The university will work with the city and local nonprofits to provide 42 units of housing and supportive services to unhoused people living in Berkeley's iconic People's Park.

Teresa Watanabe reports on a historic agreement between the University of California, Berkeley, the city, and nonprofit partners to provide temporary housing and social services to unhoused people in People's Park. The park has been the focus of controversy as the university struggles to provide housing for a growing student body (more on that legal fight here). As part of the plan to redevelop the park, "About 60% of the 2.8-acre park will remain open green space, and a memorial to its storied history will be erected."
Unlike previous Berkeley mayors who were hesitant to change the iconic park, Arreguín supported the campus’ desire to develop the land. And Christ, despite struggling with a major campus budget deficit, committed funds to hire a social worker for the park and housing and services for unsheltered people, even though addressing homelessness is not generally seen as a university responsibility.
According to Watanabe, "The city and campus have hammered out a deal to lease 42 rooms for 18 months at the Rodeway Inn for those living in the park." Residents will receive a private room, linens and toiletries, meals, healthcare and counseling, and other supportive services. "The city will cover the costs of the lease and nonprofit services for 12 months, using a $4.7-million state grant earmarked to help people living in encampments find safe and stable housing. UC Berkeley has committed $2.2 million to cover the last six months."
The article describes the park's tumultuous history as an iconic site for political protests and free speech actions. Today, opinion remains divided on the future of the park. "When the project was first announced in 2018, some of the unhoused people in the park welcomed it while others objected, saying it would obliterate the space’s rich history and destroy the community bonds forged over communal feedings, gardening and cultural events." City and university officials hope the project will help create a more livable city for all residents. "This partnership will put a roof over the heads of those living in People’s Park, instead of simply pushing them from one neighborhood to another," said Berkeley mayor Jesse Arreguín.
FULL STORY: UC Berkeley to offer housing to homeless in People's Park

Chicago Red Line Extension Could Transform the South Side
The city’s transit agency is undertaking its biggest expansion ever to finally bring rail to the South Side.

Planetizen’s Top Planning Books of 2023
The world is changing, and planning with it.

Why College Campuses Make Ideal Models for Cities
College campuses serve as ideal models for cities, with their integrated infrastructure, vibrant communities, sustainability initiatives, and innovation hubs inspiring urban planning and development for a brighter future.

Study: Homeless People Face Higher Mortality Risk
Unhoused adults are more than three times as likely to die in any given year as their housed counterparts, research shows.

Study: Equity in Car Share Programs Requires Low Cost, Broad Coverage
Data from a Los Angeles car share program showed its impact on underserved communities was ‘limited by its small footprint.’

The Largest U.S. City Lacking Mass Transit
Arlington, Texas has the dubious distinction of being the largest city in the nation with no fixed-route public transit system.
University of New Mexico - School of Architecture & Planning
Placer County
San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Arizona State University, Ten Across
Park City Municipal Corporation
National Capital Planning Commission
City of Santa Fe, New Mexico
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.