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People’s Park and Neighborhood Groups Challenge UC’s 2021 LRDP

In a lawsuit claiming the nearly total inadequacy of the University of California’s Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on its 2021 Long Range Development Plan and Housing Project #1 and Housing Project #2 (LRDP) a team of lawyers representing Make UC a Good Neighbor and the People’s Park Historic Advocacy Group (PPHDAG) are seeking to void approval of the LRDP and the EIR, and thereby stop all activities proposed in that LRDP. This legal action is of great importance to supporters of People’s Park since it would mean significant delays for any attempts to destroy the Park by erecting three buildings on that beloved site. It would also keep our friends at 1921 Walnut Street in their rent controlled homes for the time being.

The lead attorney in this suit, Thomas Lippe, has prevailed in two California Environmental Quality Act cases against the University of California and, because his most recent victory against UC concerned plans to build on Upper Hearst, Mr Lippe is very familiar with the 2021 LRDP. This suit wast filed on August 20, 2021 in the Superior Court of California in and for the county of Alameda.

It describes the nearly total failure of the EIR for the 2021 LEDP to adequately either describe or address the environmental effects caused by the program or projects proposed in the LRDP. Among its contentions are that the EIR fails to make required findings, fails to propose and evaluate adequate mitigation measures, fails to respond in good faith to the public comments received in response to the draft EIR, and fails to lawfully assess the LRDP’s effects on traffic, noise, air pollution, population and housing, parks and recreation, or historic and cultural resources.

This site will post any response from UC or upcoming court dates as they are announced.

— joe liesner, secretary People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group

Donate to Lawsuit at:
People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group
P.O. Box 1234
Berkeley, CA 94701-1234

More information at peoplesparkhxdist.org

Full text PDF:
Make UC A Good Neighbor, et al., v The Regents – LRDP Petition.pdf

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Presentation by David Axelrod, Attorney and Founder of People’s Park Native Plant Garden – Canessa Gallery – Saturday, August 21, 2021

Saturday, August 21, 2021, 6–9 pm
Canessa Gallery
708 Montgomery Street, San Francisco

Presentation by David Axelrod, Attorney and Founder of People’s Park Native Plant Garden

David L. Axelrod has filed a Writ of Mandate in Alameda County Superior Court on the Berkeley City Council’s violations of the Brown Act, in formulating and adopting the City’s recent secret “settlement agreement” with the University of California. In the secret agreement, the Berkeley Mayor and City Council surrendered a lawsuit it had already won that had challenged the University’s Long Range Development Plan (LRDP), a plan that seeks to destroy People’s Park and other irreplaceable neighborhood and community assets in Berkeley.

David was involved in the 1970s and 1980s as founder and Field Coordinator of the People’s Park Project/Native Plant Forum (PPP/NPF), a student and community group that executed creative user development of People’s Park, establishing organic gardens and native plant communities in the Park commencing in 1974, and built the People’s Stage in 1979, under leadership of the People’s Park Council (PPC).

During those times, members of PPP/NPF and PPC developed a generally more peaceful and cooperative relationship with the University campus administration on behalf of Park users, gardeners, students and neighbors, concluding several written agreements. David will bring alive the park history of past years, as well as the reality of legal actions of today.

People’s Park is at the center of sixteen other officially recognized city landmarks, which collectively are a de facto historic district. They represent the heritage of the 1960s and the context of the larger theme of a century of town/gown relationships. Berkeley became a major target of the New Right conservative backlash with Ronald Reagan promising to “clean up the mess in Berkeley.” Now preservation of this community-built park is threatened once again by UC Berkeley expansion.

The university has exceeded its agreed enrollment limits, which has created enormous housing displacement throughout the city. The university has responded to years of state budget austerity by monetizing its public assets in a corporate-like overreach that has also become a drain on city resources.

UCB proposes to cover People’s Park with a 17-story concrete monolith, probably to be erected by a private housing firm that will profit from student occupants. This would destroy both a historical and cultural legacy and much needed open space when reasonable alternatives are available.

If Berkeley all but invented the sixties, surely the city and its university should be able to commemorate that decade by preserving People’s Park as the heart and soul of a vital historic district.

The exhibit includes photographs, art work, posters and memorabilia from over 50 years of spirited community involvement in preserving the irreplaceable open space of the park.

Masks and Covid vaccination required.

For more information, contact Harvey Smith at 510-684-0414.

Sponsored by the People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group.

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Rally and Noise Demo: Tuesday, June 29, 2021, 6 PM, Berkeley City Hall

We’re gathering together people for one last Noise Demo on Tuesday June 29.

RALLY AND NOISE DEMO

Berkeley City Council is voting on the annual budget this week. Together we are telling them:

NO to UC Berkeley’s plans to destroy affordable housing and green space at People’s Park and 1921 Walnut street to build expensive student dorms!

NO to an increased municipal police budget while poor and working people are still lacking basic services!

Tuesday June 29, 2021, 6 PM, Berkeley City Hall

Hope to see you there!

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Workshop: Harm Reduction, Narcan, and How to Create an Overdose Policy for Your Organization: Wednesday, June 30, 2021, 7 PM

Please join Berkeley Outreach Coalition and other groups as we gain knowledge about harm reduction, how to use Narcan, and creating protocols for addressing overdoses.

Berkeley NEED, Berkeley Copwatch, and The Berkeley Outreach Coalition
invite you to attend a free workshop

Harm Reduction, Narcan, and How to Create an Overdose Policy for Your Organization

As many of you know, Berkeley has experienced a number of lethal overdoses recently and to answer this threat posed to our community members we invite you attend this free workshop. It will presented by Punks With Lunch Outreach Coordinator and long time Harm Reduction volunteer Katie O’Bryant. Based on her years of experience, she will be discussing the use of Fentynal test strips, how and when to use Narcan, and the best practices for creating an overdose policy for your organization.

We will be holding this workshop in a socially distance responsible manner, outside in the back yard of the Grassroots house. However, if the weather doesn’t cooperate with us we may have to move inside. Therefore, we ask all participants to please bring face masks.

This workshop is for any activists, social workers, and residents of Curbside Communities that would benefit from this knowledge. So please send this flyer to any orgs or individuals you wish to.

WHERE:
The Grassroots House,
2022 Blake St. Berkeley Ca. 94704
WHEN:
7 PM, Wednesday, June 30, 2021

If you have any questions, please email Jathan Gurr at jathangurr@yahoo.com and please put the word “Workshop” in the title of your e- mail.
The Grassroots house is disability accessible.

Download PDF Flyer (2-page) >

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People’s Park 52nd Anniversary: April 25, 2021

Come celebrate the 52nd anniversary of People’s Park!

People's Park 52nd Anniversary poster.

Acts who will be performing include:
Easydoesiiit
Afterthought
Hali Hammer
Driftwood Dave
Luna the Blooma
Anonsounds
Jordan Huez
Wayfairy
Freddie
Chammeili
Sarchasm
Axe

Double mask, protect your community!

Speakers and performers include: Roosevelt Stevens, Aidan Hill, Soul, Jimbo, and others.

Thanks to East Bay Food Not Bombs, Copwatch, The Suitcase Clinic, The Berkeley Outreach Coalition, Where Do We Go- Berkeley, The United Front Against Displacement, Consider the Homeless, The Long Haul, and Defenders of People’s Park.

Bring proof of vaccine or negative COVID test for a free button!

See @peoplesparkberkeley on Instagram for more details. 

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Save 1921 Walnut, Save People’s Park! Protest: April 24, 2021

Save 1921 Walnut, Save People’s Park!
Protest
Saturday, April 24, 2021, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
1921 Walnut Street, Berkeley, CA 94704
TANC, 1921 Walnut, People’s Park Committee

Link to poster: https://www.peoplespark.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Save-1921-Walnut-April-24-2021-poster.jpg

End the UC’s displacement, gentrification, and violence!

Protect community, protect history, protect People’s Park and 1921 Walnut Street!

The University of California, Gov. Newsom and their billionaire cronies is trying to evict tenants of 1921 Walnut Street, a rent-controlled building, and destroy affordable housing in Berkeley, California to create student dorms. The UC is also trying to destroy People’s Park, an open space, center for arts and culture, mutual aid, and poor people in the East Bay.

We say NO!

Meet at 1921 Walnut Street on April 24th at 12PM.

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Video Conference: People’s Park and the Role of UC Berkeley, March 18, 2021

Online Video Conference
March 18, 2021, 5:30 PM (PST)
Zoom: https://rb.gy/0yusw8
More information: https://linktr.ee/Peoplespark

“I think I found myself here because every place else, you could feel the energy of people pushing you away,” Dowdey says. “This is the only place I felt like I was accepted.” (Dowdey) – (Source: kalw.org)

Join us to learn more about what has been happening to the People’s Park, its residents, and what rose the UC Berkeley administration is playing in this whole scenario. This online event would be a great opportunity for anyone who wants to learn more about this issue, has any questions, or wants to take action.

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Art Classes at People’s Park

Led by Rosey Stephens
Every Thursday afternoon at the Park from 2–4 pm

Please fill this form out if you are interested in attending art classes at the park! >

Art classes will be led by Rosey, a founder and longtime resident of People’s Park. The classes are free and we’ll provide a basic supply kit (including pencils, charcoal, paper, a drawing board, erasers, and potentially some other goodies) to anyone who can’t afford or access their own supplies, no questions asked. We’ll meet every Thursday afternoon at the Park from 2–4pm, which includes a 30 minute lecture section where we’ll observe and learn techniques, a 30 minute lab section where we’ll practice specific techniques, and an hour-long workshop section where we’ll practice putting all our skills together. You can attend every class to gradually develop your art skills, or just drop in when you feel like it!

We welcome people of any age, skill level, ability, race, and gender. Come out and join the People’s Park community! <3

All classes will be outdoors and social-distanced. We ask all participants to double mask and avoid sharing supplies. The first class will be Thursday 03/11.

Please email junenelsonx@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Please fill this form out if you are interested in attending art classes at the park! >

Download Poster-Art-Classes-Peoples-Park-2021.pdf >

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The Future of People’s Park – Zoom Event, February 26, 2021

The Future of People’s Park

February 26, 2021, 07:00 to 08:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

UC Berkeley’s plan to build a 17-story high rise on People’s Park, which would destroy the historic and cultural legacy and an irreplaceable natural environment, has brought together writers, historians, students and park activists to oppose this ill-considered project.

This Zoom event, hosted by the People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group, will present the historic background of the park, give details on the effort to recognize its national landmark status, and share plans for revitalizing this invaluable public open space.

The goal of this meeting is to develop strategies for taking our message to the broader Berkeley community, as well as the mayor, city council, UC Berkeley, state legislature and regents.

Presenters to include:

  • Tom Dalzell – author of The Battle for People’s Park, Berkeley 1969
  • Steve Wasserman – Participant and Activist during 1969
  • Max Ventura – People’s Park Committee
  • Aidan Hill – Former Berkeley Mayoral Candidate/UCB Student

Details:

  • Length of event: hour and a half
  • Introductory remarks and moderator – Harvey Smith
  • Each presentation 8 minutes with 4 minutes of submitted questions
  • Group discussion following and additional questions from viewers
  • Closing remarks – Harvey Smith
  • Topic: People’s Park

Date: February 26, 2021, 07:00 to 08:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://sfsu.zoom.us/j/82773453022?pwd=UVEySUcvc0NUZlZwQ3ZvcS9YUC8zZz09

Meeting ID: 827 7345 3022
Passcode: 680198
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