Berkeley

Berkeley is a city of 125,000 on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay — home to UC Berkeley, birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, and a city whose progressive political identity has shaped California policy for generations. Incorporated 1878, governed by a strong Mayor and eight-member district Council.

CivicCause organizes issues, meetings, elections, and public activity around Berkeley so you can see what is happening locally and how it connects to broader county decisions.

Part of the Alameda County network. View county hub.

Daily Summary

2026-10-22

Berkeley City Council has an upcoming meeting on 2026-09-15

The Berkeley City Council's September 29 regular centered on The NoBigRiggs580 Committee Insight Housing Concern, Alameda County Transportation Commission Comprehensive Investment Program 2028 and One Bay Area Grant 4 Applications From: City Manager. These are agenda-based signals, not confirmed meeting outcomes, but they show where council attention is moving.

Residents can use the meeting page to follow the latest items scheduled for council consideration.

Meeting: Berkeley City Council • City Council 2026-09-15 - Regular Meeting: Berkeley City Council • City Council 2026-09-29 - Regular

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November 2026 Elections — Four Council Seats & the City's Direction

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Created by CivicCause

Berkeley's November 2026 City Council elections are among the most consequential in the East Bay, with four district seats on the ballot and two races without incumbents. Voters in four districts will elect their City Council representativ…

Police Accountability & Civilian Oversight — A System Under Pressure

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Created by CivicCause

Berkeley's Police Accountability Board — created by voters in 2020 as a civilian oversight body with meaningful investigative authority — is facing mounting institutional pressure that its former director has called alarming. Hansel Aguila…

Historic Preservation vs. Housing — Landmarking as a Blocking Tool

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Created by CivicCause

Berkeley's Landmarks Preservation Commission has become one of the most contentious battlegrounds in the city's housing politics — and the City Council is now moving to reform it. City officials who pushed for Berkeley to require more citi…

The $300 Million Infrastructure Bond — A Second Chance After 2022's Failure

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Created by CivicCause

Berkeley's infrastructure is in crisis — and the city is making a second attempt at a major bond measure after a 2022 effort failed at the ballot. It is currently estimated that Berkeley's long-term infrastructure needs will exceed $1.5 bi…

The $27 Million Structural Deficit — Layoffs, a Sales Tax & a November Reckoning

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Created by CivicCause

Berkeley is at a genuine fiscal crossroads — and November 2026 will determine whether the city can avoid deep service cuts. The Berkeley City Manager has proposed a budget plan that includes layoffs of 38 filled positions and elimination o…

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Elections

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11/3/2026 November 3, 2026 California General Election

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Measures

City of Berkeley - Bond Measure City of Berkeley - Charter Amendment Measure City of Berkeley - Initiative - Arts Tax Measure City of Berkeley - Initiative - Public Bank Measure City of Berkeley - Initiative - Soda Tax Measure

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City Council 2026-09-29 - Regular

9/29/2026 • 6:00 pm

Berkeley City Council

RecentSummary availableAgenda available

What's Scheduled City Council 2026-09-29 - Regular's 2026-09-29 agenda is scheduled to cover Affordable Housing Preference Policy: Pilot Assessment and Policy Update From: City Manager, FY 2026-27 budget and 2026-31 CIP…

Alameda County Technical Advisory Committee (ACTAC)

10/1/2026 • 1:30 PM

Alameda County Technical Advisory Committee

RecentSummary availableAgenda available

What's Scheduled Alameda County Technical Advisory Committee (ACTAC)'s 2026-10-01 agenda is scheduled to cover Sorted by Sponsor > Project Number NOTES: * Funds that are not invoiced and reimbursed at least once every 1…

Deferred Compensation Plan Committee

10/5/2026 • 11:00 AM

Deferred Compensation Plan Committee

RecentSummary availableAgenda available

What's Scheduled Deferred Compensation Plan Committee's 2026-10-05 agenda is scheduled to cover 26-387 Brokerage Account Plan Staff Contact: Alan Parello, Internal Audit Manager Presenter: Lisa Braun-Ward, Sr..., 26-386…

Recent news

AI’s new watchdogs? They have deep ties to the companies they police

SF Standard • 2026-10-17

Anthropic followed through on its promise to pick a third-party auditor. It’s an organization it knows very well.

CivicCause budget overview

Berkeley Budget

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Balanced with one-time support / structural deficit. Berkeley's adopted budget is balanced today, but the next budget cycle is built around closing a persistent General Fund gap.

Budget status - FY 2025-2028

$290.5M FY2026 GF revenue$302.7M FY2026 GF usesOne-time support