
10 minutes,
90%
• Average time: 17
minutes, 12 seconds
(1)
●
●
Fire Prevention State Fire Marshal-
Required Occupancy

Inspections
Complete inspections and submit required
reporting by July 1 to ensure compliance
with California state inspection mandates
100% • 100%
●
●
Operations Turnout Time How long it takes firefighters and paramedics to begin responding after they
are dispatched
120 Seconds
(2:00)
• 121 Seconds (2:01)
●
●
Operations Travel Time How long it takes the first unit to drive from the station to the emergency
300 Seconds
(5:00)
• 343 Seconds (5:43) ●
●
Operations Total Response Time The full time fr om when the emergency is dispatched until the first fire unit arrives,
including dispatch processing (not a Fire
performance measure), crew turnout, and
travel
510 Seconds
(8:30)
• 569 Seconds (9:29)
●
●
Wildland Urban Interface Wildfire Risk
Reduction: Individual
Par
cel
The number of specific parcels within the
Grizzly pear and Panoramic Mitigation
Zones that are fully compliant with the WUI
vegetation code, AND have ember resistant
mesh installed
10% • Data pending
●
●
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Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Fire Department 49 Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Wildland Urban Interface Wildfire Risk
Reduction: Inspection
Access
T
he number of homes that have a full
inspection on file for a given calendar year
within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity
Zone
1000 homes • Data pending n/a
Wildland Urban Interface Widfire Risk
Reduction: Fuel
Removal
Cubic yards of vegetative fuel removed by
the Chipper program annually
3000 cubic
yards
• Data pending n/a

●
●
Meeting/exceeding target ▲
●
Target is to increase numbers/percentages
●
●
Near target ▼
●
Target is to decrease numbers/percentages
●
●
Not meeting target

(1) Average trauma scene time is 11 minutes, 42 seconds, with a median of 10 minutes, 44 seconds. Staff will take a closer look at those cases to determine whether this reflects true outliers or a documentation issue contributing to the increase.

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50 Health, Housing and Community Services City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Health, Housing and Community Services
Mission Statement
The Mission of the Health, Housing, and Community Services Department is to enhance community life and support housing, health, and wellness for all.

Organizational Chart
Aging
Services
Environmental
Health
Housing &
Community
Services
Oﬃce of the
Director
Mental Health Public Health
Health, Housing and Community Services Overview
The Health, Housing, and Community Services (HHCS) Department houses the Local Public Health Jurisdiction (LHJ) and is responsible for public health prevention and response including emergencies
and for the physical health, mental health, environmental health and community needs of those most vulnerable.

The department is also responsible for producing, preserving, and supporting affordable housing for Berkeley residents. In addition to the Office of the Director, the department’s five divisions include Public Health, Mental Health, Housing and Community Services, Environmental Health, and Aging Services.

Together, these divisions provide a wide array of services to the community, including services for older adults, affordable housing development and homelessness response programs, environmental health inspections and enforcement, mental health services and crisis response, and mandated LHJ associated public health prevention, clinical services, and disease surveillance. Through this structure, the Department works to address the social determinants of health and improve the overall health and well-being of Berkeley residents.

‣ Office of the Director: The Office of the Director provides overall leadership, strategic direction, policy development, management, and fiscal and budget support for the Department.

The Office of the Director works closely with Department divisions, community stakeholders, and City commissions to prioritize programs and initiatives that most directly impact the health and well-being of the Berkeley community. The Office of the Director includes the Department’s Administration & Fiscal Unit, which supports Department budgets and operations, as well as the EPICC Unit (Equity Projects, Improvement, Communications, & CalAIM Coordination). EPICC leads internal and Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Health, Housing and Community Services 51 external communications, supports department-wide performance measurement and continuous improvement, and advances key initiatives such as CalAIM implementation, including Medi-Cal
Administrative Activities and Targeted Case Management. EPICC also includes the Youth Equity Partnership, a racial equity initiative designed to support African American/Black and Latinx young people who live and/or go to school in Berkeley to thrive academically, physically, and emotionally.
‣ Aging Services: The Aging Services Division enhances the well-being and independence of older adults by offering social connections, activities, and supportive services. The Division oper
ates two senior centers that provide classes, events, workshops, and day trips, along with opportunities for social engagement and access to community resources. Aging Services provides nutrition services, including the Meals on Wheels program for homebound seniors, and a lunch program at both senior centers. Case managers in the Social Services Unit provide consultation, referral, and linkage to services for seniors who are unhoused or at risk of institutionalization. The Division’s Berkeley Rides for Seniors & Disabled program provides transportation services through accessible van vouchers and contracted ride programs to support access to services like medical appointments, groceries and the senior centers. ‣ Environmental Health: The Environmental Health Division (EHD) protects public health and prevents disease by providing education and enforcing state and local health laws at more than
1,200 permitted businesses and facilities across the City, including cafes/ bars/restaurants, body art, and pool and spa facilities, tobacco and cannabis retailers.

EHD enforces the City’s noise ordinance and responds to complaints of excessive noise from sources such as gas-powered leaf blowers and other point sources, In FY25, the Division conducted 3,690 inspections which includes routine inspections of all permitted food facilities, investigations of permitted and unpermitted facilities, and operations. complaints of insanitary conditions and suspected foodborne illnesses at permitted food facilities. EHD works with other City
agencies to abate nuisance conditions that may
contribute to the spread of disease in the community.
‣ Housing and Community Services: The Housing and Community Services Division (HCS) produces, preserves, and supports affordable housing by working with community partners
to meet the needs of Berkeley residents who are low-income, homeless, seniors, disabled, or have special needs. The Division partners with housing developers to build and maintain affordable housing, monitors regulated units, and administers housing- related programs and ordinances. Housing and Community Services also coordinates the City’s community agency funding process and administers funding to more than 50 community-based organizations that provide housing and supportive services.

The Division also administers Berkeley’s Shelter + Care program which provides housing vouchers and supportive services to vulnerable residents, and leads the City’s homeless programs and policy efforts, including winter shelter programs and coordinated entry to housing. In addition, the Division administers and supports implementation of local workforce and labor standards ordinances, including the Minimum Wage, Living Wage, Paid Sick Leave, and Fair Workweek ordinances.
‣ Mental Health: The Mental Health Division (MH) provides intensive services to adults, youth, and children who have high-level mental health needs and Medi-Cal. The Division serv
es as the “front door” to the public mental health system, providing on-demand assessment, linkage to care, and comprehensive treatment for low-income individuals and families through the Division’s Adult Mental Health clinic and Family, Youth, and Children’s services. Mental Health also funds and supports a variety of community- Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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52 Health, Housing and Community Services City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 based service providers that deliver culturally responsive services to a wide range of City residents, including youth, seniors, LGBTQI+ individuals, and underserved communities. ‣ Public Health: The Public Health Division (PH) is our LHJ and protects our community health and health equity in Berkeley through prevention, clinical services, and community- based par
tnerships. The Division provides health education and promotion services focused on nutrition, chronic disease prevention, maternal and child health, oral health, and adolescent health, as well as clinical services including reproductive health and first aid at our Berkeley High School clinic and immunizations. In FY25, Public Health conducted 552 outreach events and workshops and provided 25,033 direct services to community members. Public Health also is responsible for managing the Soda Tax, Sugar Sweetened Beverage program and has responsibility for registration of vital records including bir
ths and deaths within the City. The Communicable Disease Unit serves as the City’s frontline defense in identifying, investigating, and controlling infectious disease threats to protect public health. Supported by a dedicated epidemiology unit, the team utilizes real-time surveillance to monitor health trends and detect emerging outbreaks. The unit is proactively prepared to coordinate rapid responses to a wide range of communicable diseases, including but not limited to diseases like measles, mumps, mpox (monkeypox), HIV and leptospirosis to mitigate community transmission. By integrating clinical expertise with robust disease investigation protocols, the unit works tirelessly to break chains of infection, provide vital education to the public, and ensure the rapid implementation of containment strategies to safeguard the well-being of all Berkeley residents.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Health, Housing and Community Services 53 Challenges
The Health, Housing and Community Services (HHCS) Department’s challenges include:
‣ Staffing: Across the Department, staffing continues to be a significant challenge. While progress has been made in reducing vacancy rates in recent years, a hiring freeze and ongoing recruitment challenges—par
ticularly for specialized classifications such
as mental health clinicians, public/mental health nurses, and environmental health specialists—have limited the Department’s ability to fully staff programs. Staffing shortages contribute to increased workload, staff burnout, and constraints on service delivery.
‣ Funding and Resource Constraints:.HHCS faces significant fiscal challenges due to the expiration, restructuring, and reduction of key state and federal funding streams. These budgetary pr
essures are driven by the implementation of the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) which restructured the former Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) under Proposition 1 requiring a realignment of services to focus on intensive, payment reform of Medi-Cal behavioral health services, mandate-based care; the stabilization of CalFresh Healthy Living (CFHL), a nutrition education and obesity prevention program; and the end of various SEED (Social, Economic, and Educational Development) grants that supported localized, exploratory initiatives in health equity. Additionally, Aging Services lost a decades long Area Agency on Aging grant through the county to provide Information and Assistance resources to seniors in the community. Together, these reductions constrain our capacity to maintain broad-based health, nutrition, information and assistance, and mental wellness programs, forcing a pivot toward core legal mandates to ensure the sustainability of the City’s public health safety net.
‣ Service Demand and Complexity: Demand for services remains high across all divisions, particularly in housing, homelessness response, communicable disease, and behavioral health. Incr
easingly complex client needs require more intensive and coordinated services. Aging Services continue to recover from pandemic-related disruptions, with service levels and participation significantly improving but not yet fully returned to pre-pandemic conditions. Additionally, the Judge Henry Ramsey Jr. South Berkeley Senior Center will be closed for renovations beginning in mid to late 2027, for several months.

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54 Health, Housing and Community Services City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Accomplishments
Highlights of recent HHCS accomplishments include:
‣ Expanded Programs: Many Divisions in HHCS successfully expanded their services and regular activities in FY24.Many divisions within the Department have continued to expand services and programming. Housing and Community Services (HCS) supported the de
velopment and preservation of affordable housing units and expanded shelter and interim housing programs, including winter shelters and the opening of Step-Up Housing, offering 39 fully furnished studio units designed to support formerly unhoused individuals. HCS secured approvals for major transit-oriented development projects, including 739 homes at the North Berkeley BART station site (with 381 units designated for lower-income households), aligning with state and local housing goals. In addition, the division successfully administered over $10 million annually through the community agency Request for
Proposal (RFP) process, supporting 50+ community-based
organizations in providing essential housing, homelessness, and supportive services.

Public Health reopened and expanded services at the West Berkeley Family Wellness Center, improving access to health, nutrition, and family support services, through programs such as the Fatherhood Initiative, and exercise and cooking classes. Public Health also expanded its peer educator model to include opioid and substance use health education programs at Berkeley High School and Berkeley Technology Academy campuses. Finally, Public Health completed the foundational Community Health Assessment (CHA) and launched the development of the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) to address critical priorities such as housing stability, behavioral health, and community safety through a community-driven, data-informed process. Public Health is rebuilding communicable disease preparedness and response capacity following the challenges presented by the Covid 19 pandemic.

Aging Services continued to rebuild participation levels and programming across both Senior Centers following the pandemic, utilizing engaging, health-promoting, and accessible programming to reduce social isolation. The centers have remained vital hubs for nutrition, social connection, and access to essential resources, maintaining high engagement through diverse event calendars and senior-focused workshops. Aging Services serves over 2,000 seniors annually and in FY26 provided nearly 100,000 hours of activities at the two senior centers. Aging also successfully executed a comprehensive recertification of the Berkeley Rides for Seniors and the Disabled (BRSD) program in 2025. By verifying the eligibility of 1,756 riders and continuing to refine the program through the 2026 program plan, the Division ensured that limited Measure BB funds are directed to the residents who most actively rely on the service, creating a more sustainable program model amidst significant budgetary constraints and shifting transportation market demands.
‣ Creative solutions for complex challenges: The Mental Health division has been preparing for the significant funding changes that the transition from the Mental Health Service Act t
o the Behavioral Health Service Act will bring. California’s payment reform of Medi-Cal has also reduced the revenue received for services by about 50%. Workforce development efforts in Mental Health, including expanded internship partnerships, add services to the community while the Division experiences long-term staffing challenges.

The De
partment is also pleased to have recently secured approximately $7M in funding from the state through the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Round 2: Unmet Needs program grant. This grant will enable Mental Health to rebuild a Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Health, Housing and Community Services 55 currently non-functional Adult Mental Health building and transform it into an accessible and welcoming clinic, adding eighty additional treatment slots as well as expanded group
treatment and opioid use treatment capacity. Due to the timing of the notification, this funding source will be appropriated through the FY 2027 Annual Appropriations Ordinance #1.
‣ Operational Strategies & Successes: HHCS has made significant progress in strengthening internal systems and organizational effectiveness. It has begun to implement a Results-Based
Accountability framework department-wide to develop
performance measures and dashboards to track outcomes. Environmental Health adopted a new database tracking system to improve permitting and inspection processes, recently hired key supervisory staff, and intends to implement a new placarding system, as well as post restaurant inspection reports by winter of 2027.

The Department continues to implement its operational plan on Health Equity, and invest in staff development, cross-division collaboration, and internal communication through programs like the HHCS Job Shadowing Program. The Department is also pursuing Public Health Accreditation, which is an opportunity to assess and improve our organizational structure.

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56 Health, Housing and Community Services City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
HHCS proposes to reduce $3.5 million in annual General Fund from the General Fund biennial baseline budgets and a variety of other actions to correct special fund deficits.

Budget Changes - General Fund
Category FY 2027
Baseline
Budget
FY 2027
Pr
oposed Budget
Change
Personnel $15,253,347 $13,852,557 -$1,400,790
Personnel – OT &
Hourly
$711,777 $691,042
Non-Personnel $21,583,541 $19,443,394
-$20,735
-$2,140,147
Category FY 2028
Baseline
Budget
FY 2028
Pr
oposed Budget
Change
Personnel $15,726,063 $14,360,254 -$1,365,809
Personnel
– OT &
Hourly
$711,777 $691,042 -$20,735
No
n-Personnel $21,583,541 $19,514,617 -$2,068,924 FTE Changes (All Funds)
Ca
tegory Baseline FTE Change
Total Staffing 240.75
Proposed FTE
195.75 -45
Significant Personnel Changes by FTE:

A. Envir
onmental Health Division
‣ Elimination of 1.0 FTE vacant Office Specialist II
‣ Elimination of 2.0 FTE Vector Control positions (one filled and one vacant) B. Mental
Health Division
‣ Mobile Crisis Team: Elimination of 2.6 filled FTE
C. Public Health
Division
‣ Heart to Heart program: Elimination of 2.0 FTE (one filled, one vacant) ‣ Targeted Case Management: Elimination of one vacant Public Health Nurse position.
‣ Women Infants and Children (WIC) Program: Shifts 0.40 FTE from the General Fund t
o the WIC grant, enabling salary support without reducing service levels.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Health, Housing and Community Services 57 ‣ Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Program: Measure GG resources allocated to PHEP are being reallocated to support Fire Department operations.

Elimination of 1.0
FTE vacant Health Services Program Specialist and 1.0 FTE filled Community Health Services Specialist.

D. Housing and Community Services Division
‣ Vacant positions were held and eliminated, including one Program Manager II and several special-funded positions impacted by increased personnel costs.

E. Community Agencies

‣ Where feasible, to preserve various community programs (i.e., BOSS Step-Up on University and a portion of funding for the STAIR Center) that serve our most vulnerable, funding was shifted
to Measure U1 and other special funds/revenue
sources. Notwithstanding, reductions are proposed for the following:
‣ Berkeley Winter Shelter: Recommended for elimination due to the lack of a feasible location. This would reduce shelter capacity only during the winter months b
y twenty-five beds, mainly affecting highly vulnerable unsheltered individuals, often seniors. This program has been operated by Dorothy Day House, who also operates the City’s Inclement Weather Shelter program during the winter months, which is not impacted by the Budget Balancing Plan. Savings generated are $358,750.
‣ STAIR Center: A 23% reduction in operating funding is proposed for this program serving people experiencing homelessness. The program is located on Second Street in West Berkely. The proposed funding reduction aligns with the 25% reduction in bed capacity due to the shift to non-congregate sheltering and ADA improvements which both required more space. Also, the City is the sole funder for this
program, even though participants enter through the Coordinated Entry System due to federal funding requirements. Staff recommend that BACS, who manage this program, diversify funding sources. Savings generated are $400,554. ‣ Rising Sun. This program provides construction apprenticeship readiness to approximately six (6) residents. The current contract expires June 30, 2026, and funding was allocated outside of the Community Agency grant process. Savings of $50,000 are estimated by not extending the existing contract. ‣ Supply Bank. This program provides school supplies and dental kits to approximately 1,300 Berkeley students. The current contract expires June 30, 2026, and funding was allocated outside of the Community Agency grant process.

Savings of $35,000 are estimated by not extending the existing contract.

Significant Changes – Special Funds
‣ Affordable Housing Mitigation Fund 120: $22M increase to the FY 2027 proposed budget. This is primarily due to the Housing Trust Fund program expenditures fluctuate year t
o year based on when pipeline projects are expected to close their predevelopment or development loans. HCS anticipates closing up to 5 new loans in FY27 from Fund 120.
‣ Public Health Realignment Fund 156: $1.5M decrease to the FY 2027 proposed budget. This is primarily due to a one-time expenditure in FY 2026 for a replacement
Electronic Health Record in Public Health not carrying into the new fiscal year.

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58 Health, Housing and Community Services City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 ‣ Mental Health State Aid Realignment Fund 158: $2.4M proposed reductions to balance the FY 2027- FY 2028 budget have been submitted. ‣ Mental Health Services Act Fund 315: Net $1.2M reduction to the FY 2027 proposed budget. This is primarily due to significant revenue loss for mental health services based on Prop 1 system restructuring that mandates new spending r
equirements that prioritize housing and substance use disorders over general community programs. Also, a one-time expenditure in FY 2027 of $1.3M for capital improvements of 2636 MLK as part of required cash match for a $7M BHCIP award has been budgeted in FY 2027. Proposed reductions of $2.5M to balance the FY 2027- FY 2028 budget have been submitted. ‣ Health (Short/Doyle) Fund 316: $3.2M reduction to the FY 2027 proposed budget.

As a small jurisdiction acting as a contractor to Alameda County for Medi-Cal, Berkeley was disproportionately penalized by rate cuts in the State’s Medi-Cal shifts t
o a fee-for-service model effectively reducing the City’s Medi-Cal revenue by 50%. Additionally, cost shifts of $1.4M from Fund 316 to Mental Health State Aid Realignment Fund 158 to mitigate reductions in revenue have been proposed.

Proposed reduction of $1.8M to balance the FY 2027- FY 2028 budget. ‣ Vector Control Fund 325: $336K reduction to the FY 2027- FY 2028 proposed budget. Environmental Health’s Vector Control Program will be transferred to Alameda County, and the City will no longer provide this service. ‣ Measure O Affordable Housing Fund 512: $26M increase to the FY2027 proposed budget. Expenditures fluctuate year to year based on when pipeline projects are expected t
o close their predevelopment or development loans. HCS anticipates closing up to 3 new loans in FY27 from Fund 512.

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Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Health, Housing and Community Services 59 Performance Measures Summary
The below table summarizes the Health, Housing and Community Service Department’s performance measures.

Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Aging Services Meals Provided by
Aging Services
Count of meals, combining
congr
egate and Meals on Wheels
n/a (1) • 108,464 meals:
o 22,748 congregate meals
o 85,716 Meals on Wheels
n/a
Aging Services Meal Participants
Supported to Age in
Place
Number and percentage of Meals
on Wheels and senior center lunch
participants who report that meal
services help them continue living at
home
New Measure • Data pending n/a
Mental Health Behavior
al Health
Clients Connected to
Primary Care
Percentage of behavioral health
clients who had at least one primary
care visit during the year, indicating
connection to routine health care
75% or
greater
(2)
• 85% reduction ●
●
Mental Health Reduced Psychiatric
Crisis Da
ys
Percentage of behavioral health
clients with fewer psychiatric crisis
days compared to the prior year,
indicating reduced crisis utilization
and improved stability
▲
●
• 70% ●
●
Environmental Health Timely Foodborne
Illness Res
ponse
Percentage of foodborne illness
complaints investigated within 24
hours of receipt
New Measure • Data pending n/a
Environmental Health Restaur
ant
Inspections
Percentage of food facilities up to
date on inspections based on risk
classification
New Measure • Data pending n/a
Housing & Community

Services
Affordable Housing
Units Completed
Number of Housing Trust
Fund-supported affordable housing
units constructed or rehabilitated
and completed during the fiscal year
▲
●
• 350 units ●
●
Public Health Timely Communicable
Disease Reporting
Percentage of communicable
disease threats identified and
reported to the Public Health Officer
within legally mandated timeframes
New Measure • Data pending n/a

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60 Health, Housing and Community Services City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Public Health Timely Contact for
High-Risk Disease
Cases
Per
centage of high-risk
communicable disease cases where
the patient was contacted within
required public health timeframes
New Measure • Data pending n/a
Public Health Public Health
Clients Connected t
o
Services
Percentage of public health
clients successfully connected to
appropriate medical, behavioral
health, or social services
New Measure • Data pending n/a
Public Health Timely
Public Health
Referral Contact
Percentage of public health service
referrals where the client was
contacted within three business days
of referral receipt
New Measure • Data pending n/a

●
●
Meeting/exceeding target ▲
●
Target is to increase numbers/percentages
●
●
Near target ▼
●
Target is to decrease numbers/percentages
●
●
Not meeting target

(1) All performance measures in this table capture the level of activity and effort in their respective areas. For a few, the direction of a trend (e.g., upward or downward) can be in response to both positive and negative influences, making it difficult to establish a desired target. (2) Initially, staff identified increasing the percentage year over year as a fitting target, similar to targets explored by colleagues in other divisions. After more consideration, staff identified meeting a floor of 75 percent. (3) STAIR (stability, navigation, and respite) is Berkeley’s housing navigation center.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Human Resources 61 Human Resources
Mission Statement
The Human Resources Department partners with City departments to attract, retain, and support a diverse and highly qualified workforce in service of the City of Berkeley’s mission. We are committed to pr
oviding responsive, high-quality internal customer service and ensuring access to the tools, resources, and guidance departments need to operate effectively.

Through a strong focus on compliance, consistency, and continuous improvement, we help the organization maintain policy and contractual obligations while fostering a professional, safe, and productive work environment and workforce that reflects the community we serve.

Organizational Chart
Employee Relations
Manager
Director of Human
resources
Human Resources
Manager
■ Labor & Employee Relations
■ Beneﬁts
■ Worker’s Compensation, Leaves,
& Accommodations
■ Occupational Health & Safety
■ Equal Employment Opportunity
■ Recruitment, Examinations,
Selection
■ Onboarding and Transactions
■ Workforce Development
■ Classiﬁcation and Compensation
Assistant Management
Analyst
Human Resources Overview
As a strategic partner to City leadership and departments, the Human Resources Department delivers integrated services across 12 core functional areas that support the full employee lifecy
cle and ensure organizational effectiveness and compliance. These functions include:
(1) Classification and Compensation;
(2) Recruitment;
(3) Selection and Examinations;
(4) Onboarding and Transactions;
(5) Workforce Development;
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62 Human Resources City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 (6) Labor Relations;
(7) Employee Relations;
(8) Ben
efits;
(9) Workers’ Compensation;
(10) Leaves and Accommodations;
(11) Occupational Health and Safety; and
(12) Equal Employment Opportunity.

Through these functions, Human Resources supports departments in navigating complex personnel matters, maintaining compliance with contractual requirements, and building a skilled and supported workforce aligned with the City’s mission.

Challenges
The Human Resources Department has reduced its staffing by 2.0 FTE positions this budget cycle, resulting in the reassignment of workers’ compensation and safety-related responsibilities to exis
ting staff. While these functions will continue to be performed, this shift requires staff to absorb additional workload, which will reduce capacity to support other HR services and initiatives. In response, the Department is prepared to prioritize a compliance-based service model to ensure the City continues to meet its legal, contractual, and regulatory obligations, while maintaining core support for departments to the extent feasible.

In addition, anticipated workforce reductions across the City will require a heightened focus on hiring controls and adherence to contractual and regulatory requirements.

This includes managing hiring freezes in impacted classifications, maintaining and administering reinstatement lists, and ensuring compliance with layoff provisions in labor agreements and personnel rules. These responsibilities are administratively intensive and will require a reallocation of staff time and resources across the Department. As a result, HR’s work will shift toward ensuring process integrity, compliance, and risk mitigation during a period of organizational transition.

Accomplishments
Over the past year, the Human Resources Department has strengthened its role as a strategic partner to the organization by advancing key initiatives that improve service delivery, ensure compliance, and suppor
t a more effective and resilient workforce.
‣ Led Citywide Workforce Stabilization Efforts: Partnered with executive leadership to develop and implement a comprehensive approach to addressing the City’s structural budget deficit, including workfor
ce reduction planning, layoff process design, and
labor engagement. Ensured compliance with Personnel Rules and labor agreements while prioritizing transparency and support for impacted employees.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Human Resources 63 ‣ Enhanced Data-Driven Decision Making: Developed and deployed workforce and labor analysis tools, including dashboards and costing mechanisms, to support contract negotiations
and leadership in evaluating fiscal scenarios, workforce impacts, and labor negotiation strategies.
‣ Improved Recruitment and Hiring Processes: Continued to streamline hiring practices and reduce time-to-fill through process improvements and coordination across
departments, while maintaining compliance with Personnel Rules and equitable hiring practices.
‣ Expanded Employee Development and Organizational Support: Advanced workforce development efforts, including supervisory training and employee learning opportunities,
to better equip managers and employees with the tools needed for success.
‣ Hiring Over Attrition Strategy: To reduce vacancy rates, prioritizing high-impact classifications and improving overall workforce continuity.

Calendar y
ear 2025:
‣ Hiring over attrition
‣ Career: 146 hires and 134 separations
‣ All: 488 hires and 392 separations
‣ Average time to hire
‣ All: 145 days
‣ Police Officer/Police Officer Recruit: 101 days
‣ Launched Employee Access: Introduced the Employee Access module in ERMA to improve how staff access personnel and pay information, providing better access to information, faster
processing of changes, and more consistent support to
employees.
‣ Streamlined Seasonal Hiring: Redesigned the seasonal hiring process through centralized hiring workshops that combined exams, interviews, job offers, medical clearances, and onboar
ding into a single streamlined experience, significantly reducing time-to-hire and improving candidate conversion. ‣ Implemented CritiCall Testing Platform: Implemented the CritiCall testing software for dispatcher recruitment, modernizing the assessment process, improving candidate e
valuation, and aligning hiring practices with industry standards for public safety communications roles.

Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
The Human Resources Department budget has been reduced by approximately 12% in response to the City’s budget deficit. Reductions include the elimination of certain software subscriptions, such as the HR Acuity platform
and GovInvest labor costing and pension modules, as well as a general reduction in the use of external consultants.

In addition, the Human Resources Analyst position supporting Workers’ Compensation will be eliminated, with responsibilities absorbed by other staff members. The Occupational Health Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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64 Human Resources City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 and Safety Specialist position will also be eliminated, with responsibilities shifting to the Safety Officer.

These changes
allow for a rebalancing of staffing costs into the Workers’ Compensation Fund, reducing General Fund expenditures and having no additional cost impact to the Workers’ Compensation Fund.

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Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Human Resources 65 Performance Measures Summary
The below table summarizes the Human Resources Department’s performance measures.

Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Training Mandatory Trainings Attain minimum compliance r ate of 95% across all City departments
95% • Every department exceeded
95% with 9 departments
attaining 100%
●
●
Training Training Plans Engage at least 50% of workfor ce with voluntary training plans
designed to fit career paths on
NEOGOV’s LEARN module
▲
●
• Data pending ●
●
Equal Employment
Opportunity (EEO)
Per
formance
Management and EEO
Investigations
Provide guidance to departments
regarding performance evaluations,
counseling and disciplinary matters;
reduce time of investigations of EEO
complaints; target is 4 months or
less
▲
●
• Data pending ●
●
Benefits Participation
in Deferr
ed
Compensation Plans
Increase number of participants/
contribution rates by 10%
▲
●
• Data pending ●
●
Benefits Employee Benefits
Literacy
Campaign
Increase employee awareness and
understanding of available City
benefits by delivery of benefits
information through Berkeley
Matters a minimum of 1x monthly
New Measure • Data pending n/a

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66 Human Resources City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Training Citywide Training
Progr
am
Establish a structured and
sustainable Citywide training
framework measured by percentage
of departments with completed
training needs assessments and
documented training priorities;
target of 100% by end of caledar
year 2026. Increase the year over
year employee participation by
number or percentage of employees
participating in citywide training
New Measure • Data pending n/a
Classification and
Compensation
Class
ification System
Development
Strengthen career pathways and
succession planning through
improved classification structure
with the goal of completing a 10
priority classifications for review and
update in FY 27
New Measure • Data pending n/a
All Divisions HR Guide
De
velopment
Develop a centralized, accessible
HR Guide that provides employees
and supervisors with clear guidance
on key HR processes and policies
measured by the number of core
HR process areas with published
guidance. Target: Draft guidance for
at least 8 core HR topics (2) by June
30, 2027
New Measure • Data pending n/a
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Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Human Resources 67 Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Workers’ Compensation Workers’
Compensation
Progr
am Assessment
& Stabilization
Strengthen oversight and financial
sustainability of the City’s Workers’
Compensation program through
data-driven assessment and program
improvements by completing review
of 100% of open claims by June 30,
2027, and establish baseline metrics
for claim cost, claim duration, lost
time, modified duty, and claim
closure rate
New Measure • Data pending n/a

●
●
Meeting/exceeding target ▲
●
Target is to increase numbers/percentages
●
●
Near target ▼
●
Target is to decrease numbers/percentages
●
●
Not meeting target

(1) The reasons supervisors/managers choose to schedule one, several, or no appointments are outside the control of Employee Relations.
(2) Examples of core topics could include recruitment, onboarding, leaves, accommodations, discipline, performance management, classification, compensation, workers’ compensation, labor relations, and EEO.

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68 Information Technology City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Information Technology
Mission Statement
The City of Berkeley’s Information Technology Department mission is to provide sustainable, agile and secure technology solutions, acting as a trusted partner in driving digital transformation t
o enhance services for community members, businesses and City staff.

By leveraging our six operational divisions, the department focuses on deploying robust infrastructure while fostering innovation, fiscal resilience and equitable digital access.

Organizational Chart
Finance &
Admin
Enterprise
Systems
Project
Management
Oﬃce
Director
CISO
Customer
ServiceInfrastructure
Information Technology Overview
The Department of Information Technology (IT) provides the strategic framework and innovative technological solutions that power City operations. By facilitating the effective delivery of municipal services and connecting the
Berkeley community, IT serves as the digital backbone of the City through the following six operational divisions:
‣ Customer Service Division:This division serves as the City’s primary engagement hub, bridging the gap between technology and the people it serves through two specialized sub-divisions:
‣ IT Customer Service: The centralized engine for internal technical support, serving as the first point of contact for all City staff and administration through a compr
ehensive phone, self-service and walk-in service model. This team ensures that every department has the digital and technology tools necessary to serve the Berkeley community. From empowering Public Safety (Police and Fire), Health, Housing and Community Services (HHCS) and Public Works to supporting Parks, Rec & Waterfront, Planning, Finance and HR, this division provides an evenly distributed support framework. As the City’s primary intake hub, it provides Tier 1 and robust technical support for all internal IT issues, including network connectivity, login troubleshooting and mobile phone management.

The division is responsible for conference room audio-visual (AV) support, the imaging and deployment of new computers and laptops and comprehensive Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Information Technology 69 asset management of both physical equipment and enterprise applications.

Furthermore, the team manages Tier 2 escalations through dedicated field and onsite visits,
resolving complex technical challenges directly at City facilities to ensure operational continuity across all City service locations. to vulnerabilities and security incidents.
‣ 311 Community Service: The centralized public-facing service hub providing community members and businesses with a single point of entry for City services.

Using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, 311 manages and tracks requests for Public Works, Business Licenses, Parking Permits, Refuse services and general inquiries, ensuring community needs are addressed with transpar
ency and efficiency. stems to align with policies.
‣ Finance and Administration: Oversees the IT budget, forecasting, financial operations, technology procurement and vendor contracts. This division ensures IT business practices
align with City policies and comply with local, state, and federal regulations.

Crucially, this team manages all internal administrative functions, including personnel functions, payroll processing, and department-wide HR coordination. ‣ Infrastructure & Operations: Architects and manages all data center, computing, and communications assets, including networking, servers, storage, and voice systems. This division ensur
es the City’s digital foundation is robust, secure and resilient. ‣ Project Management Office (PMO): Manages the IT Project Portfolio, providing implementation services for new technology and support for existing systems. The PMO establishes pr
oject standards and acts as a vital liaison between City departments and technical teams to ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned with City goals.
‣ Security: The Information Security Office (ISO) orchestrates efforts to protect the City’s information assets with a dedicated focus on cybersecurity, business continuity and disaster r
ecovery. The ISO team plans cybersecurity initiatives and works closely with departments to maintain compliance with data standards and privacy laws. Key focus areas include detecting vulnerabilities, responding to security incidents, providing centralized authentication systems and educating staff about information security to ensure the City remains resilient against evolving threats.

Challenges
Strategic Challenges & Priorities The Department of Information Technology is currently navigating a period of significant fiscal transition. As the City balances competing needs, the IT department
is shifting its focus toward a model of “Fiscal Sustainability and Risk Management”.

While recent years were dedicated to modernization and strategic planning, the current fiscal environment requires a lean approach that prioritizes essential service continuity above all else.

Stability and Organizational Health Historically, the IT Department has faced significant challenges regarding leadership continuity. In 2022, the current Director became the third to lead th
e department in an eight-year span. This historical lack of long-term tenure frequently resulted in a reactive operational mode. To address this, the department is prioritizing a stable, permanent strategic direction to alleviate staff apprehension and move away from “firefighting” toward planned, strategic support. Furthermore, the department has permanently lost four Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions due to recent budget reductions. Because budget reductions also limit the ability to bring in the contract resources used in previous years, aligning Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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70 Information Technology City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 our remaining internal resources to key projects is essential. This focus ensures that staff are not overwhelmed and that morale remains stable as we transition to this leaner service model.

Fiscal Sustainability and Structural Realities The department is working closely with the City Manager and the Budget Office to navigate a structural gap between fixed operational costs and av
ailable revenue. Baseline expenditures are largely driven by rising personnel costs and non-negotiable software contracts. Following the 2025 stability reserve adjustments, the department is operating without a traditional fiscal buffer. As IT implements the mandated General Fund reductions, we must acknowledge that these constraints necessitate a transition from a posture of rapid modernization to one of core maintenance. The challenge for the upcoming cycle is to manage these reductions while minimizing the impact on the City’s digital resilience.

Managing Technical Debt and Operational Risk Budgetary reductions, including the permanent elimination of FTE positions and a drastic annual decrease in the project portfolio, require the depar
tment to defer certain modernization efforts. While necessary to meet City-wide fiscal goals, this deferral creates “Technical Debt”. The operational risk lies in moving toward a more reactive maintenance model; industry standards suggest that emergency repairs can be significantly more costly than proactive, planned maintenance. The department remains committed to monitoring these risks and ensuring that the most critical systems remain stable.

Workforce Capacity and Institutional Knowledge Maintaining a high level of service with a reduced headcount remains a primary concern. The permanent loss of personnel is particularly impactful regar
ding legacy systems. The department has already experienced the departure of staff with vital “FUND$” knowledge and currently relies on a small group of highly experienced contractors. Preserving this institutional knowledge while managing workload with fewer resources is a top priority for IT leadership to ensure no service gaps occur.

Legacy System Migration (FUND$) Retiring the legacy FUND$ system remains a critical priority for reducing the City’s long-term technical risk. The department has made strategic progress, with th
e Accounts Receivable (AR) module now successfully completed. Work is currently ongoing to address the General Billing (GB) module; concurrently, the department has begun addressing the complex requirements for Land Management, Parcel Data and taxation. These are not exclusive tasks and managing them in parallel is essential to move off the aging FUND$ platform, where maintenance costs continue to rise as the talent pool for legacy hardware shrinks.

Fixed Cost Drivers: Inflation and Mandates IT is subject to external cost drivers that remain largely beyond its direct control. Enterprise software vendors continue to implement average price increases of 12–15% upon renewal. Furthermore, the department must fund infrastructure upgrades required by evolving cybersecurity mandates (such as CJIS and HIPAA) and insurance compliance standards. These non-discretionary costs represent a significant portion of the IT budget and must be prioritiz
ed to protect the City’s data and legal standing.

Infrastructure and Capital Improvement (CIP) High-speed connectivity and data center resiliency are as vital to municipal functions as physical infrastructure like roads and sewers.

Recurring power and HV
AC issues at the current on-premise data center facilities present a persistent risk to the City’s compute environment. Due to budgetary matters, the department is deferring its ask for $2.2 million in CIP funding to relocate these operations to a high-availability solution, such as a colocation facility (CoLo) or cloud environment. This transition was a key strategic goal to improve uptime and security while reducing long-term administrative overhead but has now been deferred.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Information Technology 71 Better Device Management The department continues to manage an expanded hardware footprint from the shift to a hybrid work model. Many personnel still utilize multiple devices of varied brands, which has nearly doubled support requirements without a corresponding increase in staff. IT is moving forward with a “One Person, One Device” policy to reduce this redundancy, streamline our support model, and ensure our hardware lifecycle remains sustainable within current budget parameters.

IT Governance and Strategic Prioritization Historically, the IT Department has operated without a robust Technology Governance Model, which has diminished the department’s influence on technology solutions and their purpose for the City. This lack of oversight has frequently led to redundant acquisitions that place undue demand on limited resources. While the department recognized this critical need this past year and formed a preliminary committee to address it, the framework was not finalized primarily due to the sheer volume of competing operational priorities and the significant time required to build a formal structure. In the upcoming cycle, the department will focus on revitalizing this effort b y establishing clear metrics for success
and securing the “authoritative voice” necessary to ensure that IT planning is a collaborative, City-wide endeavor. This will transform the governance model from a periodic discussion into a foundational pillar of the City’s fiscal and technical strategy, ensuring that resources are prioritized for high-impact projects like Employee Self-Service and automated Time and Attendance systems rather than uncoordinated technology acquisitions.

Accomplishments
The Department of Information Technology (IT) successfully executed a comprehensive modernization of the City’s infrastructure, balancing large-scale system migrations with critical security and internal service enhancements. These achievements were delivered during a period of significant fiscal constraint, requiring the strategic navigation of a $6.1 million budget reduction. Despite these cutbacks, the department successfully migrated over 300 virtual servers, deployed Windows 11 City-wide, deployed Wi-Fi to all City buildings, and implemented the “Berkeley 2-Step” Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) pr otocol. Furthermore, the department
successfully launched BeWARNED, a significant internal warning and safety announcement system designed to ensure timely and critical communications reach all City employees and staff during emergencies. These initiatives have significantly improved the City’s technological resilience and internal operational safety under challenging financial conditions.

Strategic Accomplishments and Impact Analysis
Core Infrastructure & System Modernization
Accomplishment Detail & Scope Organizational Impact
Accela Cloud Migration Migrated 17 servers, 200+
reports, 9 integrations, 5TB
(terabytes) of data.

Ensures uninterrupted
permitting and licensing
services on a modern,
supported platform, enabling
continued annual revenue
generation exceeding $56M
from permitting and licensing.

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72 Information Technology City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Nutanix Upgrade & DR Completed migration
of 300+ virtual servers
and implemented Disaster
Recovery (DR) replication.

Secured maximum
system
resiliency and operational
stability for 99% of City
servers.

Citywide WiFi Deployment Upgraded and expanded
WiFi in
frastructure across
all 35 City facilities, covering
existing locations, new sites,
and the Marina.
security posture, and
suppor
tability.

Windows 11 Deployment Achieved near-100%
compliance ahead of
Microsoft support cutoff;
initiated “One
Person, One
Device” standardization.

Eliminated major security
vulnerabilities and improved
long-term cost efficiency.

Public Safety Upgrades Coordinated Axon
Body 4 came
ra rollout for
Police and upgraded Tyler
New World software to
version 2025.1.

Enhanced mapping, stability,
and field of view for critical
emergency response services.

Security, Compliance, and Risk Mitigation

Accomplishment Detail & Scope Organizational Impact
City-Wide MFA Deployment Successfully implemented
Multi-Fact
or Authentication
(MFA) across all City
accounts.

Dramatically strengthened
primary defenses against
cyberattacks and credential
breaches.

BeWARNED Alert System Developed and launched
Berkele
y’s Workplace Alert,
Response, Notification and
Emergency Dissemination
service.

Established a vital
communication channel for
immediate threat notification
and employee safety.

Phishing & Risk Management Conducted clandestine
simulations t
o quantify
human risk; managed critical
weekend fiber repairs to
prevent downtime.

Strengthened employee
awareness and ensured
business continuity during
physical infrastructure
failures.

Application & Service Modernization

Accomplishment Detail & Scope Organizational Impact
Citizenserve Go-Live Launched new Rental Housing
Safety
Program (RHSP)
software, consolidating
inspections and payments.

Reduced administrative effort
and improved customer
compliance for rental
properties.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Information Technology 73 311 Secure Payments Soft-launched secure phone
payments, pr
ocessing nearly
$135K in a single month.

Generated a new revenue
stream while ensuring full PCI
compliance for the
Call Center.

Financial Compliance Completed 2025 Property
Tax
Assessment
on time; advanced
ERMA 2025 Upgrade to End
User Testing.

Maintained system
supportability and ensured
accurate completion of critical
taxation and W2 processes.

Employee Access Citywide initiative to enable
online access t
o paystubs,
W2’s, leave balances and
personal information
Reduced reliance on paper
based paystubs, W2’s by
providing 24/7 access to pay
and tax information from COB
network or while on VPN.

Application & Service Modernization
The department’s work has provided a measurable Return on Investment (ROI) through both direct revenue generation and the avoidance of catastrophic costs: Additionally, our list of successful implementations
include:
‣ Revenue Generation: The soft launch of 311 secure phone payments captured $135,000 in one month. Additionally, updating over 240 permit fees within Accela is anticipated to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in recurring revenue. ‣ Labor Efficiency: Automating the import of PG&E invoices into ERMA eliminated manual data entry for hundreds of weekly invoices, freeing significant staff time within the Finance Depar
tment.
‣ Licensing Savings: Standardizing conference room hardware and replacing legacy systems is projected to save $68,000 annually in recurring licensing fees. ‣ Liability Protection: The deployment of MFA and Nutanix DR replication serves as the primary defense against ransomware and system downtime. Preventing a single major breach or
extended outage saves the City millions of dollars in potential recovery fees, legal liabilities, and service disruption costs.
‣ Operational Efficiency: Stabilizing WiFi across all City facilities reduced support incidents, eliminated productivity disruptions, and lowered ongoing maintenance and emergency r
epair costs.

Conclusion
The achievements of the past year reflect a commitment to operational excellence and strategic resourcefulness. By modernizing the IT organizational structure and creating a symbiosis between internal
staff and augmented resources, the department significantly improved project delivery speed and quality. However, it is important to note that these successes were predicated on a staffing and service model that is currently being reduced. As the department navigates the loss of both augmented services and permanent headcount over the next two years, the rapid progress seen in this cycle may not be replicable. While these past initiatives have bolstered the City’s digital foundation, the upcoming transition to a leaner, Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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74 Information Technology City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 core-maintenance posture will require a recalibration of project expectations and delivery timelines.

Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
The Department of Information Technology is transitioning to a model of “Fiscal Sustainability and Risk Management” following a period of intensive modernization. For the upcoming cycle, the department is navigating a significant $3,545,013 budget reduction. This follows the FY 2026 Adopted Budget, which saw expenditures totaling $18,476,026. The current reduction reflects the conclusion of one-time modernization projects and a pivot toward a leaner, cor
e-maintenance posture to ensure essential service continuity within the City’s fiscal constraints.

Significant Personnel Changes
‣ FTE Reductions and Salary Savings: The department has permanently eliminated four (4) Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions, resulting in total budgetary savings of $846,730 in combined salary and benefit costs. The specific positions identified for reduction include:
‣ Application Programmer Analyst II
‣ Customer Service III (311/Service Desk)
‣ Project Manager II
‣ Senior Information Systems Specialist
‣ Impact on Operations: The loss of these roles, combined with a reduction in contract resources, necessitates a shift to a strictly planned, strategic support model. This focus ensures that the remaining technical specialists (37 out of 49 total personnel) are not overwhelmed as the department transitions to a leaner service model.

Significant Non-Personnel (Operations) Changes
‣ Legacy Maintenance Mitigation: A primary fiscal priority is migrating away from the approximately $500,000 annual expenditure required to maintain the aging legacy FUND$ system. Red
ucing this substantial recurring cost is essential to freeing up resources for a standardized cloud-forward infrastructure.
‣ Strategic Licensing Reductions: The department is targeting $68,000 in annual savings through the potential removal of redundant Zoom licenses and conference room
hardware standardization. To ensure continuity of transparent governance, the department will retain the specific high-capacity licenses necessary for hosting public webinars, such as City Council meetings until such time that we can completely migrate to a Microsoft Team solution.
‣ Process Automation Efficiencies: To offset headcount reductions, the department has implemented several automation initiatives, including the automated import of PG&E invoices and str
eamlined digital time-tracking, reducing manual labor requirements across City departments.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Information Technology 75 ‣ Hardware Consolidation: The implementation of the “One Person, One Device” policy is designed to reduce a support footprint that has effectively doubled, streamlining hardwar
e lifecycle management and reducing recurring maintenance costs.

Significant Capital Changes
‣ Infrastructure Stabilization: Major capital-intensive projects have been successfully completed, including the migration of 300+ virtual servers and the 100% compliant deployment of the “Berkeley 2-Step” (MFA).
‣ Liability Protection: Investment in Nutanix DR replication serves as a primary defense against ransomware; preventing a single major outage is estimated to save the City millions of dollars in
potential recovery fees and legal liabilities.

New Funding Sources
‣ The department is not introducing new funding sources at this time. Instead, it is focused on the continued development of a Technology Governance Model. While not yet adopted
in full, this framework is intended to establish an “authoritative voice” in IT planning, ensuring that existing funds are prioritized for high-impact projects like Employee Self-Service rather than uncoordinated technology acquisitions.

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76 Information Technology City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Performance Measures Summary
The below table summarizes the IT Department’s performance measures.

Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Infrastructure Uptime for Data
Serv
ers and Phone
System
Metrics collected using network
management tools that indicates
the total “uptime” of the City’s
servers

99.999%
(1) • 99.91% - All Servers
• 99.86% - All Networks
●
●
311 Volume of Requests Total number of calls, email
r
equests, and service requests
n/a (2) • 107,327 total interactions, 311
• 7,883 total requests, Service Desk
●
●
311 and Help Desk First Call Resolution • Number of queries answered on the first call b
y 311 (external)
• Number of queries answered on
the first call by Help Desk (internal)
▲
●
• 80% 1st call resolution, 311
• 38% 1st call resolution, Service
Desk
●
●
311 and Help Desk Percent
Abandonment Rate
• Abandoned calls divided by
total
number of inbound calls received
by 311 (external)
• Abandoned calls divdied by total
number of inbound calls received
by Help Desk (internal)
▼
●
• 22% abandon rate, 311
• 12% abandon rate, Service Desk
●
●
Enterprise Number and
Progr
ess of Projects
Managed
Count of projects specified (from
Adopted FY25/26 Budget) divided
by number completed
n/a
(2) • 52 of 59 projects completed
• 92% completed on time; 100%
completed within budget
• Project mix: 23 enterprise-level, 18
multi-month single-department, and
11 single-month department projects
n/a
(2)

●
●
Meeting/exceeding target ▲
●
Target is to increase numbers/percentages
●
●
Near target ▼
●
Target is to decrease numbers/percentages
●
●
Not meeting target

(1) This is an industry benchmark percentage.
(2) No target specified. This is simply a report on actual progress.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Mayor & Council 77 Mayor & Council
The Berkeley City Council consists of a Mayor and eight (8) Councilmembers. The City is divided into eight Council districts, which are used for the election of Councilmembers. The Mayor is elected citywide.

The Mayor is the President of the Council and votes as an individual ninth member.

Following is a list of the current Council and office contact information.

Mayor Adena Ishii, (510) 981-7100
District 1 - Councilmember Rashi Kesarwani, (510) 981-7110 District 2 - Councilmember Terry Taplin, (510) 981-7120 District 3 - Councilmember Ben Bartlett, (510) 981-7130 District 4 - Councilmember Igor Tregub (510) 981-7140
District 5 - Councilmember Shoshana O’Keefe, (510) 981-7150 District 6 - Councilmember Brent Blackaby, (510) 981-7160 District 7 - Councilmember Cecilia Lunaparra, (510) 981-7170 District 8 - Councilmember Mark Humbert, (510) 981-7180 Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
Mayor and Council all reduced their budget by 12.5% as part of the Citywide exercise to close the General Fund deficit and balance the budget.

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78 Planning City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Planning
Mission Statement
The Planning and Development Department’s mission is to enhance safety, livability and resilience in the built environment and to work with the community to promote and protect Berkele
y’s distinctive neighborhoods, vibrant commercial areas, unique character and natural resources for current and future generations.

Organizational Chart
Oﬃce of the
Director
Building and
Safety
Land Use
Planning
Director
Oﬃce of
Energy and
Sustainable
Development
Toxics
Management
Planning and Development Department Overview
The Planning and Development Department consists of approximately 109 career full- and part-time staff, and is organized into five divisions, including the Office of the Director, which all wor
k together to plan, implement and monitor the physical environment of Berkeley. The Department provides the following services:
‣ Office of the Director: The Office of the Director provides department-wide leadership, management oversight, and policy direction for overall operations and implementation.

The office o
versees information technology projects, special projects and research, budget and fiscal oversight, regulatory compliance and reporting, and purchasing, payroll and accounting services for the entire Department.
‣ Building and Safety Division: The Building and Safety Division (B&S) reviews proposed construction documents for conformance to the building code, energy code, and other applicable codes; appr
oves building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits; inspects construction projects to ensure conformance with the approved plans and code provisions; investigates work done without permits; provides code information and interpretation to the public and other city agencies; ensures the safety of Berkeley’s rental housing stock; and manages programs to mitigate seismic risk in existing buildings. ‣ Land Use Planning Division: The Land Use Planning Division (LUP) is responsible for researching and implementing land use policy and regulations for the City of Berkeley.

The land use policy team pr
epares amendments to the Zoning Ordinance, the General
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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Planning 79 Plan, area plans, and other long-range planning documents that guide future development and preservation in Berkeley. The development projects team reviews and entitles proposed pr
ojects that conform with the Zoning Ordinance, the General Plan, and other applicable plans, policies and regulations.
‣ Office of Energy and Sustainable Development: The Office of Energy and Sustainable Development Division (OESD) develops policies and implements programs to promote resilience
and sustainable practices, and to reduce energy and water use and the associated greenhouse gas emissions in both City operations and the Berkeley community.
‣ Toxics Management Division: The Toxics Management Division (TMD) is the City’s regulatory agency and a State-Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA), responsible for implementing, inspecting
and enforcing California Environmental Protection Agency and hazardous materials codes associated with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and State Fire Marshall within the City of Berkeley. TMD also responds to community complaints, assists the City with toxicological concerns, and inspects industrial sites for storm water pollution prevention.

Challenges
The Planning and Development Department faces the following challenges:
‣ Implementing New Legislation. The department must implement new local and state legislation in a timely manner, which sometimes requires additional staff resources, the dev
elopment and deployment of new technology tools, and modifications to operations. ‣ Ineffective Software. Existing software (e.g., permitting, rental housing inspection, CUPA reporting, time tracking, file sharing, online payments, e-check functionality) is not effectiv
ely meeting department needs and is creating customer service and efficiency challenges, including delays in turnaround times for permit applications. ‣ Staff Turnover. Although the department’s vacancy rate has decreased significantly over the past two years and our recruiting efforts have been very successful, we have experienced turno
ver of veteran staff in positions at all levels.
‣ Macroeconomic Factors Impacting Development. Following an ‘up cycle’ of high levels of construction and development activity that lasted for over a decade, macroeconomic factors—such as
increased interest rates, increased costs of construction materials and labor, and softening rents—have led to a slowdown of new housing construction starts. ‣ Overturned Natural Gas Ban. In January 2024, the Ninth Circuit US Court of Appeals chose to uphold the decision in April to invalidate Berkeley’s ban on natural gas infrastructur
e in new construction, denying the City’s request for a re-hearing. This decision was a setback to efforts to meet the City’s Climate Action Plan goals.

Accomplishments
Following are some of the highlights from the Planning and Development Department’s numerous accomplishments:
‣ New Housing Production. In 2023, the Planning and Development Department issued certificates of occupancy for 715 new housing units, including 31 deed restricted affordable units.

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80 Planning City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 ‣ Inspections Conducted and Permits Issued. In 2023, the Toxics Management Division conducted 367 hazardous materials inspections and 148 stormwater inspections, the Building and
Safety Division conducted 27,294 inspections and issued 3,865 building permits, the Permit Service Center received 27,127 applications (including revision and deferrals), completed 7,466 plan checks, and issued 867 “P” permits (for the Public Works Depar
tment), and the Rental Housing Team conducted 4,981 inspections. ‣ Just Transition Pilot Program. OESD initiated the $1.5 million Just Transition Pilot Program in 2023, which provides direct installation of building electrification measures in existing affordable housing buildings for low-to-moderate income households in Berkeley. ‣ OPR Grant for General Plan Updates. The Planning and Development Department, in partnership with the Ecology Center and the Berkeley Climate Equity Collaborative, was awarded a $
497,492 grant from the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) Adaptation Planning Grant Program (APGP) in 2023 to update Berkeley’s General Plan.

Efforts are focused on updates to the Disaster Preparedness and Safety Element and development of an Environmental Justice Element.
‣ Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project (BEEP). In 2023, OESD launched the Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project (BEEP) which selected via lottery 56 income-qualified Berkeley households to receive free e-bikes, helmets, locks, training and quarterly safety/maintenance checks.

The pr
ogram is being administered in partnership with Waterside Workshops, a local non-profit program whose youth interns are learning valuable e-bike assembly and maintenance skills as part of the BEEP .
‣ Adoption of new Affordable Housing Requirements. In January 2023, City Council adopted new affordable housing requirements for housing development projects recommended by LUP . New requirements were designed to facilitate and support increased
affordable housing production in Berkeley.
‣ Response to Berkeley Mudslide: In January 2023, B&S responded to an emergency mudslide in northeast Berkeley. As first responders, B&S protected residents from immediate danger and then worked with geotechnical and structural engineers to secure the sa
fety of buildings prior to residents’ return.
‣ Housing Element Update. In February 2023, the California State Department of Housing & Community Development found Berkeley’s Housing Element to be in substantial compliance with State law. Berkeley was the seventh of 109 municipalities in the Bay Ar
ea region to achieve this critical milestone. The Housing Element is a product of over 18 months of community engagement, research, technical analysis, and collaboration with policymakers, and establishes an ambitious, 8-year agenda for the City’s housing policy and programs.
‣ Bird Safe Building Provisions. In June 2023, City Council adopted bird safe building provisions into the Zoning Ordinance recommended by LUP . New regulations will reduce bird collision deaths by requiring qualifying construction projects to use bird safe glass products and external
building fixtures.
‣ Collaborative Planning Process. In July 2023, the Office of the Director, in conjunction with UC Berkeley’s Capital Strategies Team, introduced a Collaborative Planning Process for UC’s capital projects in the City environs that addressed the terms of the 2021 Long Range De
velopment Plan Settlement Agreement between the City and the University.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Planning 81 ‣ Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). In October 2023, City Council adopted new zoning regulations for ADUs recommended by LUP . The amendments included new policies for parking, fire safety, and building height and ensured Berkeley’s ordinance complied with new State law
.
‣ Adoption of the Southside Zoning Amendments. In December 2023, City Council adopted updated zoning standards for the Southside recommended by LUP . Amendments wrapped up a six-year process that addressed multiple City Council referrals requesting increased
capacity for student housing near UC Campus.
‣ Approval of North Berkeley and Ashby BART station areas as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Priority Sites Program. In November 2023, the City’s application for the North Berkeley and Ashby BART sites for inclusion in MTC’s Priority Sites Program was successful. Inclusion in the Priority Sites list makes these sites eligible for current and potential future funding and technical assistance and will be integrated into relevant Plan Bay Area 2050+ strategies. ‣ Adoption of the North Berkeley BART Objective Design Standards. In December 2023, City Council adopted Objective Design Standards (ODS) for the North Berkeley BART station area, concluding a year-long public process led by LUP in partnership with BART .

An application
for land use entitlements from the North Berkeley Housing Partners development team was received in February 2024 that will be evaluated for compliance with adopted ODS.
‣ The Rental Housing Safety Program (RHSP) increased the size of their staff and are now conducting an average of 415 inspections per month. That’s a 51 percent increase in the number of in
spections performed monthly. Additionally, RHSP staff rewrote the Berkeley Housing Code, which was adopted by Council in December 2022. ‣ The Retrofit Grants program disbursed 11 design grants and 19 construction grants for a total of $903,461 to Berkeley property owners between July 2022 and January 2024.

The City also continued enforcement of the soft story ordinance and during this same period 16 buildings completed mandatory retrofits and were removed from the inventory of potentially hazar
dous buildings, and 8 additional properties were added to the inventory.
‣ Solar APP+ real time PV permitting. B&S, in collaboration with IT , implemented a third-party software program, SolarAPP+, which streamlines solar permit issuance in September 2023. Implementation was funded with an $80K grant and ensures compliance with Senate Bill 379.

Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
The FY 27 proposed all funds budget decreased by almost $240,000 over the FY 26 Adopted Budget of $36,631,009.. This is primarily due to an increase in salaries and benefit costs, an increase in indirect cost charges due to a rate adjustment, and the City’s General Fund Budget Balancing exercise. The Planning and Development General Fund reduction was about $458,280 or 12% of its GF budget. The FY 27 and FY 28 Proposed Budget includes the following:
‣ Beginning in FY 2027, $89,268 in personnel costs will be shifted to Fund 621 (PSC) and $60,720 to Fund 622 (CUPA), generating total General Fund savings of $149,998 in FY 202
7 and $154,618 in FY 2028. In addition, the Department identified that the General Fund share of Internal Service Fund charges was disproportionately high. Correcting this allocation results in General Fund savings of $308,271 in both FY 2027 and FY 2028.

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82 Planning City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Combined, these adjustments produce $458,269 in General Fund savings in FY 2027 and $470,419 in FY 2028, meeting the 12.5% target in both years. These cost shifts do not create immediate service or community impacts; however, the Department will need to evaluate future fee adjustments to ensure enterprise funds can sustainably absorb the reallocated
costs.

‣ Added a Permit Specialist position funded by enterprise funds.

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Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Planning 83 Performance Measures Summary
The below table summarizes the Planning and Development Department’s performance measures.

Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Building & Safety, Land Use
Planning
Customer
Satis faction
Percent of respondents who:
• Visited the City website prior to
visiting the Permit Service Center (PSC)
• Felt the website adequately prepared
them for their visit
• Felt they received professional and
courteous service
▲
●
• 86.1% visited the website
(prior 3-year avg: 84.2%)

• 66.5% felt adequately
prepared
(prior 3-year avg: 62.2%)

• 79.0% received courteous
service (prior 3-year avg: 80.0%)
●
●
Building & Safety, Land Use
Planning
Housing
De
velopment
Progress
Annual number of units entitled, units
issued building permits, and units
granted occupancy, as reported through
the Annual Progress Report to the
State. Also includes the percentage
of Regional Housing Needs Allocation
(RHNA) goals met for the 2023–2031
cycle.
▲
●
• 1,495 units entitled in 2025
• 463 units iss
ued building
permits in 2025
• 23.7% of RHNA building permit
goals met for the 2023–2031
cycle to date (2,117 units /
8,934 goal)
• 493 units granted occupancy
in 2025
●
●
Toxics Management HMBP Compliance By y ear, the number of businesses that submitted required Hazardous Materials
Business Plans (HMBPs) and the
compliance percentage that represents.

Data is available after March 1 each
year.
▲
●
• 531 businesses submitted
HMBPs in 2025, out of
532 requir
ed, for a 99.8%
compliance rate
●
●
Office of Energy and
Sustainable Development
(OESD)
BESO
Energy
Benchmarking
Compliance
Percentage of covered commercial and
multifamily buildings 15,000 square
feet and greater that submitted annual
energy benchmark reports, as required
by Berkeley’s Building Emissions Saving
Ordinance (BESO).
▲
●
• 75% of commercial and
multifamily buildings submitted
annual ener
gy benchmark
reports during 2025
●
●

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84 Planning City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Building & Safety Building Permit
Applications and
Finalizations
By year, the number of building permits
applied for and finalized by permit type,
including Fire and Public Works permits,
and the percentage that represents.

New
Measure
• Data pending n/a
Building & Safety Rental Housing
Ins
pection Coverage
Rolling five-year percentage of
rental units inspected, calculated as
inspections divided by the total number
of rental units in the City.

New
Measure
• Data pending n/a

●
●
Meeting/exceeding target ▲
●
Target is to increase numbers/percentages
●
●
Near target ▼
●
Target is to decrease numbers/percentages
●
●
Not meeting target

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Police 85 Police
Mission Statement
Our mission is to safeguard our diverse community through proactive law enforcement and problem solving, treating all people with dignity and respect.

Organizational Chart
Investigations Division
Captain
Operations Division
Captain
Chief of Police
Deputy Chief of
Police
Internal Affairs Bureau
Oﬃce of Strategic Planning & Accountability
Strategic Communications (PIO)
Administrative Lieutenant
Fiscal Services
Recruitment & Employee
Relations
Policy & Training
Investigations Division
Captain
Watch
Commanders
Patrol
Patrol CSOs
Flex Team
CSB Lieutenant
Community
Services
Bureau
CSB Lieutenant
Detective
Bureau
Lieutenant
Detective Unit
Crime Scene
Unit
Traﬃc Bureau
Lieutenant
Traﬃc Unit
Parking Unit
Support
Services
Lieutenant
Communications
Center Manager
Jail
Property
Records
Police
Technology
Communications
Center
Police Overview
The Police Department maintains law and order in the City, including laws of the United States, the State of California, and all City ordinances. There are limited exceptions when such enforcement is
by law, ordinance, or the City Charter made the responsibility of another officer, department, or the responsibility of a state or federal agency. Additionally, the Police Department administers the City jail and the care, custody, and control of prisoners. The work of this department at times includes the performance of such other functions as may be assigned by the City Manager or prescribed by ordinance of the Council or by applicable state law.

The Berkeley Police Department is organized into three divisions, along with the Offices of the Chief and Deputy Chief, to deliver the following baseline services:
‣ Office of the Chief: The Office of the Chief provides overall leadership and administrative oversight for the Police Department. The Office includes the Chief of Police, Strategic Communications (Public Information Officer), Office of Strategic Planning &
Accountability, and the Internal Affairs Bureau.

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86 Police City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 ‣ Office of the Deputy Chief: The Office of the Deputy Chief oversees the Operations, Investigations, and Support Services Divisions, as well as Fiscal Services and the Administrativ
e Lieutenant. The Administrative Lieutenant oversees the department’s Policy & Training and Recruitment & Employee Relations functions. ‣ Operations Division: The Division, led by a Captain, supports the department’s mission by responding to calls for service, conducting initial criminal investigations, making arrests, issuing citations,
and providing crime prevention services and proactive problem-solving efforts, all focused on safeguarding the community.
‣ Investigations Division: The Division, led by a Captain, supports the Department’s mission through the work of two Bureaus. The Detective Bureau, led by a Lieutenant, ov
ersees the Detective Unit and the Crime Scene Unit. The Traffic Bureau, led by a Lieutenant, oversees the Traffic Unit’s Motorcycle Officers and the Parking Unit. ‣ Support Services Division: The Division, led by a Captain, supports the Department’s mission through a variety of essential operational and administrative activities. The Support Services Division comprises the Support Services Lieutenant- who oversees the Berkeley City Jail, Records, the Property and Evidence Unit, and Police Technology- and the Communications Center Manager, who oversees the Public Safety Communications Center that receives and dispatches calls for Police, Fire, and Medical Services.

Challenges
The Police Department’s challenges include:
‣ Staffing and Recruitment: Staffing and recruitment continue to be a challenge.

The Department currently employs 154 sworn officers against an authorized strength
of 174 and the Communications Center is staffed with 20 dispatchers against 32 authorized positions. The labor market for police recruits and public safety dispatchers remains tight, Berkeley maintains high eligibility requirements, and both the background process and academy training take considerable time. The timeline from recruitment to working as a solo officer routinely runs 18 months, meaning even short interruptions to hiring compound quickly against an average annual attrition rate near 9%.

Continued investment in recruiting partnerships, targeted hiring events, and assessment tools such as CritiCall is essential to stabilize sworn and dispatcher staffing. ‣ Rising Demand for Emergency Response: While overall calls for service decreased slightly in 2025, 911 calls rose approximately 6% and reached their highest level in several years. Because 911 calls require the Department’s most urgent response, this trend places growing pressure on patrol and the Communications Center even as non- emergency volume softens. Maintaining Berkeley’s competitive median response times- seven minutes for Priority 1 calls in 2025- requires continued investment in the people, technology
, and workflows that multiply the impact of existing staff. ‣ Officer Development Training Programs: The nature of policing continues to evolve rapidly. To sustain the level of service our community expects, the Department must ensure existing training is adequate and develop or complete new trainings in topics like Fair and Impartial Policing, Procedural Justice, Implicit Bias, and Hate Crimes.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Police 87 backfill absences so officers can attend, remains an ongoing challenge. This work also includes expanding LIDAR certification into patrol, launching a formal mentorship progr
am, and improving the tracking of wellness indicators such as access to time off, training, and physical fitness time.
‣ Technology Gap: A lean r oster cannot simply absorb more work. The Department’s ability to deliver high-quality service depends on equipping officers and detectives with modern tools that provide better real-time information and support data-driven deployment. The Department seeks continued investment in technology- including the Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) program, fixed surveillance cameras, Drone as First Responder (DFR) capability, and a Real-Time Information Center- Berkeley risks falling behind neighboring agencies at a moment when recruitment and retention increasingly depend on modern working conditions.

Accomplishments
Highlights of recent Police Department accomplishments include:
‣ Historic Reduction in Gun Violence: For the first time in at least a decade, Berkeley recorded zero fatal or injury shootings in 2025. Total shootings dropped 40% (from 25 to 15) and robberies fell 20%. Gun arrests rose 31% even as overall gun cases declined 38%, and the Department recovered 114 firearms- 52 through search warrants and 17 through proactive traffic stops. These results reflect a sustained, multi- year investment in both targeted enforcement and community partnerships through the City- run Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Program (GVIPP), Live Free, and the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform.
‣ Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) Deployment: With Council appr oval, BPD deployed its ALPR network citywide in 2025. In its first full year, the system generated 621 stolen vehicle alerts and 78 felony vehicle alerts, contributed to at least 37 stolen vehicle recoveries, played a role in 58 arrests, and supported 121 cases.

Integration with regional ALPR infrastructure allows Berkeley officers and detectives to track suspect vehicles throughout the East Bay, turning a local tool into a force multiplier for public safety across the region.
‣ Flex Team Operations: A par t- time Flex Team framework produced 23 targeted operations and 141 arrests in 2025, primarily focused on organized retail theft. Nearly 72% of those arrested faced additional criminal charges, and 42% were on probation or parole at the time of arrest or had offenses that qualified as felonies under Proposition 36. Theft clearance jumped from approximately 10% in prior years to 20% since operations began, and some retail partners report shrinkage reductions approaching $1 million. Building on these results, BPD hopes to launch a full- time Flex Team in the Summer of 2026 with three dedicated officer positions. ‣ Community Service Officers in Patrol: The CSO patr ol program was fully rolled out in 2025. Three CSOs completed field training and independently handled over 1,500 non- emergency calls, routine reports, and traffic control assignments- calls that would otherwise have gone to patrol. Combined with the Bike Unit and Flex Team, the program helped reduce average calls per officer per shift from 6.3 in 2023 to 6.0 in 2025.

Three additional CSOs are transferring to patrol in 2026, and the Department is planning to expand CSO roles into investigations to support detectives with evidence collection, report preparation, and data entry. The CSO program is a key piece of the City’s Reimagining Public Safety initiative.

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88 Police City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 ‣ Communications Center Initiatives: In partnership with the Fire Department, the Department built a foundation of initiatives designed to grow and sustain the Communications Center for the long term. Quarterly Virtual Recruiting Events reached 1,197 potential candidates, and the rollout of CritiCall- a pre- employment assessment- improved the quality of the applicant pipeline. A new Call Taker position provides a more manageable entry point for recruits, with new Call Takers completing training at a higher rate than in previous cohorts. The Department hired nine new dispatchers in 2025 and is advancing toward implementation of protocol- based dispatching and exploration of a virtual agent to triage non- emergency calls. ‣ Improved Clearance Rates: Clearance r ates (the percentage of cases closed within a year of being reported) improved in most categories in 2025. Robbery clearance rose from 34% to 49%, theft clearance jumped from 17% to 20%, and felony assault clearance reached 63%- the highest in the five- year window. Homicide clearance remained at 100% for the fifth consecutive year. These gains reflect the combined impact of ALPR- supported investigations, Flex Team operations, and sustained detective work. ‣ Traffic Safety Partnerships: Berkele y recorded 784 total collisions in 2025, an 11% decrease from 2024. The Department deepened its collaboration with Vision Zero stakeholders and conducted High Intensity Traffic Team (HITT) operations with 11 partner agencies- a single February operation put 17 officers on Berkeley streets and produced 185 citations in five hours. Drive Safer, Drive Longer classes for aging drivers were expanded, DUI checkpoints increased, and collision data from the Transparency Hub continued to guide enforcement priorities. ‣ Transparency and Accountability: The Depar tment continued to expand its Transparency Hub, which provides the public with near-real-time, area-specific data on policing activities, calls for service, crimes, traffic safety, and community engagement.

The 2025 Annual Report, presented to Council in March 2026, represents the Department’s most comprehensive public accounting to date of staffing, workload, crime trends, traffic safety, stop data, and use of force. Annual statistical bias testing- including at-fault collision benchmarking, yield- rate analysis, and Veil of Darkness testing- continued to show alignment with race-neutral policing in 2025.

Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
The FY27 Proposed All Funds Budget increased by $661,150 over the FY26 Adopted Budget of $106,237,136. However, the FY27 Proposed General Fund budget decreased by $5.1 million compared to FY27 Baseline budget.. This includes the following proposed budget reductions, balancing strategies, and cost shifting to address the structural deficit. ‣ Significant Personnel Changes: The Department is currently operating at minimum staffing levels. The proposed 10% reduction requires significant personnel reductions that includes reduction of 39 positions (25 sworn, 13 Public Safety Dispatcher, 1 non-sworn) that materially reduces public safety service levels and compromises the department’s specialized units to respond effectively to community needs. For FY27, the strategy is to utilize one-time funds to delay the elimination of 21 positions until the outcome of the November 2026 Sales and Use Tax measure is known. Should voters approve the Sales and Use Tax measure, the resulting revenue is proposed to be allocated to maintain the 21 identified sworn and non-sworn positions.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Police 89 ‣ Reduction of $150,000 in overtime: While the Department currently anticipates that it can reduce overtime costs, they can be further reduced through targeted technology investments.

Communications Center Technology investments improve training success rates and reduce the volume of calls requiring dispatcher intervention, directly lowering dispatcher overtime and stabilizing staffing. ‣ Significant NonPersonnel (Operations) Changes: Non-personnel expenditures identified for reduction are a combination of contractual expenses, training/travel, software subscriptions, uniform/gear, and other purchases that are proposed to be cost shifted to the following special funds: Citizen Option Fund (Fund 159), State Asset Forfeiture (Fund 106), and Prop 172 (fund 126).

Because approximately 93% of the Police Department’s General Fund budget is allocated to personnel costs, reductions at this scale cannot be absorbed through non-personnel savings alone. The personnel changes outlined above will have the following operational impacts:

‣ Patrol and Specialty Unit Consolidation: The elimination of 25 sworn positions, combined with an average annual attrition rate of approximately 9% and a recruitment-t
o-solo-deployment timeline of roughly 18 months, will further reduce the Department’s deployable sworn strength below the current filled level of 154.

To preserve minimum patrol staffing, the Department will need to consolidate or reduce specialty functions, including the Traffic Bureau, Community Services Bureau, Bicycle Team, and portions of the Detective Bureau. This will shift proactive traffic enfor
cement, complex investigations, community engagement, and flexible deployment capacity back onto patrol units already operating with limited margin, reducing the Department’s ability to sustain proactive enforcement, follow-up investigations, and community problem-solving at current service levels. ‣ Communications Center Service Capacity: The reduction of 13 Public Safety Dispatcher positions will lower the Center’s authorized strength from 32 to 19, well under
the staffing required to sustain 24/7 emergency and non-emergency call-handling and police, fire, and medical dispatch. Because only fully trained Public Safety Dispatcher II personnel are qualified to independently dispatch emergency calls, and new-hire attrition during training has averaged approximately 67% over the past four years, the reduced authorized strength will constrain the Department’s ability to rebuild capacity through hiring and will increase reliance on mandatory ov
ertime to maintain minimum staffing. This reduction directly affects call-handling capacity, dispatch reliability, and response times for emergency calls, and it narrows the Department’s margin to absorb routine absences for training, illness, and leave without creating coverage gaps.
‣ Recruitment Pipeline and Attrition Risk: Approximately 22 sworn personnel are eligible to retire by the end of calendar year 2026. Maintaining open, funded positions to hire into is essential to offset ongoing retirements and separations, as the
Department must hire 14–16 officers annually simply to sustain current sworn strength. If the reductions result in extended hiring interruptions, staffing will continue to decline at historical attrition rates beyond the levels modeled in this budget. Experience from prior disruptions- including the post-COVID period, during which sworn staffing fell from 169 to 148 between 2019 and 2022- demonstrates that Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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90 Police City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 recovery can take multiple years once the recruitment pipeline is interrupted, even after funding is restored.
‣ Revenue-Contingent Mitigation: Should voters approve the Sales and Use Tax measure, the resulting revenue is proposed to restore the 21 identified sworn and non-sworn positions, substantially mitigating the operational impacts described abov
e and preserving specialty unit capacity, dispatch reliability, and the recruitment pipeline needed to stabilize staffing over a multi-year horizon.

Even within these reduced staffing parameters, the Department’s FY27 strategic budget priorities target
investments most likely to sustain core service delivery and protect the long-term recruitment pipeline. These priorities focus on technology-enabled public safety, modernized Communications Center operations, facility improvements, and workforce development:

‣ Communications Center Facility Expansion & Operational Modernization:

A new project to physically expand the Communications Center footprint with additional dispatch workstations and desks to accommodate growth. In addition to facility upgrades, the Department will implement new Emergency Dispatch Protocols for police and fire calls and focus on fully staffing PSD I positions to create a sustainable
pipeline for PSD II dispatchers. The project is expected to increase call-taking capacity, reduce response times, alleviate staffing shortage pressures, and improve workforce stability by providing a modernized environment for dispatchers. (Supporting departments: IT , Public Works; Period: June 2026 - June 2027.) ‣ Jail Control Panel Upgrade: Finalizing facility improvements and upgrading the control panel in the Berkeley City Jail. These enhancements will improve safety for staff and detainees and increase operational efficiency. (Supporting departments: IT , Public Works; Period: January 2025 - June 2026.)
‣ Mentorship Program: Launch of a formal mentorship program and expansion of coaching and feedback loops across all divisions, in partnership with Human Resources. The program is intended to reduce burnout, accelerate return- to- work timelines, and improve retention. (Supporting department: HR; Period:

January 2026 - June 2026)

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Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Police 91 Performance Measures Summary
The below table summarizes the Police Department’s performance measures.

Division Measure Description T arget Actual Tracking
Investigations Homicide Clearance Rate Per centage of homicide cases cleared by arrest or exceptional means within one month of report
75% • 100% ●
●
Investigations Non-Fatal Shootings
Clearance Rate
P ercentage of non-fatal shootings cases cleared
by arrest or exceptional means within one month
of report
50% • 75%
●
●
Investigations Retail Theft Clearance
Rate
Per
centage of retail theft cases cleared by arrest
or exceptional means within one month of report
20% • 24% ●
●
Investigations Median Response Time
(P1)
The median time (in minutes) fr
om dispatch to
arrival of the first officer to Priority 1 calls for
service
<= 8 minutes • 7 minutes
●
●
Investigations Speeding-Related
Collisions
Number of injur
y collisions where the Primary
Collision Factor (PCF) was unsafe speed
▼
●
• 90, down
from 134
●
●
Office of the Deputy Chief Sworn Staffing Level Number of filled sworn positions 164 • 154 ● ●
Office of the Deputy Chief Dispatch Staffing Level Number of filled dispatcher positions 29 • 20 ● ●

●
●
Meeting/exceeding
target
▲
●
Target is to increase numbers/percentages

●
●
Near target ▼
●
Target is to decrease numbers/percentages
●
●
Not meeting target

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92 Office of the Director of Police Accountability City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Office of the Director of Police Accountability
Mission Statement
The purpose of the Office of the Director of Police Accountability is to investigate complaints filed against sworn employees of the Berkeley Police Department, reach independent findings of fact, and recommend
corrective action where warranted. The Director of Police Accountability also serves as the secretary to the Police Accountability Board and assists the Board in carrying out the duties prescribed in Section 125 of the Berkeley City Charter.

Organizational Chart
Community
Investigations Policy & Data Analysis Administrative
Services
City Council
Director of Police
Accountability
Office of the Director of Police Accountability Overview The Office of the Director of Police Accountability (ODPA), as established under Berkeley City Charter Section 125(14), is responsible for carrying out the duties of the Police Accountability Board (P
AB) as prescribed. This includes overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Board’s office and staff, as well as conducting performance evaluations and administering disciplinary actions for subordinate employees. All City of Berkeley employees under the ODPA’s purview are subject to the personnel regulations governing the City’s municipal workforce.

The Director of Police Accountability plays a critical role in evaluating the conduct of sworn officers of the Berkeley Police Department in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and procedures. The Director’s investigative findings and recommendations are presented to the Police Accountability Board, which in turn advises the Chief of Police on individual complaints.

In addition, the Director engages with a range of stakeholders—including employee organizations, civil rights and civil liberties groups, and communities of color—to gather feedback on the work of both the PAB and the ODPA. This engagement helps ensure that diverse perspectives inform the oversight process.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Office of the Director of Police Accountability 93 The ODPA is also responsible for producing an annual report detailing the activities of the Board.

This public report includes summaries of complaints received by both the Board and the Police Department, pr
omoting transparency in the oversight process and its outcomes.

Challenges
The City of Berkeley continues to face ongoing recruitment and retention challenges across multiple departments, which have been further compounded by budget-balancing measures, including a hiring
freeze affecting select positions. As a result, departments citywide are experiencing difficulty filling vacancies and maintaining full operational capacity.

Consistent with these broader constraints, the Department is currently operating with four (4) full-time equivalent (FTE) positions out of six (6) approved positions. Two positions remain vacant due to the City’s hiring freeze: one Investigator and one Associate Management Analyst (AMA) intended to support administrative operations. .

At the same time, the Department has experienced an increase in complaints over the past two years (2024–2025), driven in part by increased community awareness and the implementation of an online complaint portal that has improved accessibility. In the absence of dedicated administrative support, the responsibilities of the vacant AMA position have been absorbed by the Policy Analyst, with support from the Data Analyst. This redistribution of duties has increased overall staff workload and diminished capacity to perform core analytical and investigative functions in support of the PAB, which meets at least eighteen (18) times annually. While these challenges are not unique to the Department, their impact is particularly acute given its small size, limited role redundancy, and increasing service demand.

An additional challenge has been the development and establishment of permanent regulations governing the investigation of complaints. This has been a multi-department effort and is currently in the later stages of labor negotiations, with finalization and implementation anticipated in the near term. While this represents a significant milestone, it will also require substantial staff and Police Accountability Board training, targeted outreach to inform the public of the updated process, and a comprehensive review and revision of existing procedures currently operating under interim regulations to ensure alignment once the new regulations are adopted by the City Council.

Accomplishments
During the FY 2025–26 period, despite operating with a small team, the ODPA maintained a strong community engagement presence while meeting its core responsibilities. Staff participated
in key events across Berkeley—including the 2024 and 2025 Berkeley Juneteenth celebrations, the 2025 Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at the North Berkeley Senior Center, and 2024 National Night Out—and delivered in-office programming such as three educational Use of Force forums in 2025; “Una Charla Con la Comunidad / A Community Discussion” on the City’s Sanctuary City Policy and individual rights; and a Public Safety Listening Session held in partnership with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer in honor of Black History Month.

Collectively, these efforts expanded public access to information about complaint processes, investigations, and civilian oversight.

Concurrently, core functions, including complaint intake, investigations, and case management, were sustained without interruption, alongside continued support for the PAB’s policy work across a broad range of Berkeley Police Department policies and operations. This support also Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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94 Office of the Director of Police Accountability City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 encompasses comprehensive administrative and secretarial services, including the preparation and noticing of meeting agendas; drafting staff reports in response to Board inquiries; compiling materials for
the PAB’s regular and special meetings; and staffing meetings to ensure accurate minute-taking, provide real-time information to the Board, and document inquiries for follow-up and future correspondence. Collectively, the ability to sustain these responsibilities despite limited staffing capacity reflects a substantial operational achievement.

During the same period, the transition into a new office space was completed, providing facilities better aligned with investigative and Board needs. The new location offers private, confidential areas for investigations and supports commission meetings with enhanced hybrid capabilities, improving both accessibility and the quality of remote public participation.

Taken together, maintaining day-to-day operations, advancing policy initiatives, expanding community engagement, and completing a major facility transition during FY 2025–26 demonstrate efficient coordination and a continued commitment to transparency, accessibility, and accountability.

Significant Changes from Prior Year’s Budget
As part of the City’s budget reduction efforts to build a sustainable long-term budget, the ODPA proposed a 5.6% ($71,708) reduction for its FY 27 – 28 budget by focusing on non-essential expenditures while maintaining core operations. The adjustments primarily reflect internal changes aimed at controlling costs, reducing discretionary spending, and bringing certain expenditures
in line with historical baseline levels.

The changes are as follows:
‣ Elimination of Overtime Budget ($10,200) Overtime funding will be replaced with compensatory time off and scheduling adjustments, with minimal operational impact anticipated.
‣ Elimination of Conference and Travel Funding ($26,444): Removes participation in the National Association of Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement conference, reducing access to tr
aining and professional development opportunities.
‣ Reduction to Technology Cost Allocation ($23,402): Adjusts funding to pre-office transition levels following one-time infrastructure costs. ‣ Reduction to Supplies, Postage, and Miscellaneous Services ($9,411): Reflects a shift toward paperless operations and greater reliance on existing City resources, with minor workflow impacts.

‣ Elimination of Parking Allocation ($3,000): Offsets costs through use of existing on-site parking included in the office lease.

Collectively
, these changes achieve cost savings while maintaining service levels, though reductions—particularly in training and professional development—may limit opportunities for ongoing organizational improvement.

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Parks, Recreation and Waterfront 95 Parks, Recreation and Waterfront
Mission Statement
The Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Department is committed to administering excellent recreation programs at our community centers, camps, waterfront and parks; providing high-quality early emplo
yment opportunities through the YouthWorks program; maintaining our trees and urban forest, landscaping and infrastructure; and developing capital projects with community input to improve and enhance residents’ park and facility experience.

Organizational Chart
Director
Administration
Division
Capital
Improvement
Division
Parks
Division
YouthWorks
Division
Waterfront
Division
Recreation
Division
Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Overview
The Parks, Recreation & Waterfront (PRW) Department maintains the City’s parks, playgrounds, pools, camps, community centers, and waterfront facilities; provides diverse recreation programs and special e
vents throughout the year; delivers resident camps opportunities for youth, families and seniors; operates the largest public marina on the Bay; and plans, designs, and constructs capital improvements to Berkeley’s parks, recreation, and waterfront facilities and infrastructure PRW is organized into six divisions to deliver the following baseline services:
‣ Parks: This Division maintains Berkeley’s 56 parks, 63 play areas, 49 sports courts, 15 sports fields, 5 community centers, 2 clubhouses, 36 picnic areas, 35,000 street and park
trees, 152 landscaped street medians and triangles, 263 irrigation systems, and 30 restrooms and out buildings. The Parks Division also organizes community volunteer days and participates in special events .
‣ Recreation and Youth Services: This Division provides a variety of programs and classes for all ages ranging from tots and pre-K to teens, youth, and adult sports, summer camps, therapeutic r
ecreation, and adult fitness. The Division also operates the City’s swimming pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, skate park, community centers, and resident camps near South Lake Tahoe and Yosemite. The Division hosts multiple large special events for the community throughout the year.

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96 Parks, Recreation and Waterfront City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 ‣ Youthworks: This Division provides early employment opportunities and career readiness training through paid internships with partner organizations and within the City of Berkeley.

YouthW
orks builds skills in interviewing, financial literacy, civics and employability while connecting participants with mentors to support their future job success. ‣ Waterfront: This Division operates the Berkeley Marina and its related facilities, including the docks, pilings, streets, pathways, parking lots, buildings, trails, Adventure Playground, and 1,000 boat
and berth rentals. The Division also manages agreements with Waterfront businesses, maintains Waterfront parks and facilities including Cesar Chavez Park, Shorebird Park and Nature Center, and the Adventure Playground, and manages special events.
‣ Capital Projects: This Division plans and manages capital improvement projects at City parks, park buildings, community centers, pools, camps, and the Waterfront. This includes park and facility
planning and community engagement, grant acquisition,
permitting, environmental review, design, and construction management. ‣ Administration: The Office of the Director provides overall management of the Department; communications with Council, Commissions and the public; financial management, budgeting, pa
yroll, purchasing, contracts and accounting; and grant and lease administration.

Challenges
PRW’s current challenges include:
‣ Marina Fund: The combination of Doubletree Hotel non-payment and a longstanding structural deficit fueled by failing infrastructure and operating costs outpacing slip and lease r
evenue, have resulted in the Fund projected to go into the red within the next budget cycle without significant balancing measures. For the last 5 years, the Marina Fund has received General Fund transfers and other support to close its operating deficit.

Those one-time measures are no longer available, given the significant General Fund projected deficit and citywide reductions. Even with new revenue projected from updated leases and Council-approved fees for slips, parking, rentals and recreation programs, reductions in personnel and non-personnel expenditures are needed to ensure that the Fund remains solvent through FY28.
‣ Parks Tax Fund: The Parks Tax Fund is projected to have a constrained fund balance due to higher capital burden, from loss of General Fund capital funding and sunset of Measure
T1. Measure T1 bond funds for capital projects have been fully allocated. In the last budget cycle, General Fund capital for the Department was reduced from $2.4M/year to the prior baseline of $400k/year, leaving Parks Tax as the only source for needed funds to complete FY27 capital projects including Santa Fe Trackbed to Park project and Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex community space, restrooms, soccer field and pickleball courts. .
‣ Capital Projects: There is an additional need of $250k in Parks capital needs in FY27 that cannot be absorbed by Parks Tax. Of this, $200k is needed for design of James Kenney sports
field ADA improvements and an additional $50k is needed to complete the solar plus storage project at Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Services Center. ‣ Camps Fund: While Berkeley Tuolumne Camp registration is improving, it is not yet back to pre-fire levels. This is somewhat offset by continued growth in cost recovery recr
eation programs funded out of the Camps Fund, though more growth will be needed Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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City of Berkeley, California | Proposed Biennial 2027-2028 Parks, Recreation and Waterfront 97 to ensure that the Fund can absorb cost shifts from the General Fund over the long term.

The focus on cost recovery programs will provide more programs to the community; but may price ou
t financially challenged Berkeley households, creating a greater demand for scholarships.
‣ Scholarships: The expected increase in demand for scholarships will be challenging to accommodate and may result in less programming for financially challenged residents.

The City allocates $230k in General Fund for scholarships each year to cover afterschool programs, summer camps, and other recreation programs.
‣ Grant Match Allocation: Setting aside matching funding for CIP projects makes the City more competitive for grants. In the last budget cycle, Council authorized $800k in grant
match for potential Aquatic Parks tide tubes grant, prior to City’s application. We were successful in securing that grant. Without additional funding in FY27-28, it will be challenging to stay competitive for future grants.

Accomplishments
Highlights of recent PRW accomplishments include:
‣ Grants: PRW received several new grant awards, including a CalTrans Clean California Community Cleanup Employment Pathways grant to provide extra attention to South and West
Berkeley neighborhoods and parks; ACTC funding to augment native plant and trees on the east side of Aquatic Park; multiple California Boating and Waterways grants for surrendered and abandoned vessel exchange; and a new California Natural Resources Agency grant for the City’s Trees Make Life Better program. ‣ New Tree Planting Unit: Fueled by recent grant awards and Parks Tax funding following the passage of Measure Y in 2024, the City established a new Tree Planting Unit
in the Parks Division to focus on planting and supporting new trees and increasing the City’s tree canopy.
‣ South Berkeley/Adeline corridor: Multiple PRW efforts are underway in South Berkeley in the Adeline corridor area, including landscaping, community all crew days, installation
of a new dog park along MLK and 62nd, and a new Miyawaki forest at the South Berkeley border. In the most recent federal appropriations bill, the City was designated a $850k federal earmark to design Adeline open space areas. PRW is additionally completing detailed design and permitting for the African American Holistic Resource Center, with construction anticipated next year. ‣ YouthWorks transition and expanded programming: In early 2025, PRW assumed management of the YouthWorks program, the City’s program to provide part-time paid internships
that provide meaningful work experience, training and professional development. Since the transition, programming has expanded to include weekly training in civics, financial literacy, and life skills; a new Ready to Work stipend program has been rolled out; a new Accelerator program for advanced internships has been launched; and the City celebrated a new Youthworker Day. ‣ Afterschool program expansion: Last summer, PRW responded to significant community need for afterschool programs, as universal transitional kindergarten (TK) and r
educed Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) afterschool slots increased the number of Berkeley families seeking afterschool care. PRW worked closely with District staff and Berkeley families to launch four new afterschool program sites and Department narratives, performance measures, anD strategic plans

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Berkeley City CouncilJune 23, 2026

Berkeley City Council
June 23, 2026