City Planning

Small earthquakes are a chilling reminder of looming threats. In the next 30 years, the Bay Area has a 20% chance of seeing a 7.5 magnitude quake.

Right now, we are rising out of a haze and finally beginning to look clearly at the inherent problems within urban developments.

Williams’ academic and professional career, which included writing legislation for president Lyndon Johnson and lecturing at UC Berkeley, had impacts around the country and world.

As James Chang said at the Tenants’ Convention on July 13, “Student issues are community issues, and community issues are student issues.” It is imperative that we have a vibrant Berkeley Tenants’ Union to address issues at City Council, the Zoning Adjustment Board and the Planning Commission. Together, our voices will be heard. We also need to work in November and beyond to support rent board candidates and city council candidates and make sure that other elected officials know of our concerns and will respond to them. Our collective presence can be very powerful, and we are now only tapping into its potential. You and I, and she and he, can make a difference. Let’s begin that work.