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."

"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."

"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."

A modest plan for a property a block from UC Berkeley grew into a 20-story, 169-unit tower at 2425 Durant Avenue, set to be the tallest structure in Southside. Rapid changes in city and state policy enabled the expansion of scope. Years-long student housing shortages pushed students far from campus and raised rents citywide. In 2023 Berkeley adopted major upzoning for Southside to allow taller, denser buildings near campus. State reforms, including Assembly Bill 1287, expanded the density bonus to allow exceeding local height limits when additional affordable units are included. Adding affordable homes triggered the bonus and unlocked extra height beyond new zoning limits. The approval process was contentious but a pro-housing majority advanced the project.

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