Carmen Francois, a downtown Berkeley Ambassador, talks to someone on Shattuck Avenue. Photo: Natalie Orenstein On a recent Tuesday afternoon, Carmen Francois was on a mission. “We’re supposed to say hi to 60 people in 60 minutes,” she said. Francois, one of Berkeley’s downtown “ambassadors,” didn’t have any trouble meeting the quota. She ducked into […]
Homelessness
Posted inCity
Berkeley sitting ban progresses toward November ballot
A group of young adults wakes up after spending the night on Telegraph Avenue recently. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel In a contentious meeting that lasted until the wee hours of the morning and exposed deep divisions in Berkeley, the City Council voted early Wednesday to proceed with a measure that would put a sit-lie ordinance on […]
Posted inCity
Proposed sidewalk sitting ban prompts debate, protest
Councilmember Kriss Worthington addressed a small group of homeless advocates outside City Hall Monday, calling the proposed ban on sidewalk sitting “outrageous” and “rushed”. Photo: Tracey Taylor Councilmember Kriss Worthington addressed a small group of homeless advocates outside City Hall Monday, calling the proposed ban on sidewalk sitting “outrageous” and “rushed”. Photo: Tracey Taylor Update, […]
Posted inCity
Mayor seeks to put sit-lie ordinance on November ballot
A group of people on Telegraph Avenue, long a destination for travelers and transient people. Photo: Nancy Rubin Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates is asking that the City Council consider putting a sit-lie ordinance on the November ballot and the issue will be discussed at the council’s June 12 meeting. “We’ve been making substantial progress making […]
Posted inCrime
Police step up patrols on Telegraph to clear sidewalks
Berkeley and UC Police have started regular patrols of Telegraph to discourage young adults from loitering on sidewalks. Photo: Sgt. Mary Kusmiss In response to complaints from merchants and shoppers about the increase in the number of people loitering on the sidewalks, the Berkeley Police Department and UC Police have started a new patrol around […]
Posted inCommunity
Rotary Club builds new play structure for homeless kids
Mayor Tom Bates and kids cut ribbon on the new play structure at the Ursula Sherman Village on Harrison Street. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel For more than two years, the homeless children at the Ursula Sherman Village on Harrison Street in West Berkeley only had an empty lot to play in. The decrepit play structure that […]
Posted inBusiness
Berkeley students want better stores, fewer street people
People hanging out on Telegraph Avenue on Memorial Day. Photo: Nancy Rubin While UC Berkeley students eat regularly downtown and on Telegraph Avenue, they generally go elsewhere to shop for clothes, get their hair cut, buy sundries, or go out on the town, according to a new survey of 1,800 graduate and undergraduate students. While […]
Posted inCommunity
Pets of the homeless to get help at People’s Park clinic
HarleyQuin in a cast at Cedar Park. Photos: Jill Posener In February, some people were sitting on a wall in Berkeley when one of them jumped off and accidentally landed on the leg of a puppy, HarleyQuin. Shadow, the street name for HarleyQuin’s owner, rushed the dog to a nearby vet but didn’t have the […]
Posted inCity
Anti sit-lie campaigners take protest to City Hall
A protester sits outside the City Council Chambers making plain her views about a mooted sit-lie ordinance. Photo: Tracey Taylor A group of about 70 people marched to the City Council Chambers Tuesday evening, after meeting on Telegraph Avenue, to protest a possible sit-lie ordinance in the city. Although the item was not on last night’s […]
Posted inCommunity
After 40 years, Berkeley homeless group looks ahead
Volunteer Betty Peters serves meals for the Berkeley Food and Housing Project. By Rachel Gross Margaret, a 52-year-old Bay Area native and a current resident of the North County Women’s Shelter in Berkeley, says she’s “new to being homeless.” After divorcing an abusive husband, she has spent the past two years without a permanent home, sleeping at motels, on […]
Posted inEvents, Nature
41 years of People’s Park
By SlumJack: Forty-one years ago, I joined many others in creating People’s Park. Then I joined in to demonstrate and even skirmish to get it back again. Then rebuild it. Through the years and decades since then, I’ve continued to use and enjoy this park. It’s yours, too. Come together this Sunday, April 25th, from […]
Posted inCommunity
Baby, it’s cold outside: Share some warmth
By Becca Freed Right now, when we’re having the lowest temperatures of the year and wet weather to boot, the clients of the Women’s Daytime Drop-in Center could really use your help. The Drop-in Center needs warm clothes for women and kids, including rain ponchos and coats, umbrellas, socks, hats, and gloves. Photo: Sisters Project […]