The Berkeley City Council voted Tuesday night to analyze the possibility of service-rich senior housing on the parcel now occupied by the West Berkeley Service Center.
Councilwoman Susan Wengraf originally had asked the city, in 2016, to review all the properties it owns to determine which might be the best fit for affordable housing. That evolved into a proposal, the next year, to explore the concept of senior housing at three senior centers, in North Berkeley, West Berkeley and South Berkeley. Council ultimately put the West Berkeley Service Center, at 1900 Sixth St., on its “high priority” list for senior housing.
The idea, according to the staff report for Tuesday’s meeting, is to build senior housing with on-site services, “maximizing the number of affordable units.” The council vote Tuesday gives the city manager the authority to look at a range of possible “build-out scenarios” for a three- to seven-story project.
Although the vote took place as part of the consent calendar, which meant there was limited discussion about the item, several council members expressed excitement about the idea.
“I think it’s a wonderful location for us to be considering building senior housing,” Wengraf told her colleagues. (Wengraf took part in Tuesday’s meeting by phone.)
The West Berkeley site is promising, according to the city, because of its proximity to transit, shopping and existing services for seniors. And its zoning already allows for multifamily development. By contrast, the senior centers in North and South Berkeley have more restrictive residential zoning. In addition, the proximity of the BART tunnel to the North Berkeley Senior Center limits what can be built there.
A 2017 analysis of the site by the city found that, while nearby buildings are just one or two stories tall, there are four- to five-story buildings on University Avenue a block away. The staff analysis found that “changing the zoning could help maximize the site’s development potential,” while also noting that “Demolishing and replacing the service center … would add significantly to the cost of housing development at the site.”
Councilwoman Sophie Hahn thanked Wengraf for bringing the item forward, and thanked Mayor Jesse Arreguín for his work to develop the idea over time. She said the consent calendar item was a testament to the fact that council’s new committee structure — where several council members hash out items in smaller groups before bringing them to the full council for a vote — is working.
“The mayor was very patient and took a lot of input from the commission and from staff,” Hahn said. “It was a good item when it came to us [on the committee], but I think it’s even better as it came through and as we see it now on our agenda.”
While the ultimate height of the building has yet to be determined, all “scenarios should also incorporate space on the ground floor for resident amenities, supportive social services, and community space,” according to the staff report. The ideas that come from the staff analysis will go before the City Council and Planning Commission, among other stakeholders and city bodies, for review.
Council says senior housing should be a priority, in part, because that segment of Berkeley’s population is “expected to skyrocket over the next decade,” according to Tuesday’s staff report. In 2000, adults 65 and older made up about 10% of the city’s residents. The city says that number is expected to double by 2030.
Meanwhile, as with other segments of the population, the housing supply has not kept pace with the demand. According to the city, “Affordable housing is particularly limited with wait lists for some senior housing projects between 6-8 years.”
The West Berkeley Service Center, at Sixth Street and Hearst Avenue, is located on a 31,000 square-foot parcel. The site has “plentiful” access to public transit “with several high-frequency AC Transit routes and Amtrak located within half a mile.” The Fourth Street shopping area is nearby, as are a number of community health care facilities, according to the city.
As currently conceived, the project would focus on universally designed, affordable housing for older adults; incorporate the latest in technology; offer services and provide a community hub; have an assisted living and memory care component; and seek to maximize sustainability and energy efficiency.
Tenants currently located at the site include the city’s Aging Services staff, the Black Infant Health Program, Public Health Nurses and the Meals on Wheels program. In addition, services from the North Berkeley Senior Center are being provided at the West Berkeley site until 2020 while the North Berkeley center undergoes renovations.
The city initially planned to update the West Berkeley Senior Center as a Measure T1 project but later determined that “what this site needs is beyond an infrastructure upgrade, and its history as a hub for senior services presents an opportunity,” according to the staff report. “West Berkeley has an extremely limited number of affordable housing units for seniors, despite being in a location that is easily accessible to various medical and aging services.”
The city says the new project would likely be funded by Measure O, along with tax credits and other sources, and could become “the gold standard for aging in place in our community, and the region.”
And what a corner to live on, Seniors! At least one fatal hit-and-run, a major traffic knot and soo close to a market and other necessary conveniences. Whoever thunk this up doesn’t live around there ..
Yay, let’s get this done! There’s also a proposed senior project on San Pablo south of University, hope that’s moving forward.
Does anyone know–do those small committee meetings comply with the Brown Act?
One way to find out is file a complaint
You should do that and get back to us.
Ask Mark Numainville, the City Clerk.
Restrict it to people housed or employed for long tenure in Berkeley. If “we” have a housing crisis let’s make sure the resources take care of “us.”
…and maybe let’s try to spend less than $750,000 per unit.
A lot better idea than to lure somebody to move here from Akron using subsidized housing. The affordable housing lottery is likely to be full of cheaters (e.g. ever see a car with a disabled placard with a disabled person inside?). But you can’t cheat on your age or your historic connection to Berkeley. Great idea, let’s hope that further studies don’t consume the next 10 years
Literal Trumpism. I’ve got mine and everyone else can get out.
False in all respects. The USA is a huge country with many fine places to live. Not everyone who wants to live in Berkeley, can. Berkeley should not make itself a magnet for all comers. If you need affordable housing and especially if you are a senior from another community you should be asking your own city where the affordable housing for you is.
Yes exactly. You live here and don’t want others coming.
That’s Trumpism.
Seniors often relocate when their children live locally and find them a place. Most elderly folks can’t pick up and move without help. Habit, inertia, fixed incomes, and failing health, abilities and energy, are all factors determining where seniors live. More local senior housing will allow them to downsize.
You’re assuming their children are also local. That they would not be moving to the city their children live in.
That’s a pretty unreasonable assumption given CA housing. Have you seen references to “the talk.” (I think it was a Marin Nimby giving public comment, basically saying you need to have “the talk” with your children to explain they won’t be able to stay nearby because it’s too expensive).
It’s not, actually. He’s not saying that no one can move here. THAT is Trumpism. He’s saying that if the city taxpayers are going to subsidize housing, that it should benefit city residents.
You can disagree or not, but it’s not Trumpism.
Maybe only Ohlone people should be allowed to live in Berkeley. Everyone else is a newcomer, after all.
I think it is a fine idea; however, apparently no one on the City Council realizes that the 4th Street shopping area that they mention as being nearby, does not in any way provide shops or services (or prices) that seniors who need affordable housing would want or could afford…other than possibly Peets.
It’s almost exclusively shopping for well to do women. I live two blocks away and never go there. But what do I know? Maybe low income seniors are really into pricey yoga gear and high end light fixtures.
I used visit Bette’s Oceanview Diner and Builder’s Book Store.
Not anymore…
Peet’s is a luxury item.
It is now, used to be affordable less then 100 pennies for a cup of coffee.
I’m a senior and while I can afford to shop on 4th Street, I haven’t gone there for at least ten years, since I don’t do recreational shopping anymore, and 4th Street doesn’t offer basics like groceries.
I’m not saying this is a bad idea but I have to point out the pattern of Berkeley compassionates demanding to help poor people, evaluating multiple sites, and ultimately deciding to plant whatever it is in West Berkeley. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say if you live in North Berkeley, The Hills, etc., your part of town isn’t doing its part. It sure feels like West Berkeley is taking on more of our current housing issues than the rest of the city combined. Please educate me if I’m wrong.
It sounds like the city is going to operate a nursing home on the taxpayers’ dime.
Exactly.
Operating a facility like this is going to be complicated and require medical staff. The city doesn’t do the things that normal cities do, and they’re adding another function. Just for comparison, take a look at the rates at Chaparral House, which is a nonprofit–$10K a month per person. Medi-Cal won’t pay enough to support each client. While the idea is laudable, I daresay the city should attempt to place fragile seniors in existing facilities, although I realize that is challenging.
The city seems so determined to add special programs for special people that ordinary people are being taxed out of their homes.
Even if this project is ever built, it will simply house a few dozen lucky or well-connected persons, and create a new waiting list. We could build a hundred of these types of developments, and it would only make a small dent in the problem.
North Berkeley & the Hills are much less accessible and mass transit friendly.
The lots are also fully built up, so expensive properties would have to be purchased and torn down for new development.
I have no idea why the city continues to waste money on foolish schemes such as this one, but building on an existing city property makes more sense than buying another one.
There will always be a reason why those areas are excluded. Allow RV parking? Sure, but only on streets of a certain width? Are there any in the hills? Nope! Whocodanode?
Senior housing in holy hill? Seniors can’t walk hills.
Mandatory upzoning around frequent transit? Buses are less frequent in…the hills.
It’s not virtuous sacrifice if someone else has to do all of the sacrificing
Aren’t those parts writing all the checks for these flights of fancy?
Besides the comments below noting that 4th street shouldn’t really be considered nearby shopping for any kind of daily basics, it is a stretch to consider Amtrak as part of “plentiful” public transit. Where does it go that a senior needs to get to? How many Berkeleyans ride Amtrak on any kind of regular basis?
Very odd to call 4th street shopping and Amtrak public transit for this project.
Seniors love to stroll and visit parks. I know the perfect place for a new park, the Spengers parking lot of Fourth. Unfortunately Brennan’s is gone it used to be a senior pick up place:) along with great food.
“A 2017 analysis of the site by the city found that, while nearby buildings are just one or two stories tall, there are four- to five-story buildings on University Avenue a block away. The staff analysis found that “changing the zoning could help maximize the site’s development potential,” while also noting that “Demolishing and replacing the service center … would add significantly to the cost of housing development at the site.”
Tell me why again we should step down the north Berkeley Bart around its perimeter?
The buildings surrounding the Sixth and Hearst site are primarily commercial, not residential, a different setting, but scale is only one reason to step down taller buildings.
Amtrak is transportation for seniors? Absurd. 4th St. is shopping for seniors? Not really. Senior housing should be near downtown, where seniors can walk to all kinds of stuff, including BART, shopping, cinemas, museums, theaters, etc. and take part in city life rather than being isolated on 6th and University. Why is the senior center on Hearst below Miliva fenced off? Neglect and. poor management by the City? Shoddy construction? Why not turn that site into a Senior Center and Senior Housing? From there, residents can walk to all the interesting places in Berkeley and take part in city life.
Many seniors already live in West Berkeley. Hundreds of older folks live in that census tract alone. Two major food stores, Whole Foods and Berkeley Bowl West could easily be accessed by a daily shopping shuttle. Mi Tierra Foods on San Pablo at Addison is walkable for the active senior. But what on-site services will be provided and who will pay for them?
The NB Senior Center is fenced off for long-planned renovation. Housing can’t be built there because it is right over the BART tracks.
Thanks. Hmm, it seems there is lots of housing over subterranean BART tracks in SF and elsewhere, likely even between Ashby and the downtown BART stations. Why do they say that because there are BART tracks under the current senior center they can’t build housing there? Sounds like that needs to be questioned. Perhaps a massive building with underground parking wouldn’t work there, but why not a building with a few stories– the first floor can be a senior center, and there can be a few floors above with senior housing. It’s not as if a senior residence has to house all seniors or none. It would also be a much better use of space than it is now– a single story that gets no/little use at night.
Take a look at what BART said about construction over the tunnel at the NB station parking lot. Then try to convince BART to change its mind.
That’s a job for our elected officials, yet I’m afraid they lack the wherewithal.
1600 Sixth Street is five blocks from San Pablo, the nearest bus stop, I think. It’s also three or four long blocks from University, but the entire area is pretty flat, so many seniors and those who use wheelchairs could get to all of the amenities there — the post office, Wells Fargo, 99 Cents Only, Mi Ranchito, Mi Tierra, Bombay Spice House, and several small restaurants. However, getting around during the rainy season without getting soaked would be a challenge.
Any senior housing needs to be close to a discount grocery store.
Redwood Gardens is in the hills and has bus service. I would rather live among the redwoods in old age than in a polluted commercial zone, wouldn’t you?
I’ve never understood the kind of argument that goes like this: “Since *I* wouldn’t like it, then no one else would!”
Good for you! Live up in the redwoods! Doesn’t mean other people wouldn’t prefer to live near transit and amenities.
If you want to live in pollution, great! If you read my post, you saw that there is transit to Redwood Gardens, which is near College Ave. shopping. Sadly, that’s the only affordable senior housing in the hills, with a long waiting list. I live in the heavily polluted flatlands and not by choice. More affordable housing in less polluted areas is desperately needed. Forcing low income people to live in pollution is class warfare. That people with money now choose to live in heavily polluted developments and then act shocked when their health is affected, never ceases to amaze me. The lifespan in the hills is longer because the air and land are less polluted.
Can you document these assertions comparing air quality in West Berkeley and the hills?
I’m frustrated by these comments, which mostly criticize the location. RATHER THAN the fact that the city is now considering going into the nursing home business. Another program expansion, into territory involving a lot of legal requirements and additional staffing.
they voted to study the issue, not do anything. They’re studying lots and lots of issues, that’s what policy wonks do
Probably has been mentioned, but…
why not just figure out a way [in Berkeley] for elderly homeowners to be able to sell their houses (more houses for younger newcomers) and buy condos without being nailed with huge property tax loads? We could sell, buy a condo, but could never afford the difference in property taxes.
And leave a dollar of tax revenue on the table?
I believe you can sell your house and move the assessed eval to a new property at least in the same county.