Berkeley City Council approves plan that could add over 2,000 housing units near university
BERKELEY — The Berkeley City Council approved an upzoning plan that could see the city adding over 2,000 housing units next to the university campus.
The community looked to the sky to solve its severe housing crunch with the city planning commission raising building height limits for new projects on the south side of campus at Cal back in September.
"This massive rezoning of Southside, alongside a wave of new university dormitories at Anchor House, People's Park, and more, will finally help turn the tide on the student housing crisis," said Councilmember Rigel Robinson.
UC Berkeley provides housing for only 23 percent of its students, the lowest rate in the UC system, university officials said. It leaves students with having to search for off-campus housing.
The hope is that the additional housing for students will also help ease the city's housing woes.
"By making thousands of new units of housing possible right next to campus, we can help struggling students and staff and alleviate pressure on the rest of the city. This is how we build a more livable Berkeley for everyone," Robinson said.
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.