Take Action!

We want more affordable housing at BART stations.

Send a letter of support today!

Coming up soon, BART board will vote on whether to update its Transit Oriented Development with an amendment to:

  1. allow discounts on ground rent for developments that include 35% or more very low or low income units;
  2. pursue state, federal and philanthropic funding for affordable housing and homelessness housing; and
  3. extend the lease term for low income housing tax credit projects from 66 to 75 years.

Read the item here

The first proposed amendment is the most important. BART has a goal of 35% affordable housing system-wide. Normal private development on private land does not typically provide more than 15% inclusionary affordable housing (oftentimes that threshold is less).

Because of scarce direct funding for affordable housing from local, state and federal governments, BART is looking to maximize the land value created on its property around its stations to try to achieve this 35% affordable housing goal for the system.

BART currently requires private for- and non-profit developers to lease BART land (as opposed to selling it). The ground rent TOD amendment would allow BART to lower its yearly ground rent from developers in exchange for > 35%, with even greater reductions in ground rent for very low income units.

Write to BoardofDirectors@bart.gov now! Here's a sample letter but as always feel free to add your own personal story about why you want more affordable housing in Berkeley:

Re: Transit-Oriented Development Policy Amendment-Affordable Housing Financial Terms

To Board Members Allen, Foley, Saltzman, Raburn, McPartland, Ames, Simon, Li, and Dufty:

I am writing to support the proposed TOD amendments, especially allowing a discount to developers who provide at least 35% below-market-rate (BMR) housing. AB 2923 has given BART an opportunity to build lots of homes. You should absolutely support any mechanism that can increase the number of affordable homes that can be built on BART property so that BART can help the region address the housing crisis.

-Your name

Address or street or neighborhood

This item was at the March 12 meeting but they will vote on it at a future date. Make sure to write today so they know North Berkeley wants affordable housing in our backyards!

Want to do more? Here's some ideas:

  • Sign our petition!
  • Put a sign in your yard or window (get a sign here)
  • Talk to your neighbors, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances
  • Talk to folks at your church or synagogue
  • Talk to your kids' teachers
  • Put up a sign your kid drew
  • Put a sign in your car as you park in the NBB parking lot
  • Post on Nextdoor
  • Post on your neighborhood listerv
  • Post your vision for North Berkeley BART on facebook, tag our Facebook page
  • Do a tweet thread, make sure to @ NBerkeleyNow and/or use #YesOnOurParkingLot
  • Put a sign up in your cubicle at work
  • Change the name of your WiFi network to "YesOnOurParkingLot" or "North Berkeley Now"