This webpage is established by a group of residents of West Berkeley as a center for organizing its neighborhoods for defense against the dissolution of our communities by impending high income development along the San Pablo Ave. corridor.
The threats we face are rising rent levels, an increase in the cost of living, the closure of stores and restaurants that we depend on in this neighborhood, and glutted traffic patterns. The ultimate effect of all this, called "gentrification," will lead to massive dislocation of neighborhood families and members.
If we do not form an autonomous political force of the community to demand participation at the planning tables in everything that the city and developers are doing, which will replace our economy with one designed for the rich, the new high income people, our communities will dissolve.
We request visitors to this site to sign up with an email address, so that we can put people into contact with others, for the purpose of residents organizing their own associations and assemblies to be their political voice.
Our primary principle is dialogue. We wish to replace the system of monologue that characterizes city politics (at hearings, commission meetings, council meetings, where we get to speak for a minute and sit down), with a true meeting of minds in local assemblies. We need to be the ones making policy for our neighborhoods, and inviting city officials to come and listen to us.
To defend our neighborhoods, we need to organize, organize, and organize.
Our primary principle is dialogue. We wish to replace the system of monologue that characterizes city politics (at hearings, commission meetings, council meetings, where we get to speak for a minute and sit down), with a true meeting of minds in local assemblies. We need to be the ones making policy for our neighborhoods, and inviting city officials to come and listen to us.
To defend our neighborhoods, we need to organize, organize, and organize.