Southside Issues Brief: Telegraph Should Not Have to Wait
Every week I review the issues affecting Southside and District 7.
These are not just agenda items. They affect whether our streets feel safe, whether people can afford to stay here, whether housing is preserved, and whether people know what to do in an emergency.
Telegraph Should Not Have to Wait
What Happened
On July 7, the Berkeley City Council will consider its Five-Year Street Rehabilitation Program and Measure FF street improvement projects. [2] [3]
City staff recommends delaying paving on Telegraph Avenue between Bancroft Way and Dwight Way while the future of Car-Free Telegraph is still being studied. [3]
How I Feel
Telegraph is one of the main streets people use every day.
If the pavement is rough, the sidewalks are broken, or the crossings feel unsafe, people feel it immediately.
Planning for the future matters, but basic repairs should not sit still while the City keeps studying the bigger design.
What I Would Do
I would split the work into two lists: what can be fixed now, and what needs the longer Telegraph plan.
Fix the now list first: pavement, sidewalks, lighting, crossings, ADA access, landscaping, and basic upkeep.
Then keep the bigger Telegraph conversation public, with a clear timeline people can actually follow.
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Public Safety And Public Trust Should Go Together
What Happened
The City Council is moving forward with procurement steps for new public safety technology while consideration of proposed rent stabilization changes continues to the July 7 meeting. [2] [4] [5] [6]
How I Feel
People should be able to walk home, shop on Telegraph, and wait for the bus without feeling unsafe.
But safety tools can also create harm if no one knows how they are used.
If the City buys technology first and writes rules later, trust gets weaker.
What I Would Do
I would require the rules first.
Before any new surveillance technology is used, the City should say who can use it, when it can be used, what data is kept, who checks for abuse, and how the public can see what is happening.
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Housing Stability Remains One Of Southside's Biggest Challenges
What Happened
Council delayed action on proposed updates to Berkeley's Rent Stabilization Ordinance, including changes affecting tenant organizing rights and rent stabilization procedures. [2] [5]
How I Feel
Southside is a renter neighborhood.
When rent goes up or tenants are pushed out, people do not just lose an apartment.
They lose neighbors, routines, school access, work access, and community.
What I Would Do
I would support tenant organizing rights, clearer rent rules, and stronger preservation of existing affordable homes.
Berkeley should build housing, but growth should make it easier for people to stay, not easier to push them out.
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Preserving Affordable Housing Deserves More Attention
What Happened
Berkeley included funding for the Small Sites Program in the adopted budget after strong community advocacy. [7]
The program helps nonprofit organizations purchase existing apartment buildings before they are lost to speculation. [8]
How I Feel
Keeping people housed is usually easier than trying to help after they are displaced.
If a building is still here and the tenants are still here, the City should treat that as something worth protecting.
What I Would Do
I would keep funding preservation programs like Small Sites.
I would also make the process easier for nonprofits, land trusts, and cooperatives that can buy buildings and keep them affordable.
New housing matters. Saving existing affordable homes matters too.
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Preparing For Wildfire Season
What Happened
The City is temporarily restricting vehicle access to portions of the Berkeley Hills during the July 4 holiday because of wildfire danger. [9]
How I Feel
Fire danger is not only a hills issue.
If roads close, smoke spreads, or emergency routes get blocked, it affects the whole city.
Plans need to work for disabled residents, workers, students, visitors, and emergency responders.
What I Would Do
I would focus on plain instructions, early warnings, clear evacuation routes, and practical prevention before emergencies start.
People should know what is closed, why it is closed, where to go, and how to get help.
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Looking Ahead
Southside is changing.
More housing and more people mean the basics have to keep up: sidewalks, lighting, parks, public space, tenant protections, emergency planning, and neighborhood services.
My view is simple: growth should make Southside easier to live in, not harder.
That means building housing without displacement, protecting public land and civic space, and making sure City services grow with the neighborhood.
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Sources
[1] City of Berkeley, Measure FF Sidewalk and Street Repairs Parcel Tax.
[2] City of Berkeley, July 7, 2026 Council eAgenda.
[3] City of Berkeley, July 7, 2026 Item 10, Five-Year Street Rehabilitation and Measure FF Plans.
[4] City of Berkeley, June 30, 2026 Item 19, Formal Bid Solicitations and Request for Proposals.
[5] City of Berkeley, June 30, 2026 Item 45, Rent Stabilization Ordinance ballot measure.
[6] City of Berkeley, June 30, 2026 Item 46, Surveillance Technology Ordinance submissions.
[7] City of Berkeley, June 23, 2026 revised budget packet.
[8] City of Berkeley, Housing Trust Fund.
[9] City of Berkeley, July 4 hillside road and fireworks notice.
