• “Affordable Housing” is a convenient marketing term developed by the Reagan and Bush Administrations since the early 1980s as a vehicle to “de-ghetto” urban cities.
• The “non-profit” component is a small, temporary intermediary and used as a shield which for-profit developers, banks, large contractors, lawyers, syndicates, consultants, and management hide behind. 81% of affordable housing is eventually owned by for profit companies.
• “For-profit” investor take can range from 4 to 6%. The average yield was 4.75% in 2019 and 2022 interest rates are considerably higher.
• “Affordable Housing” is not affordable to build. Too many middlemen taking a cut with costs hitting almost a million per 2 bedroom unit in Los Angeles.
-more-

When I heard that the City was going to propose a bond measure and a low-income housing measure, I decided to look beyond the advertising of Measures L and N and dig a little deeper into the facts and figures. What I found was discouraging and I think that if history is any guide and these measures pass, they are bound to disappoint us. -more-

I am writing in response to the recent op-ed piece by Zipporah Collins. I share the concern for adequate funding for infrastructure, if not for the position of support for the current proposal, Measure L. Three years ago, as a member of the Public Works Commission, I met with my appointing council member, my district representative, and another council member about the condition of the streets and the need for action. I penned an op-ed piece in Berkeleyside that put those recommendations on the record: https://www.berkeleyside.org/2019/05/21/opinion-our-streets-are-failing-berkeley-should-increase-its-spending-by-at-least-13m. -more-

A project to make urgent partial repairs to a beleaguered West Berkeley landmark structure—Finnish Hall—begins Friday, spearheaded by a group of neighbors and community members. The effort is not to raise the leaky roof, but repair it, before winter rains begin.

Funded with in-kind donations and a GoFundMe page, the project is still short some thousands of dollars but the organizers have decided to begin repair work this week so repairs can be done while the weather remains dry.

Bryce Nesbitt, the lead project organizer, says that although the fundraising money is not yet fully subscribed and more money beyond the initial goal may be needed, “we’re starting Friday. While we don't have enough funds to finish, we'll get as far as we can. Every $63 donated gets another 4 foot by 8 foot section of roof done.” -more-

Berkeleyans for Better Planning, Vote No on Measure L, today demanded that the $15,000 donation from 2274 Shattuck QOZB LLC accepted by the Committee for an Affordable and Resilient Berkeley-Yes on Measure L be returned and that the Yes on L campaign stop soliciting money from companies with business pending before the City Council. -more-

You’re already being bombarded with phone calls, mailers, and (soon) machine-funded slate cards trying to tell you exactly how to vote by Nov. 8. I’ve attended too many candidate forums, as an individual voter, so you don’t have to. I now offer you these a-la-carte suggestions. -more-

I would like to briefly respond to Zipporah Collins’s inaccurate statements in her recent “Yes on L” piece for they strike me as ill informed, specifically regarding the Berkeley city budget.

The total budget for this fiscal year (2023) is over $754 million. Police expenditures account for $87 million and fire expenditures for $63 million.

Therefore, contrary to what Ms. Collins wrote, police and fire do not make up 50% of the city budget. Rather, they make up approximately 20%.

I would highly encourage Ms. Collins to review the budget and recognize that there is already ample opportunity for the city to spend more to maintain and improve roads and other infrastructure, and that is through the various bonds and special taxes imposed on homeowners and businesses for this very purpose. Reviewing one’s tax bill would help with such an exercise. -more-

The Hopkins corridor plan is back on the City Council 6 pm agenda under Action, for October 11 as item 23 “Reconsideration of Hopkins Corridor Plan in Light of newly Available Material Information.” Councilmember Hahn is the author and Councilmember Wengraf is the co-sponsor. It includes a request to add $400,000 for the fiscal year 2024 for a comprehensive independent study of Hopkins from McGee to Gilman (the blocks with the shops and Monterey Market). -more-

The Rich Get Richer

On October 9, 2022, the Economic Policy Institute reported that "CEO Pay Has Skyrocketed 1,460% Since 1978." Furthermore, the EPI reports, in 2021, America's CEOs were paid "399 times as much as a typical worker."

Here are a few lines from the EPI report:
"Exorbitant CEO pay is a contributor to rising inequality that we could restrain without doing any damage to the wider economy. CEOs are getting ever-higher pay over time because of their power to set pay and because so much of their pay (more than 80%) is stock-related. They are not getting higher pay because they are becoming more productive or more skilled than other workers, or because of a shortage of excellent CEO candidates."

In 2020, TIME magazine drove home the same point with the headline: "The Top 1% of Americans Have Taken $50 Trillion From the Bottom 90%—And That's Made the US Less Secure."

Ban the Poor? Ban the Rich! -more-

I send these out every election as a guide, hope it is helpful. -more-

I am glad that President Biden is ''reconsidering'' his relationship with the Saudi Arabian dictatorship. The family that rules this regime doesn't believe in freedom of speech, press, or religion. They don't believe in equal rights for women. You have probably heard about what some women are doing in Iran. Women in Iran actually have more freedom than women in Saudi Arabia. There are Iranian Christians and Jews. There are no Saudi Arabian Christians or Jews. The punishment for a Saudi Arabian subject who converts is death. The President and Congress should cut all ties with Saudi Arabia as long as it is a dictatorship that doesn't support democracy, equality, and human rights. -more-

I find that even though I'm not a young person, I haven't so far learned how to have flawless actions and speech. I make mistakes. I say things I shouldn't have said. And often, I suffer consequences. Yet, these days I'm more careful, and I have a pretty good idea of a few things not to do. -more-

Worth Noting:

Monday is Indigenous People’s Day and Friday is a City reduced service day and the rest of the week is packed. Don’t forget to check for meetings posted on short notice https://berkeleyca.gov/

Sunday, Oct 9 closing of African Americans in Berkeley exhibit on zoom.

Tuesday City Council starts at 4 with special meeting on Measures L and O followed with regular meeting at 6 pm. On agenda Fair Work Week, Hopkins redesign, and Harriet Tubman Terrace safety violations.

Wednesday Council Committee on Health, Life, Enrichment, Equity and Community meets at 2 pm on Office of Racial Equity and guaranteed income. The Wildfire Evacuation Workshop is at 6:30 pm. The Parks Commission, Homeless Services Panel of Experts, Police Accountability Board and Hahn / Wengraf Town Hall on Measure L are all at 7 pm.

Thursday the final January 6th Hearing starts at 10 am the same time as the Budget and Finance Committee. Mayor Arreguin gives his State of the City address at 6 pm (registration closed for in-person) watch on YouTube Jessearreguin.com. The Zoning Adjustment Board meets at 7 pm.

Saturday is the Harvest Festival at 11 am – 4 pm. Pre-Register for the EV test drive.

Sunday October 16 is the Bird Festival with events from 8 am – 8 pm.

The Comment Period ends October 17, 2022 at 5 pm for the Housing Element Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). The DEIR is a plan for adding 19,098 housing units not the RHNA 8,934. As stated at the Planning Commission in the presentation, the larger number is to push changing zoning in the City of Berkeley. The document including appendices is over 500 pages.

https://berkeleyca.gov/construction-development/land-use-development/general-plan-and-area-plans/housing-element-update

Last day to register to vote is October 24 for the November 28, 022 election. Ballots start arriving this week.

Sunday, October 9, 2022 -more-