The Housing Issue 2014

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March 14, 2014 THE HOUSING ISSUE 2014

EDITORS’ NOTE Just as a house is more than its roof, windows and framework, the process of finding a home in Berkeley is more than gathering roommates and investigat- ing properties. Apartment-hunting involves piles of documents, compromises with roommates-to-be and tough decision-making — it’s an arduous process mined with potential pitfalls and conflicts. Yet the issue of housing also goes beyond personal challenges we face when trying to find and secure a place of our own. From the city’s Rent Stabilization Board legislation to property developments to brewing controversy over gentrification, the housing struggle is multifaceted and complex. Luckily, we’re here to deconstruct its walls and pil- lars, leaving you with a foundation to build your home and concretize your future. — Jessie Lau & Kimberly Veklerov

STAFF Jessie Lau & Kimberly Veklerov HOUSING ISSUE EDITORS Jennie Yoon SPECIAL ISSUES EDITOR Yoojin Kim & Simone Rudolf-Dib COPY EDITORS Michael Drummond PHOTO EDITOR Susie Kang PRINT DESIGNER Kate Lee WEB DESIGNER TABLE OF CONTENTS Taylor Money WEB DEVELOPMENT page 2 page 6 GUIDE TO FINDING HOUSING RENT BOARD EXPLAINED Lizzy Klingen page 3 page 7 ILLUSTRATOR CITY NEWS AND BAY AREA ISSUES REFLECTIONS ON LIVING SPACES Sharon Liu & Tina Pai pages 4-5 page 8 GRAPHIC ARTISTS MURALS FROM CLOYNE MAP OF NEIGHBORHOODS 2 THE HOUSING ISSUE The Daily Californian Friday, March 14, 2014

Start Your Career by Serving 7SHJL FINDING in the Peace Corps. `V\YSLNHSZ THE PERFECT Information Session ^P[O\Z University of California - Berkeley PLACE TO LIVE: Monday, March 17 6:30 to 8 p.m. ;OL+HPS`*HSPMVYUPHU YWCA Berkeley/Oakland PZHUPUKLWLUKLU[ TYPES OF 2600 Bancroft Way Z[\KLU[Y\UM\SS` HKQ\KPJH[LKWHWLYPU Berkeley, California HOUSING IN (SHTLKH*V\U[` BERKELEY Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Clint Niehus will discuss how you can make *VU[HJ[V\YSLNHSZ a difference overseas and return home KLWHY[TLU[H[ with the experience and global perspective SLNHSZ'KHPS`JHSVYN to stand out in a competitive job market. VYJHSS By Perwana Nazif | Staff campus offers 20 co-ops which gives them access [email protected] — some of which are veg- to food and most utilities. etarian, all women or Af- The slightly crowded and rican American themed less-than-spotlessly clean Life is calling. How far will you go? Co-op — that all depend on feel of communal living It’s 7 p.m., and the members working to- can be insigniﬁcant when smell of freshly baked gether to create a cohe- taking into consideration bread hits you. You have sive ambience. Members each house’s colorful cul- just completed all ﬁve sign up for weekly work- ture. 855.855.1961 | www.peacecorps.gov/apply hours of your shift at shift hours, during which work this week, and the they do housework, such Campus housing vivid murals around as cooking or vacuuming. Campus housing is a you quickly fade as you Co-ops also hold events good option for students dig into the kale and such as concerts, spo- who want to focus on being quinoa salad sitting on ken word, and wine and students and don’t want to The your Tupperware lid. If cheese nights. When ap- worry about paying next nightly house-cooked plying online, you have month’s electricity bill on meals in a stimulating to pay a $50 deposit, in- time. For the price of about Homemade Cafe environment sound char- put your personal infor- $1,300 to $1,800 a month, Corner of Dwight Way & Sacramento St. acteristic of your ideal mation and list your top you won’t have to wash home, the Berkeley Stu- housing choices. Tenants dishes, clean bathrooms dent Cooperative is a vi- pay a monthly rent be- Homemade Cafe home of the able option for you. The tween $700 and $900, DESCRIPTION: PAGE 7 Best Breakfast Burger in the Bay Area! Mon to Fri 7am-2pm WHERE SHOULD YOU LIVE NEXT YEAR? Sat to Sun 8am - 3pm ? Are you a social person Diner Classics done right or do you want to live No. Can you handle Yes! with seasonal twists. paying monthly in a social Apartment setting? bills on time? Yes! No.

Does the thought of Private dorm 6\YUL^ZYVVTPZUVUWYVMP[ cleaning scare you No. or seem impossible? Yes. Do you like cooking? 4HRLH[H_KLK\J[PISLKVUH[PVU[V;OL+HPS`*HSPMVYUPHU HUKKPYLJ[S`Z\WWVY[V\YZ[\KLU[Y\UUL^ZYVVT Do you like dining Co-op hall food? No. KVUH[LKHPS`JHSVYN Yes! No. Yes! Campus housing

House Greek housing TINA PAI/DAILY CAL STAFF Breaking down the housing process

ing for people to move taking financial respon- By Jessie Lau into existing apartments, sibility of the lease if the and Kimberly Veklerov [email protected] which may mean furni- primary tenant can’t pay. ture and utilities will all Your co-signer can be already be sorted out. anyone who is financially Step one: finding room- stable and able to cover mates Step two: hunting down rent if you are unable to Perhaps the most im- the homestead do so. Usually, parents portant housing consid- Start the hunt as soon or guardians will act as eration is whether you’ll as possible. At first, co-signers. Some agree- be living alone or with you’ll fantasize over ments may need to be other people. Living endless Craigslist and notarized, and most ask alone can foster inde- PadMapper postings, for the co-signer’s social pendence and save you but soon the reality will security number, em- from roommate conflicts sink in — finding an af- ployment information, but may result in loneli- fordable place in your bank details and salary. ness or feelings of un- desired sector of the city Students with a signifi- safety. If you value your with all needed ameni- cant financial aid pack- own space and being in ties can be a challenge. age may need to provide control, however, living You may have to start documentation of such alone might be a great sacrificing dreams of if the aid will go toward option for you. balconies, pet-friendly rent. Living with your best landlords and dishwash- The lease contract is friend can be the experi- ing machines. another crucial docu- ence of a lifetime. If you In addition to the ment. Always read this know each other’s idio- number of rooms and agreement carefully. It syncrasies and grumpy location, be sure to con- contains important in- sides, you’ll be better sider parking options, formation about guest prepared when moods safety and laundry ma- policies, pet regulations, turn sour. When choos- chine availability. Dur- rent collection and sub- ing whether to live with ing housing tours, be letting rules. If you have your best friend, make sure to ask which utili- any questions about the sure you both want the ties are included in rent, contract, ask your land- same type of living ar- what is required for an lord before signing. If rangement and com- application, what you’ll you suspect a red flag or a municate well with each need for a lease agree- possible area of disagree- other. Set ground rules, ment and how much the ment, contact the city’s be ready to compromise deposit will be. While rent stabilization board, on various issues and touring, ask current ten- which provides counsel- don’t be afraid to speak ants and neighbors what ing to Berkeletenants on up if something is both- they honestly think of their rights and respon- ering you. the place and what com- sibilities. Choosing to live with plaints they might have. Most landlords re- strangers may seem Be sure to bring your quire a security deposit daunting, but it can rental application and — money you pay to also turn into an unex- checkbook on the tour. move into a new apart- pected friendship. And ment or house and will if it doesn’t, as long as Step three: sealing the usually be due along you are both willing to deal with documents with your first month’s communicate and make The co-signer agree- rent. If all goes well, your compromises, there’s no ment is a document deposit will be returned reason you can’t live to- signed by a financially when you move out of gether peacefully. There secure third party who are also many folks look- will be responsible for APPLYING: PAGE 6 Friday, March 14, 2014 The Daily Californian THE HOUSING ISSUE 3 Communal living thrives in alternative-style house THE TALE OF A former Sikh socialize with anyone else in together by friendly com- includes a meditation tower the dorms,” Pei said. “ We re- petitions dubbed “Kluegel that was added by the Sikh MY SISTER AND retreat provides ally had to make an effort Games,” with the kitchen serv- Dharma community dur- — it’s nice to have someone ing as a central hub during the ing its previous 20-year stay, THE CHEESECAKE housing for UC around (at Kluegel).” Thanksgiving potluck and Se- when the house served as a Berkeley students Bauer relies on traditional cret Santas organized during yoga center and residential THIEF means to advertise the space, the holidays. commune. Although no lon- yet the majority of renters “This never happened in ger the spiritual monastery it By Jeff Landa | Staff find the space via word of the dorms,” Gavitt said. “When once was, Kluegel remains a [email protected] mouth. There are no restric- you share common spaces, peaceful place for students to tions for applying to Kluegel, you find creative ways to make conduct their daily activities. and most of its residents are things work.” “The layout of the house Tucked just around the UC Berkeley students. As a Most recently converted lends itself to community,” bend of Le Conte Avenue sits result, former and current from a Sikh retreat into a pri- said Julia Gomes, a UC a four-story cottage — wood residents espouse not only vate residence hall in 1976, Berkeley freshman and Klue- framed and shrouded in red- the quality of quarters but the house is a Berkeley city gel resident. “(It has) a nice wood trees — home to an el- also the unique mix of ten- landmark. The common area and friendly atmosphere.” derly couple, 26 UC Berkeley ants made up of students at students, two cats and one various stages in their college dog. careers. Named “Kluegel House” af- Erika Gavitt, a UC Berke- ter its original owner, the cot- ley senior who moved in in tage currently represents one the fall, was attracted to the Sarah Dadouch of the few alternative hous- unregimented autonomy ing options — not owned or available to the denizens of [email protected] operated by the university — Kluegel. for students who are looking “There are no bureaucratic to find a collaborative living set of rules, only general cour- ast week, while my Facebook space with more flexibility and tesy,” Gavitt said. “We’re not was exploding with friends’ autonomy than the dorms. afraid to call each other out, Lposts about getting into Originally designed in 1911 and we can easily speak to Stanford’s and Harvard’s gradu- as a duplex, Kluegel was ac- Paula. She puts a lot of trust ate programs, I faced a dilemma: quired through foreclosure in in us.” Do I change out of my 5-year-old 2010 by current owners John Upon entering, visitors sweatpants and oversized sweater Lewis and Paula Bauer, who are greeted with a large cork- when getting my SpoonRocket live in the house’s lower level. board lined with photos and order? Not that I cared how I looked Like Kluegel’s previous own- brief biographies of the house- — I was just worried the guy who ers, the Bauers continue to mates. Midday voices clutter delivered my mac and cheese at 3:21 rent out the house’s 14 rooms the area, but considerate mur- p.m. would be the same one who to UC Berkeley students. murs from the living room delivered second one at 3:42 p.m. Michelle Pei, a UC Berke- barely echo over the long I decided I didn’t care and kept my ley sophomore and a resident dining table where students comfortable clothes on. of Kluegel house, calls the normally catch up on their Walking around in whatever you cottage “quaint and quiet.” studies. The sounds of shuf- please and looking like absolute hell Pei used to live at Clark Kerr fling feet, the low-key hum of are only two of the perks of living Campus, but after a yearlong appliances and the sound of in an apartment with your younger stay, she felt hampered by the people eating contribute to sister: You can holler for toilet dorm’s lack of local camara- the human buzz of a coopera- paper when you’re all out, there’s no derie. tive atmosphere. MICHAEL DRUMMOND/SENIOR STAFF embarrassment in having a messy “No one really wanted to The home is also brought Kluegel House, located on Le Conte Avenue, provides an alternative room, and any food in the house is housing option for students looking for a collaborative living space. up for grabs. And best of all, you get to eat hot buffalo wings and blue cheese dressing at 10 p.m. in her bed while watching “The Office,” and no one judges you for it. In fact, that type of behavior is deeply celebrated Downtown Berkeley to see spike in housing developments and highly encouraged. Three years ago, I lived in a house that had previously been a sorority. Construction nation” for those looking for When the sorority lost its charter, it housing. The association is an decided to lease out its rooms to girls Downtown aims independent organization that for a very reasonable amount, and I is facilitating the housing proj- considered myself extremely lucky to increase city ects and represents nearly 200 to have found such a bargain. I lived housing supply property owners and their busi- with 29 other girls. Being more of a ness tenants. guy-friend kind of gal, I thought this Though all the projects are total immersion in estrogen would By Tahmina Achekzai | Staff predicted to be completed by drive me up the wall, but I loved it. [email protected] 2018, some are expected to be Twenty-nine girls means 29 possible ready earlier. Goree said he friends, each unique and awesome expects Fidelity Apartments, in her own way. Well, almost each. Hard hats and construction which are located near the in- Because we had a food thief. trucks may become a famil- tersection of Shattuck and Ban- The culprit first stole small por- iar sight to Berkeley residents croft, to be finished within six tions or bites from people’s food. within the next few years as months. Some pasta here, a few spoonfuls Downtown Berkeley experi- Some of the projects have of ice cream there — she must have ences a surge in housing devel- already received requests to liked her food rich, because no apple opments. reserve rooms in advance — or brussel sprout ever went missing. More than 1,400 new hous- including those that have not But then, she started getting com- ing units in Downtown Berke- yet passed zoning laws. One fortable. I baked two cheesecakes ley are set for completion by project, Berkeley Central, filled once and left one in my assigned 2018, a number the Downtown about one-third of its rooms fridge slot. A few hours later, I came Berkeley Association expects within one month of opening back and saw one-third of the cake will both affect rent prices and last year. missing and a knife with traces nearly double the city’s popu- “Berkeley is a very good of cheese filling and crust thrown lation, bringing the number location, but our rental sup- rudely on the counter. That knife of Downtown residents up to ply is very low, and that’s why carried a message: “Not only will I 5,500. rentals are really hitting hard eat your cheesecake, but here, look Many of the developments now,” Goree said. “It’s just such at the knife I cut it with.” How dare underway could serve as rent- a needed commodity. To keep she? I beat that cheese by hand! I controlled, student-friendly rents at a somewhat affordable crushed the graham crackers with apartments for UC Berkeley level, you need to supply (the my fists! students upon completion. demand).” I furiously typed my first — and Lance Goree, operations Although Goree reasoned DOWNTOWN BERKELEY ASSOCIATION/COURTESY hopefully last — angry, ranting email manager for the Downtown that the additional apartments port from Cassidy Turley, a county increased by more than and sent it to the house. “From now Berkeley Association, said be- will curb the steady rise in rent commercial real estate service 8 percent over the last year. on, I’m spitting in my food” remains cause of its location and easy rates, unit prices are still ex- firm, Alameda County leads the When faced with rising the most credible threat I’ve ever access to public transportation, pected to increase. Bay Area in rental costs. The made. Berkeley is now a “hot desti- According to a market re- asking price for rentals in the DOWNTOWN: PAGE 6 Five days later, our house manager’s cheesecake was also selfishly devoured, and all hell broke loose. Food was laced with laxatives, and warning messages colored the kitchen until cameras were installed, Clarifying gentrification and its repurcussions in the Bay which was announced to everyone via email. But the thief struck again. When caught, she was faced with By Noah Kulwin | Senior Staff to increase the land value of the services. This simultaneously in- two options: pay a huge “I’m sorry” [email protected] targeted area, which inevitably Well, hold up a minute, doesn’t creases the standard of living in a fee or leave the house. She paid the leads to higher rents, mortgages the quality of these neighbor- neighborhood while pricing out fee, we got a free meal, and that was and so on. This brings us to the hoods go up along with the those who already live there. that. Somehow, though, that didn’t Over the last couple of years, key puzzle at the root of gentri- housing prices and land val- Rising tides of wealth in make it all alright. there has been a noticeable in- fication: How do you increase ues? And doesn’t an in- America tend to lift all yachts. My experience may sound bad, crease in media coverage of gen- property values in a given area crease in the aggre- Though it’s true the 2000s Sili- but the food theft — as utterly trau- trification and the rise of Bay without pushing out gate wealth of an con Valley tech boom created matizing as it may have been — was Area urban real estate prices. Be- its na- tive resi- massive economic gains in the only one small aspect of living there, low is meant to be an explanation Bay Area, little of this rapid and I thoroughly enjoyed my time of what gentrification is and why economic growth went to the at that house in general. It was so the issue of affordability in cities Bay’s poorest or rapidly collaps- convenient always having someone has become such a high-profile ing middle class. It also doesn’t around to hang out with. I met girls topic lately. hurt that some of the most well- from Oslo, Lyon and Taipei. I even funded tech companies have re- met girls all the way from Southern I’ve been hearing a lot about ceived huge tax breaks for merely California, believe it or not. I learned “gentrification” and an in- keeping their offices in Bay Area that artichokes aren’t completely crease in Bay Area housing cities, even if they don’t employ disgusting and that strawberries in prices lately. What’s all this that many people. salad are a thing. I saw stereotypical about? In a feature article for American chick-flick moments come To put it in as few words as the New Yorker last year, to life in front of my eyes: baking possible, gentrification is what George Packer detailed cookies from leftover cookie dough happens when a neighbor- this increase in inequal- (because cookie dough can totally hood experiences an influx ity and the tech industry’s constitute a meal), cutting and styl- of people with more wealth LIZZY KLINGEN/STAFF response to it: ing one another’s hair (my bangs than the current residents, “Why has a revolu- had never looked so lopsided, and I thereby increasing the costs dents? area lift the bottom up tion that is supposed to be loved them), and emptying whipped of living — such as rent prices Malo Hutson, a UC as well? as historically important as the cream cans in and on one another’s — in the neighborhood. The re- Berkeley assistant professor When new, wealthier industrial revolution coincided faces. It was terrific. sultant displacement forces out of city and regional plan- residents move into a with a period of broader eco- But that doesn’t beat living in my the poorest residents of a neigh- ning, told the High Coun- lower-cost neighborhood, nomic decline? I posed the ques- own apartment with the girl who’s borhood, usually fixed-income try News in 2011, “You it’s true that better services tion in one form or another to down to have a marathon of every retirees or those working mini- would get the Nobel Prize in often follow them there, as some everyone I talked to in the Bay “Friends” Thanksgiving episode mum wage. Economics — or Peace — if you academics have shown. These Area … Few of them had given that’s ever aired, despite the fact that Even if this displacement is could figure out a way to keep the improvements could be new mu- the topic much consideration.” we’ve been rewatching this series for caused by “green-friendly” de- community that existed before nicipal transit lines, renovated or about six years now. I mean, she’s velopment, the goal of any suc- the redevelopment project came recently constructed public parks MOVING: PAGE 7 cessful redevelopment project is along.” and a whole host of other public GENTRIFICATION: PAGE 7 4 THE HOUSING ISSUEIFThe Daily Californian WALLS COFriday, MarcU

“IF T Cloyne’s timeless murals MURA WE W By Michael Drummond damage after overdosing at the house in 2010. The cabinet’s Senior Staff OF A [email protected] proposal aims to mitigate future liabilities and facilitate an overall culture shift at Cloyne in ABOUT Pictured here are some of the response to the suit’s allegations murals of Cloyne Court, one of that BSC and Cloyne fostered the largest cooperative houses in a dangerous and drug-tolerant the country. At a meeting Thurs- environment. day night, the Berkeley Student Since the proposal was an- Cooperative’s Board of Directors nounced last month, it has been was set to vote on whether these hotly contested. Many residents paintings — and the members of of Cloyne — who call themselves the house — should be allowed Clones — said they feel as if they to stay at Cloyne Court come were excluded from the demo- “(THE MURALS ARE) ALMO fall. cratic process by not being in- The proposed whitewashing volved in cabinet’s drafting of the EXTENSION OF THE FREE SPEE of the murals and what some proposal. Some Clones who have have called a “purge” of Cloyne helped create the murals see the IN A WAY BECAUSE THE FR members come as part of the act of painting as an extension BSC executive cabinet’s re- of the Free Speech Movement. MOVEMENT WAS THE IDEA T sponse to the recent settlement As of press time, no decisions of lawsuit against the co-op. have been made about the future COULD VOICE THEIR POLITIC The suit was filed against BSC of the murals or whether current by the mother of a former UC and former Clones will be able FREELY ON THE BERKELEY Berkeley student and Cloyne to move back into the house for resident who sustained brain the fall semester. — STEVEN FOX NA

“EVERY SINGLE DAY, I WANT TO COME HOME MOOD IS INSTANTLY CH ABSORBING ALL OF TH THAT IS AROUND — JUSTIN HSIU

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL DRUMMOND

“EVERY SINGLE DAY, I ACTUALLY WANT TO COME HOME, AND MY MOOD IS INSTANTLY CHANGED BY ABSORBING ALL OF THIS COLOR THAT IS AROUND ME.” — JUSTIN HSIUNG

“IF I CAME TO VISIT CLOYNE SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, AND ALL THE WALLS WERE PAINTED WHITE, AND MY ARTWORK WAS PAINTED OVER AND ALL MY FRIEND’S ARTWORK WAS PAINTED OVER, I WOULD FEEL AS THOUGH MY EXPERIENCE IN THIS HOUSE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY ERASED AND UNDERMINED.” — ELON ROV h 14, 2014 The Daily Californian THE HOUSING ISSUE 5

OUT OF THE DORMS AND INTO THE ULD TALK SILENCE

THE PROPOSAL PASSES AND ALL THE ALS IN OUR HOUSE GET PAINTED OVER, WOULD BE LOSING ABOUT 500 PIECES Daniela Grinblatt ARTWORK — AND THERE’S A MYTHOS [email protected]

T THIS HOUSE THAT ONLY THE MURALS or most freshmen at UC CAN REALLY TELL.” Berkeley, February was a Fmonth filled with Valen- tine’s Day cards, basketball games — SHANNON LEVIS and DeCal fairs. For me, it was a month of roommate-mediation meetings, apartment tours and box-packing. Four weeks into the semester, I gathered my belongings and ST LIKE THE moved from a triple dorm room about the size of a hamster cage ECH MOVEMENT to a studio apartment by myself. My new lodging is farther REE SPEECH from campus, located in a 10-unit apartment complex, and over- THAT PEOPLE looks a neglected herb garden that was once cared for by my CAL OPINION landlord. The place is essentially a run-down cottage. It is peaceful, Y CAMPUS.” no doubt, and cool in that brood- ing poet type of way. AKAI The day I moved into my new home, I was bubbling with excitement. Independence, tranquility, a private bathroom — they were all finally mine! Out of the dorms and in the real world, I felt mature and sophisticated. But the ACTUALLY fact of the matter is, my apartment is fairly isolated and can E, AND MY make even the most vivacious student feel very lonely, very quickly. HANGED BY What I didn’t know was that in order to get privacy and indepen- HIS COLOR dence, I had to trade community. When I first moved, I noticed ME.” that the silence in the apartment was overwhelming to the point of UNG being loud. It made me hyper- aware that there was, in fact, none of that background noise I had grown so accustomed to while living in the dorms. It took me only a few days to realize the social situation in this apartment complex was quite different than that of the dorms. Doors are shut, voices are hushed and tenants don’t really trouble themselves with getting to know the other people on their floor, which was fine — at least at first, when I had my own friends bustling in and out of my apartment, visiting and bringing housewarm- ing gifts. I was busy hanging post- ers and testing out my new oven. But when all that settled down, I started to hear the silence. Initially, I thought this lonely feeling was a result of my own lack of sociability. I just needed to be more extroverted! So I went around knocking on doors and introducing myself. I got a lot of “PAINTING OVER THESE WALLS WOULD BE smiles and kind words, but never an invitation to come inside. I LIKE PAINTING OVER HISTORY AND PAINTING decided to try harder. I started doing my homework by the herb OVER INSPIRATION, AND I DON’T REALLY SEE garden, expecting others to come join me like they used to in the ANY DISTINCT NEEDS FOR DOING THAT.” dorm lounges. No one ever came. I was feeling pretty lonely — SHANNON LEVIS on one of my first nights in the apartment, eating Frosted Flakes and watching “Breaking Bad.” My default reaction, the one I had grown accustomed to in the dorms, was to visit a friend in the building. Braless and in my pajamas, I thought it would be a fine idea to go visit the cute boy who lived a floor below me. When I used to do this in the dorms, it was a casual gesture. I was halfway down the fire escape when I realized I would be unin- tentionally initiating a booty call. Knocking on the door of a single baseball player at midnight wear- ing nothing but a tank top and cotton pajamas shorts was a bold move in an apartment. I didn’t make it to the baseball player’s room. I hiked back up to my place and listened to the silence around me. I could no longer rely on social recip- rocation from others to bring me comfort. I needed to be proactive in my solitude. The privacy, something the dorms couldn’t offer, provided me with a space for reflection. I could now write songs, cook meals or play solitaire. Slowly but surely, I adapted to solo living, and sur- prisingly, I grew to love it. A month later, I can now report that the silence is far less loud. It is drowned out by creative thoughts and meditative activities. I have developed an appreciation for the tranquility of this apartment. I listen to the meowing of the cat DORMS: PAGE 7 6 THE HOUSING ISSUE The Daily Californian Friday, March 14, 2014

To ta l: As of 2010, Berkeley 2 has approximately 7 , 7 27,700 rental units.

College students save 50% 0 The Rent Stabilization Board About 21,000 are 21,000 0 has nine commissioners subject or potentially at the Symphony! units potentially subject to rent stabilization subject to rent · Located in the heart of Hayes Valley, with fun bars and stabilization restaurants close by Five commissioners are up for election this year · Great for dates or nights out with friends Recently passed laws that affect renters: · Close to BART TOBACCO FREE SOFT STORY percentage of 45% MULTIUNIT HOUSING ORDINANCE Berkeley tenants who are students QUES Bans tobacco in all of Berkeley’s Requires that “soft, weak or open È multiunit housing, takes effect in May front” buildings with five or more units LAB be retrofitted within the next five years SOURCE: BERKELEY RENT STABILIZATION BOARD, BERKELEY BUILDING AND SAFETY SHARON LIU / DAILY CAL SENIOR STAFF City board outlines rights and rent rules

pect problems, they can tenants the maximum By Melissa Wen | Staff [email protected] get a free inspection of charge allowed by state their living space. law — $44.51 — and give The Labèque “We need to really back a copy of the credit West Since 1982, the Berke- up our game in terms report, receipt and any Sisters play ley Rent Stabilization of habitability,” Townley unused portion of the Side Story and more Board has existed to reg- said. “What we would fee. APR 7 ulate increases in rent, love to see is every single Relief from hous- mediate conflicts be- unit in the city physically ing troubles can also be Just choose 3 or more concerts and save! tween landlords and ten- inspected.” found by calling the rent APR 4 ants and develop housing Earthquakes are also board, which provides Blomstedt conducts Schubert’s Great Symphony legislation. on the forefront of the free counseling. Accord- APR 7 The Labèque Sisters play West Side Story and more The board is one of board’s recent agenda. ing to Webster, the rent APR 9, 11 Blomstedt and Garrick Ohlsson just a handful in the Commissioners worked board also tables at pub- MAY 8, 9 Bach—For the Spirit state and consists of nine with the City Council on lic events and holds vari- MAY 14 MTT conducts Brahms commissioners — five of an ordinance passed in ous workshops. MAY 29, 30 Dutoit conducts Fauré’s Requiem whom are up for re-elec- December that required “I think that the most JUN 4 Dutoit conducts Beethoven and Shostakovich tion this year. owners of seismically important thing for stu- “We’re always working unsafe buildings with at dents to realize is that BRITTEN FESTIVAL on keeping the popula- least five units to retrofit they have rights, they’re JUN 13 Britten: The Prince of the Pagodas tion aware that we have them within the next five pretty extensive, and any JUN 19, 20 Britten: Copland, Shostakovich, and the Serenade rights,” said Rent Board years. information about that is JUN 26 Britten: Peter Grimes Commissioner Pam Now, according to just a phone call away,” Webster. Townley, a committee Harr said. What follows is what of rent board commis- GET DAY-OF RUSH * CALL (415) 864-6000 FOR THIS SPECIAL OFFER TICKETS FOR ONLY $20 several commissioners sioners wants to push Students on board think student residents more people to use the No student has been Concerts at Davies Symphony Hall. Programs, artists, and prices subject to change. ought to know about city’s emergency cache elected to the rent board *Limited $20 Rush tickets for select performances. For availability, call (415) 503-5577 by 6pm on the day before the concert or by 6pm on the Friday before weekend concerts. Limit: 2 Rush tickets per person. their rent, rights and program, through which since 2004, when two UC Box Office Hours Mon–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat noon–6pm, Sun 2 hours prior to concerts representation. apartment residents can Berkeley students, Jason Walk Up Grove Street between Van Ness and Franklin apply for free earthquake Overman and current Present projects supplies. They are also Councilmember Jesse Rent Board Commis- looking to expand the Arreguin, were elected. SECOND CENTURY sioner Jesse Townley and program with a disaster- Candidates who are PARTNERS Vice Chair Katherine preparedness training selected for a slate at the Harr both put ensuring course for apartment upcoming 2014 Berkeley Inaugural Partner habitability — like heat residents. Tenant Convention have in housing units and the best chance of being SEASON leak-proof roofs — high Rights and resources elected. PARTNERS on their list of priori- Harr, also up for re- “It would be amaz- ties. The board is work- election, said she hopes ing if we could get a stu- Official Airline Official Wine ing with Berkeley City renters realize that dent or a recent student Council to allow tenants Berkeley has a tighter law on the rent board,” said to make anonymous than the rest of the state James Chang, external complaints to their land- regarding fees charged affairs vice president at lords, Harr said. to tenants to process the Berkeley Student Co- Townley, who is up their applications and operative. “That would for re-election this fall, consumer credit reports. take a lot of student en- noted that if tenants sus- Landlords must tell gagement.”

APPLYING: Plan legal confusion with your be permitted to move landlord, make sure your in. As soon as you move for utilities lease agreement is clear in, you’ll need to set up regarding the limits and re- utilities, change your of- and the big turn policy on your deposit. ficial address on mailing lists and start decorat- move-in day Step four: hammering ing. Especially if you’re out logistics living with three or more FROM PAGE 2 Your documents are people, it’s a good idea signed, your roommates to set up a joint bank the apartment after your and parents are happy, account for simple rent lease is ﬁnished. In some your landlord is sig- payments. Hammer- circumstances, however, nificantly richer — now ing out who does which the landlord may hold it what? Figure out when chores when is never a to pay for any damages or you’ll receive keys to pleasant task, but it will cover charges for any late your newfound king- save you headache down rent payments. To avoid dom and when you will the line.

DOWNTOWN: Open Door has re- more toward older genera- cently established a space tions, it may be more of in- New units less than a mile west from terest to graduate students the Downtown Berkeley than undergraduates. aim to meet BART station called the Whether residents will Farm House. The house, be students, profession- student needs set to open April 1, is cur- als or families, popula- rently accepting applications are expected to rise. FROM PAGE 3 tions from prospective To combat concerns about residents. crowding and trafﬁc is- rent, students can look “Inspiration, impact sues, Goree said develop- into alternative options to and income — that’s the ers are already thinking in the traditional apartment purpose of the house,” advance for solutions, and route. The Open Door De- said Jay Standish, co- a number of the plans in- velopment Group, a real founder of Open Door. clude bicycle receptacles estate development ﬁrm “That’s why we started and underground garages. that creates co-living com- it — to create a platform “Issues that you never munities in cities across for people to live together could have thought of are the Bay Area, stresses shar- in that inquiry and help going to come up, and ing economy practices — each other live lives of they’re going to have to be like car- and meal-sharing significance.” solved,” he said. “Nothing — to reduce residents’ liv- Standish explained that is going to be completely ing expenses. because the house is geared smooth.” Friday, March 14, 2014 The Daily Californian THE HOUSING ISSUE 7

GENTRIFICATION: to be in West Oakland,” For San Francisco, some Hutson said. “In San Fran- argue the issue is a lack of Vertical cisco, urban renewal poli- vertical development. They cies destroyed the Fillmore believe that if the city, which construction district, which was histori- is a 7-by-7 mile peninsula cally an African American with few open spaces, were could solve area.” to increase available housing units, it should do so by the problem Okay, but what about to- building upwards. For de- day? If the influx of wealth cades, San Francisco zoning FROM PAGE 3 and capital into these laws have stymied vertical neighborhoods is happen- construction, which critics Aha! So that’s what this ing, what can we do about argue have artificially in- is really all about — all of it to keep housing costs flated the cost of housing. this gentrification stuff down? And what can tech Others propose that San that’s been in the news is do to help fix the problem? Francisco needs a land tax just because of tech and There are a number of whereby property owners the Google buses and so options that leaders, com- pay more in taxes as the on. munities and policymakers value of their land increases Not so fast. Gentrifica- are pursuing to deal with over time with the revenue tion and the displacement the problems that come generated set aside for the of the Bay Area’s poorest with gentrification. poor and the middle class. has been happening for de- In Berkeley, the munici- It’s also worth noting that cades now. After World War pal body that deals with is- a number of different cit- II, the passage of the Hous- sues related to housing and ies are experimenting with ing Act of 1949 enabled the affordable rents is the Rent new methods of tackling federal government to en- Stabilization Board. Com- gentrification-related dis- gage in “slum clearing” and missioner Katherine Harr placement, such as adjust- pass exclusionary zoning said in an email the city “has ments to property taxes for laws, which in effect deval- one of the strongest tenant longtime homeowners. ued and demolished urban protection ordinances in Still, some of these ideas neighborhoods predomi- the state.” are flawed. It may be impos- nantly populated by people Berkeley residents have sible to build vertically out of color. some protections from of poverty. Additionally, if Hutson said the Bay evictions and sudden in- the tech boom is actually a Area was “hit hard by urban creases in rent, Harr said, bubble, using a land tax to renewal.” pointing to how the board tether revenue designated “In West Oakland, you’ve “requires landlords register for anti-poverty measures to had the construction of their rents, and tracks them, bubble-induced price spikes BART, the USPS Distribu- sending out letters each may have long-term budget tion Center, the freeway — year to inform landlords consequences, should land they all wiped out the old and tenants of the allowable values fall significantly in a Victorian homes that used maximum rent.” “tech bust.” Get Going

MOVING: Sister tions by yelling across walls. moved in, but hey, that’s Best of all: We have space. what pepper spray is for. and ample We have so much space Living in an apartment with AC Transit that we keep trying to come makes you feel like an space create up with ways we can ﬁll adult; unlike living in a up the apartment, and we dorm, where “decorating” warm living have so many bare walls means buying one poster that we can cover them up and hoping it doesn’t of- environment with every single Mumford fend your two roommates, Takes you to SF all day and Sons poster there is, living in an apartment FROM PAGE 3 and we’d still have room means you can get that and weekend too left over. I have my own huge, ornate mirror you’ve heard me sing Rihanna’s bathroom, people. Let that always secretly wanted “Stay,” and instead of asking sink in. and you can have friends F me to stop hurting her ears, Sure, it’s kind of far over for home-cooked joined me with her own from campus, but bik- meals. You can tell who awful voice and complete ing is a great way to lose steals your cheesecake. ineptitude of carrying a that weight you’ve put And, when you have a Late night service tune. In this apartment, on from Ici and CREAM. roommate as awesome as 800 I can walk into someone And yeah, our neighbor- mine, you never have to do gets you back home else’s closet and wear hood is kind of scary, and laundry or wash dishes. whatever I feel like, and I my friend did get mugged But don’t get any ideas. can have whole conversa- right outside the day we She’s all mine.

DORMS: Living baths, and I actually spend returning to my run- time folding my clothes — down cottage retreat. Grab a bite in Gourmet Ghetto alone brings things I never could have It is an escape from the done in the dorms. On excitement of campus peace and campus, I practice being life and provides an ideal 18 extroverted and social, framework for reflection independence and I am much more and relaxation. Moving inclined to engage with to an apartment showed Stroll around FROM PAGE 5 friends instead of doing me that this is some- something alone. There thing you need in the Fourth Street or the that sometimes wanders are more lunch dates, context of a busy college 51B through the backyard, study groups and lecture social life. I study in the and I am overcome with buddies throughout the herb garden daily, and I Berkeley Marina a feeling of serenity. I day. secretly hope that no one write poetry, I take bubble I look forward to comes to join me. Take the Rapid to First Friday DESCRIPTION: Apartments and houses ing your walls and halls, Face down on your fu- a house provides a freer and Downtown Oakland Greek houses ton, you hear Ella Fitzger- atmosphere. You don’t ald’s voice from the depths have to worry about be- 1R provide social of Spotify on your speakers ing too loud, and you typi- as your pasta boils on the cally have more common community stove. This is your space — spaces. your very own apartment. Go to pt.berkeley.edu for your FROM PAGE 2 You have the luxury of a Fraternities and sorori- private bathroom, and you ties or cook. If it’s not broken, can fill your fridge with the If your ideal college Class Pass Destination Guide don’t fix it, right? If you latest produce from Berke- experience involves ex- agree, the land of meal ley Bowl — hello, Swedish changes with the house points and transitioning Gruyere — or from Trader across the street, rush adulthood await you. Cam- Joe’s — cookie butter, any- events, large mansion- pus housing is a way to one? The lack of commu- style houses and an ex- meet and bond with other nity presence can make you tended family of sisters students while brushing feel isolated, but living in or brothers, sorority or your teeth or covering up an apartment teaches you fraternity housing may be the chalkboard in the study to be independent and al- a good fit for you. Conve- lounge with that pesky lows you to be fully in con- niently located around 0025-14 Math 16B problem. There’s trol of your surroundings. Piedmont Avenue, 12 so- also a support system in- You can find your ideal rorities and 29 fraterni- tact — resident assistants apartment by walking ties offer housing options. can act as a mediator in around, asking graduat- Overall costs — including tough situations. Online ing seniors for their apart- rent, meals, cleaning ser- housing applications for ments or using sites such vices, membership dues dorms require a $20 non- as Craigslist, PadMapper and others — add up to refundable application fee. or even the UC Berkeley about $8,000 to $10,000 Some on-campus housing housing group on Face- annually. Greek hous- options such as the Maxi- book. You can also round ing offers its residents a mino Martinez Commons up a group of friends and strong friend base and offer apartments as well as rent a house for the year. networking community of )&3#*703& dorm rooms. Without neighbors shar- alumni. 5)&&"35)-:(3*-- 1J[[Bt#VSHFSTt2VFTBEJMMBTt -BTBHOBtǠ$IFFTFTUFBLTt8SBQTt 4BMBETt'SFODI5PBTUtǠ1BODBLFTtǠ t7FHBOo*OUFSOBUJPOBM.FOV $SFQFTtǠ1JFTt4IBLFTt.PSF t/PX4FSWJOH1J[[B3BNFO/PPEMF4PVQ 3FWJFXT t#FTUPG7FHFUBSJBO– 4'8FFLMZ The Lasagna is worthy of licking the plate. This place is fantastic. The best vegan place I t/PSUIFSO$BMJGPSOJBhT'BWPSJUF7FHBO&BUFSZ have been to and good prices... t'VMM#BSBUUIF#FSLFMFZ-PDBUJPO Your Espresso shake with soy vanilla ice cream makes me the happiest pperson in the world <3

4VO 5IVSTBN QN 4BO'SBODJTDP7BMFODJB 4BO'SBODJTDP%JWJTBEFSP #FSLFMFZ 'SJ -4BUBN QN 7BMFODJB %JWJTBEFSP 4IBUUVDL #SFBLGBTUTFSWFEVOUJMQNEBJMZ 4BO'SBODJTDP $" 4BO'SBODJTDP $" #FSLFMFZ $" IFSCJWPSFSFTUBVSBOUDPN 8 THE HOUSING ISSUE The Daily Californian Friday, March 14, 2014 Splicing up Berkeley: an insider’s peek into the culture of each neighborhood

A guide to the hot spots and NORTHSIDE The quieter side of campus, Northside contains a degree of charm and sophistication that Southside eccentricities of residential areas leaves to be desired. The calm atmosphere, quaint cafes and safe environment are reﬂected in generally higher rental rates compared to those of Southside. The students who live here are, on average, older than those across campus because there are fewer residence halls. Many co-ops — including the two largest — are situated on Northside and lend the area a small amount of social life. Those drawn to the Greek-style party scene, however, are better suited for Southside. Within reach of Codornices Park, the Berkeley Rose Garden and Tilden Park, Northside has retained more of its natural environment throughout the years than other areas of the city. Although there are fewer public transportation options, most necessities are just a stone’s throw away. A handful of cafes and coffee shops line Euclid Avenue, though none stay open late. An easy walk westward down the hill leads to the Gourmet Ghetto, home to Cheeseboard, Philz Coffee and other delectable, if expensive, treats.

DOWNTOWN Downtown Berkeley lies on the west side of campus and is centered along Shattuck Avenue. The neighborhood consists of a bustling area with myriad restaurants, cafes, yoga studios, movie theaters, used bookshops and other stores littered among residential apartments and houses. Whether you’re looking for brunch, fast food or a romantic dinner venue, you’ll find it here. Restaurants and cafes in the area usually close about 9 or 10 p.m., but go farther down to University Avenue, and you’ll find Au Coquelet Cafe and People’s Cafe — hot study spots that close at 2 a.m. and midnight, respectively. Venture a few blocks west of Shattuck, and you’ll find a quieter residential neighborhood. The commute from Downtown is little far, and parking can be scarce, but the area’s extensive AC Transit network and proximity to the Downtown Berkeley BART station easily makes up for it.

PERSIA SALEHI/FILE UNIVERSITY PIEDMONTFRAT ROW University Avenue and its surrounding streets bring you to the intersection of commercialized space and Known as “Frat Row,” this neighborhood is satu- residential living. UC Berkeley students and families with small children live side-by-side in this pocket of rated with students. The area is home to most of the the city. Because of its relative distance from campus, housing on Westside tends to be more affordable. The campus’s fraternities and sororities, as well as a few farther west you live, the more you’ll rely on the 51B and 52 AC Transit lines. Neighborhoods around Uni- cooperatives. The prevalence of Greek culture and the versity Avenue consist of quirky single-family homes interspersed with apartment complexes. area’s proximity to dorms and other campus institu- Because undergraduate students are not generally drawn to Westside, the area maintains a quiet vibe tions make it an exuberant hub for social activity and apart from the usual city buzz. Along Hearst Avenue, you’ll find Ohlone Park, a long strip of fields, play- nightlife. Farther down Piedmont Avenue, the party grounds and basketball courts. Eating and shopping options are plentiful here, and this sector of the city is scene dims as you wander into a more residential also home to Trader Joe’s — the beloved, quirky grocery store with staff outfitted in Hawaiian shirts. A jaunt neighborhood, consisting mostly of apartment com- over to San Pablo Avenue will take you to a bustling bar and music scene. plexes and houses. Buses that go to and from Pied- mont Avenue, however, come less frequently than in busier neighborhoods. The area also doesn’t have as SOUTHSIDE many eateries, so when in search of food, Piedmont residents usually hit College or Southside. Hectic, vibrant and brimming with life, Southside is perhaps the most densely populated and student- heavy neighborhood around campus. The area’s close proximity to the southern side of campus and campus housing means public transportation is easily accessible, and students usually dominate the neighborhood. That being said, you’ll also see your fair share of tourists and locals going in and out of the various shops ELMWOOD and eateries and stopping at the many street vendors strewn across Telegraph Avenue. The famous Asian Ghetto, located on Durant Avenue, is open late and provides a diverse range of food options from Italian to Home to Ici Ice Cream and Lululemon Athletica, Vietnamese cuisine. The neighborhood also has many cafes — some of which stay open until midnight — the ritzy and lively Elmwood area combines mom- making it a central location for study sessions and group meetups. While housing is plentiful on Southside, and-pop shops with extravagant chain stores. Stu- its proximity to campus means the prices are usually higher than that of other neighborhoods. dents in search of lodging in this shopping-heavy district can expect higher average rent prices than most areas — similar to Northside, but with closer proximity to Southside social life. The Rockridge BART sta- TELEGRAPH tion is easily accessible on everyone’s favorite 51B line, and the walk to campus isn’t terrible. The student-heavy bubble of Southside spills down Telegraph Avenue past Dwight Way, where you’ll- Though less popular than Southside and the Pied- find relatively affordable apartment complexes, duplexes and an assortment of single-family homes. Al mont area, you’ll still find some students milling about though there are some minor safety concerns in the area, students living here will never grow bored. Whole- at night, going to the movie theater on the corner of Foods, Willard Park and Buffalo Exchange provide endless organic treats, recreation and affordable cloth College and Ashby avenues or grabbing chicken ke- ing. babs from La Mediterranee. The tree-lined streets Take the 1 line on AC Transit or ride a bike for easy movement up and down Telegraph. Going south are peaceful with a small-town feel. Housing options along the avenue, you’ll notice the area becoming less eccentric and more urban as Berkeley blends into- range from apartment complexes to large, multifloor Oakland. Students living farther down Telegraph will likely develop sharper city smarts and a better un derstanding of the East Bay than their counterparts in the Berkeley student bubble. homes. — Jessie Lau & Kimberly Veklerov

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