The People's Park Historic District Advocacy Group

An appellate court ruled Friday that UC Berkeley may not proceed with plans to build student and low-income housing at People’s Park, prompting calls from local and state officials to reform the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, at the heart of the lawsuit.

The destruction that occurred at People's Park in August — after the campus attempted to begin construction on student housing — cost the university over $4 million worth of damage, as first reported by East Bay Times. 

In an unannounced overnight move, UC Berkeley began the process of fencing off People’s Park for construction of student housing Wednesday morning. 

The First District Court of Appeal granted a stay order Friday that temporarily halts all construction at People's Park, as first reported by Berkeleyside.