Berkeley to Alameda County: Share Measure W funds

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Berkeley City Hall.

☕️MORNING BUZZ

—In a unified move, the Berkeley City Council voted on Tuesday to send a letter to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors requesting a share of Measure W funds to support the city’s efforts to combat homelessness and address housing needs.

Measure W, a half-cent sales tax passed by county voters in 2020, has generated nearly $700 million in revenue. While the measure was legally classified as a general tax, it was marketed to the public as a solution to the region’s growing homelessness and housing crisis.

With the legal challenges surrounding the measure now resolved, cities across Alameda County are vying for a portion of the sizable funding pool.

—Berkeley Councilmember Igor Tregub emphasized that Berkeley has shouldered more than its fair share of the burden in providing mental health and homelessness services.

“It is incumbent upon the Board of Supervisors to approve and move forward the Measure W funding,” Tregub said during Tuesday’s meeting. “We are punching above our weight as a city in providing homelessness and mental health services, but we are just one medium-sized city and our resources are tapped.”

In the letter to the Board of Supervisors, the council highlighted the city’s longstanding leadership in addressing housing insecurity, from shelters and safe parking programs to mental health outreach teams and permanent supportive housing projects.

—Berkeley is not alone. Several cities, including Oakland and Fremont, have publicly called for an equitable distribution of Measure W funds.

Berkeley city officials said they are working collaboratively with their Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who has advocated for up to 90 percent of Measure W revenues to be allocated directly to housing and homelessness efforts.

The County Board of Supervisors is expected to begin deliberating Measure W allocations on July 22, a process that will likely include significant public input and ongoing pressure from cities eager to address deepening homelessness crises.

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