FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2021
The opening of this temporary shelter presents a huge opportunity for Berkeley to make lasting progress in housing its unhoused community. We must not squander it. With the 18-month contract for this site and 24-hour security, I’m looking forward to partnering with the county, state agencies, and community leaders to ensure this provides not only a compassionate roof over heads, but also a path to permanent housing for all who need it.
I’m grateful to City of Berkeley staff in the City Manager’s office who worked for over a year to secure a contract for this site. I’m also grateful to Governor Newsom and our State Senator Nancy Skinner for their leadership on the state budget, with monumental investments in housing security for our most vulnerable communities; to Dorothy Day House and Rebuilding Together for their partnership; and to Mayor Arreguín and Councilmember Kesarwani for their tireless support.
I will continue to work with the City Manager’s office, the Potter’s Creek neighborhood, and local merchants to ensure the success of this project, to safeguard the health and safety of the surrounding community and Aquatic Park. I am hopeful that this project will help to lift us all out of this crisis and unite Berkeleyans in our shared prosperity.
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