Desecration of Democracy
The Berkeley City Council used to provide an opportunity for the people of Berkeley to voice their opinions and engage in dialogue with city council members and administrative staff. In a city that prides itself on progressive values, it’s no surprise this fundamental aspect of democracy is an active part of local government. Sadly, the council’s respect for public engagement declines and our democracy erodes.
At a June 15th council meeting, the consent calendar included item #35 — A Letter of Opposition Unless Amended on Senate Bill (“SB”) 9. Council members Wengraf and Harrison introduced the item. Normally, items on consent are discussed by the council, then public comments are heard; finally, the council usually votes to accept all items. That’s not what happened on June 15th.
Without any dialogue and before the public comment period, Councilmember Droste said she couldn’t support item #35. As if on queue, several other council members, along with Mayor Arreguin followed suit. No questions asked. Simply a no thank you.
SB 9 mandates the increased production of housing — with no mandatory affordable housing — through upzoning in all California cities with ministerial approval, thus bypassing all local control. Item #35 demanded, among other things, that affordability requirements and stronger provisions against real estate speculators be included.
Why was it necessary to kill Item #35 before it was even discussed? SB9 shows how time and again special interests and corporate lobbyists work to undermine the people’s voices at the state and federal level. We are now witness to the next stage, where these power players seek to take control of our community’s resources at the local level. We see profiteers in the real estate industry decimate our community, while city leaders complacently stand by.
As demonstrated by the now infamous 1310 Haskell Street bungalow, upzoning only guarantees profits for the real estate industry. This property was purchased for $650,000, torn down, and three units built — each sold for over $1.2 million.
We oppose legislation that commodifies our community as real estate investors line up to offer $1 million above asking for single family homes in all districts in Berkeley. This same industry cold calls homeowners to pressure them into putting their homes up for sale. It is obvious that the ‘land value capture’ created by SB9 will NOT bring the housing we need; instead it will roll out a red carpet for those with enough wealth to buy or rent in Berkeley. Developers are creating opportunities to increase their wealth while displacing and increasing homelessness within our lower wage earning community. We must eliminate the forces of extractive greed from our city government.
There are precious few activists in Berkeley who work to preserve peace, justice, and democratic principles, values which once made Berkeley unique and an attractive place to live for people of all walks of life. These people and values are not only what Berkeley is known for, literally across the globe — they are the values that many of us believe in.
Council members have a responsibility to these activists, the greater community and to the democratic process to do better. You must hear our voices.
This article first appeared in the Berkeley Times on August 12, 2021.
