Berkeley to raise building height limits amid student housing woes
BERKELEY - Berkeley is looking to the sky to solve its severe housing crunch, as the city planning commission has approved raising building height limits for new projects on the south side of campus at Cal.
Some argue that building up and creating higher density housing near campus would not only solve the student housing crisis, but also help families across the city.
3rd year Cal student Nick Grosh said house hunting is one of the biggest headaches for him and fellow students.
"Last year, at the start of the second semester, I was in a majority of my classes not paying attention, I was searching for housing because I knew I had to get on it. I know a lot of people feel that same way. I spent a month just constantly searching for housing," said Grosh, who's majoring in urban studies.
University officials said UC Berkeley provides housing for only 23 percent of its students, the lowest rate in the UC system. So most students have to look for housing on their own.
"For apartments near campus, (students) have to pay extremely high rents for usually low-quality apartments," said Grosh.
That was why Grosh and many students are urging the Berkeley city council to also support raising height limits for apartment buildings since councilmembers have the final say.
The planning commission approved the proposal on Wednesday.
The city code would only apply to certain streets south of the campus. It would increase the maximum building height by 85 feet, allowing developers to build up to 12 stories if they include affordable housing in the project.
"It's going to make it possible for over 2,500 new units to be built on the south side. That's significant. It's a leap of faith, and it's a big jump," said Berkeley Councilman Rigel Robinson, who represents the neighborhood and supports the idea.
The mayoral candidate said Berkeley is experiencing a housing crisis within a housing crisis. The student housing crunch has ripple effects and it drives up prices for everyone.
"Competing with longtime residents in the process, that drives the gentrifying force of the university," said Councilman Robinson.
But opponents said the proposal would only fatten the pockets of real estate developers and investors.
"If we build market-rate housing, somehow it's going to trickle down to the rest of us. It hasn't happened," said Harvey Smith, a co-founder of People's Park Historic District Advocacy Group.
Smith said the solution is to approve projects that have 100 percent affordable housing.
"Let's build truly affordable housing and we're not doing that, we're not investing in public housing, social housing," said Smith.
Grosh said he wants all kinds of housing. Any changes in zoning codes won't help him as a student. But he's advocating for future students.
"Any increase in the supply of housing, especially around campus, will lower rents for all students across the area," said Grosh.
The city council is planning to vote on the proposal later this Fall.
