UC Berkeley ‘dismayed’ by court ruling to delay student housing
"Left in place, this decision will indefinitely delay all of UC Berkeley's planned student housing," campus says
February 27, 2023
UC Berkeley issued the following statement following Friday’s court ruling regarding student and supportive housing proposed for the People’s Park construction site:
The campus is dismayed by this unprecedented and dangerous decision to dramatically expand CEQA, and the campus will ask the California Supreme Court to overturn it.
Left in place, this decision will indefinitely delay all of UC Berkeley’s planned student housing, which is desperately needed by our students and fully supported by the City of Berkeley’s mayor and other elected representatives. This decision has the potential to prevent colleges and universities across the State of California from providing students with the housing they need and deserve.
In addition, as a public institution, the campus is compelled to appeal because this decision bestows new privileges and power to the privileged and powerful by arming NIMBY neighbors with additional weapons to obstruct the development of all new urban housing, impeding the construction of housing not just for students but also for the unhoused and low-income families. Our state desperately needs all of this housing. The campus remains fully committed to building the People’s Park project — that commitment is unwavering.
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