Opinion: How an accessory dwelling could turn into a 20-story tower in Berkeley

"At first the plan for the property a block from UC Berkeley was modest: build a two-unit accessory dwelling behind a pair of small apartment buildings. Since then, Berkeley's zoning board has approved a dramatically different vision for the site: a 20-story tower with 169 apartments. When complete, it will be the tallest structure in Berkeley's Southside neighborhood. The project's evolution captures how quickly Berkeley's housing landscape can change, as the city and state embrace pro-housing policies."

"In 2023 Berkeley adopted a major upzoning plan for the Southside neighborhood, after years of debate over how to relieve the housing shortage. The rezoning campaign, launched when I was a student at UC Berkeley and completed during my tenure on the City Council, allowed taller and denser buildings near campus. The final vote was contentious. Some council members proposed last-minute restrictions. But a pro-housing majority advanced the plan."

"At the same time, lawmakers in Sacramento were rewriting rules to help cities grow and meet their housing needs. Changes to the state's density bonus law, including Assembly Bill 1287, signed in 2023, allow developers to exceed local height limits if they include additional affordable units on site. Together, those reforms transformed what was possible at the Berkeley site, at 2425 Durant Avenue. Yes Community Architects included additional affordable homes into the project, triggering the density bonus and unlocking additional height beyond Berkeley's new zoning limits."

A modest plan for a property near UC Berkeley to build a two-unit accessory dwelling evolved into approval for a 20-story tower with 169 apartments, the tallest structure in the Southside neighborhood. A student housing shortage pushed students far from campus and raised rents citywide. In 2023 Berkeley adopted major Southside upzoning, allowing taller, denser buildings near campus after contentious votes resolved in a pro-housing majority. Concurrent state changes to the density bonus law, including Assembly Bill 1287, allowed developers to exceed local height limits by adding affordable units, enabling greater height at 2425 Durant Avenue.

Read at The Mercury News