About North Berkeley Now!

Starting in early 2018, several neighbors had been meeting to discuss what we'd like to see happen at the North Berkeley BART station. We coalesced around the idea that there’s an opportunity to have a beautifully-designed development that provides lots of homes for new neighbors at all income levels, with thoughtful design that could make it safer to get around without a car. 

In March 2019 dozens of people donated money to order yard signs that declared "Let's Build Paradise Instead of a Parking Lot" with the url YesOnOurParkingLot.org. On September 23, 2019 we renamed ourselves North Berkeley Now! With over 350 neighbors on our list, we are changing the conversation about making room in North Berkeley for more neighbors. In March 2018 the question was "whether" we should build homes at North Berkeley BART and now it's "how soon." 

Read the North Berkeley Now! platform for more detail on our vision for North Berkeley BART.

In 2021 a survey of North Berkeley Now! supporters showed interest in expanding our scope so we've started advocating for active transportation infrastructure like protected bike lanes, actual affordable housing proposals like Golden Bear, and policies that allow for more apartments in North Berkeley. 

Op-Eds:

• We live in North Berkeley and we want housing to be built at the North Berkeley BART station

• To reflect the values of Berkeley, we should build 1,000 homes at North Berkeley BART

• We can have a great neighborhood at the North Berkeley BART station. Use a charrette to design it

• Berkeley needs to zone for 12 stories at BART

• Denser housing at BART stations is climate-smart

• Don’t delay Hopkins Street project

• Three Myths about Hopkins Street
  
  

Press:

• Berkeley overcomes reservations to move ahead with housing at BART stations

• Berkeley approves agreement with BART around housing at two stations

• City of Berkeley begins preparing North Berkeley, Ashby BART stations for housing

• City Council races test Berkeley’s new direction on housing

Organizations we work with:

• South Berkeley Now!

• Berkeley Neighbors for Housing & Climate Action

• Walk Bike Berkeley

• Plaza for the People (El Cerrito)