Dear Neighbor,
I hope you had an enjoyable summer!
The Council has returned from its summer recess, and it was a delight to walk with members of the Berkeley City Council, Mayor Adena Ishii, and Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas during the Solano Stroll on Sunday. And thank you to the 1300 block of Talbot Avenue for inviting me to your block party later on Sunday. Please know that my calendar is always open for your block party invitations or other community gatherings! As we endure difficult times, it feels especially important to find moments to come together and enjoy each other’s company.
If you’d like to come say hello, I’ll be holding a Drop-In Meeting: This Sun., Sept. 21 from 4-5 p.m.
Picnic tables at James Kenney Park
Members of the Berkeley City Council, Mayor Adena Ishii, and Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas pose together after walking in the Solano Stroll.
In this newsletter:
- Berkeley Passes Sanctuary City Ordinance
- Bathroom Update for Civic Center, Cesar Chavez, James Kenney, and Ohlone Parks
- TONIGHT: North Shattuck, College, and Solano Avenues Corridor Zoning Update Discussion at Planning Commission at 6 p.m. (North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Avenue) and Survey to provide input
- Provide Input on Berkeley Draft Bicycle Plan by e-mailing bicycleplan@berkeleyca.gov
Berkeley Passes Sanctuary City Ordinance
Last Tuesday, the Berkeley City Council unanimously codified our City’s longstanding sanctuary city status for undocumented immigrants in an ordinance, which states in part “…trust is threatened when state and local agencies are entangled with federal immigration enforcement, with the result that immigrant community members may fear approaching police when they are victims of or witnesses to crimes, or may fear seeking basic health services or attending school, to the detriment of public safety and the well-being of all Berkeley residents.” The ordinance also expands upon the City’s current policy by (1) prohibiting City personnel from disclosing “protected personal information” to federal immigration enforcement, and (2) creating a new procedure for public reporting of certain requests for information or assistance made to or from federal immigration enforcement.
Earlier this summer, I visited the Multicultural Institute and Social Justice Collaborative, two non-profit organizations based in District 1 that support immigrant communities. I wanted to share the resources that SJC provides:
“Social Justice Collaborative (SJC) is a non-profit organization providing free and low-cost immigration legal representation. Our expertise is in defending individuals and families in removal proceedings, though we assist with a wide range of immigration applications, including but not limited to U/T Visas, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), and Naturalization. Beyond legal services, SJC advocates for immigrant communities and connects clients with behavioral health workers to help address related needs. Intakes are free of charge. To schedule an intake, please call 510-992-3964. Because we are working to shorten our waitlist, we encourage people to reach out as soon as possible. Our team includes staff who speak Spanish and Mam.”
“Social Justice Collaborative (SJC) es una organización sin fines de lucro que ofrece representación legal de inmigración gratuita o de bajo costo. Nuestra especialidad es la defensa de personas y familias en procesos de deportación, aunque también brindamos asistencia con una amplia gama de solicitudes de inmigración, incluidas, entre otras, las Visas U/T, SIJS y naturalización. Además de los servicios legales, SJC aboga por las comunidades inmigrantes y conecta a los clientes con trabajadores de salud conductual para apoyar con otras necesidades relacionadas. Las consultas iniciales no tienen costo. Para programar una cita, por favor llame al 510-992-3964. Como estamos trabajando para reducir nuestra lista de espera, le recomendamos comunicarse lo antes posible. Nuestro equipo cuenta con personal que habla español y mam.”
If you would like to support immigrant communities, here is how SJC says you can get involved:
“Community members can take part in our accompaniment program, which trains volunteers to attend court hearings alongside immigrants navigating the system. To sign up, please use our form, and our team will be in touch. We also welcome law firms and California-barred attorneys who wish to provide pro bono representation. More information is available on our website.”
Here are additional resources:
- Know Your Rights: If ICE Confronts You (ACLU of Northern California)
- Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership Hotline: (510) 241-4011 (M-F 6AM-6PM)
- From California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office: “Californians can find legal help at low or no cost with a legal aid organization at www.lawhelpca.org. If folks are outside of California, they can find help at www.immigrationlawhelp.org.”
Bathroom Update for Civic Center, Cesar Chavez, James Kenney, and Ohlone Parks
The City has entered into a four-month pilot to bring “Throne” restrooms to Civic Center and Cesar Chavez parks. Throne restrooms are self‑contained units that do not require water, sewer, or electrical connections. They are equipped with sensors to monitor supplies and cleanliness to ensure that restrooms remain clean throughout the day.
Each throne unit is ADA-accessible and includes a flushing toilet, sink with running water, baby-changing station, and menstrual products. To access, users can open a Throne restroom via text message, the Throne phone app or with an access card which is available from the front desk at 2180 Milvia or from Dorothy Day House at the Vets building. Signage on the restroom advises about access.
A throne bathroom is located at Civic Center Park.
The Ohlone Park Restroom and Lighting Improvements Project will soon be completed, with the new bathroom at Ohlone Park complete and currently awaiting electrical connection from PG&E. The lighting and permanent restroom were funded by the Measure T1 infrastructure bond.
Finally, thanks to my 2024 budget referral to fund a Publicly Accessible Permanent Bathroom at James Kenney Park, an ADA compliant and permanently accessible bathroom is available as of this week (!) to all members of the general public who use the park.
Share Input: Corridor Zoning Update and Bicycle Plan
The Planning Commission will hold a meeting this evening, Wed., Sept 17 to discuss the corridor zoning update for Solano, North Shattuck, and College avenues, which is intended to increase housing capacity in resource and transit rich areas and support businesses. The meeting will be held at the North Berkeley Senior Center (1901 Hearst Avenue) beginning at 6 p.m., where attendees will have an opportunity to provide public comment. You can also take this survey to help shape the city’s vision for these corridors; the survey will remain open until Oct. 10.
The City is currently soliciting feedback via e-mail on how to make it safer to bike in Berkeley and strengthen our network of calmed routes and roads. You can read the current draft bicycle plan, and provide comments by Sept. 26 by sending your e-mail to: bicycleplan@berkeleyca.gov.