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Diane Tokugawa

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Jan 23, 2026, 12:40:41 PM (12 days ago) Jan 23
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Diane

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Subject: District 5 *January* Newsletter
Date: January 22, 2026 at 3:13:29 PM PST

 
Sorry to send this a second time but I wanted to clarify that it is currently January and not November. We checked.
Hello Diane,

Happy New Year! 

I hope the holidays have treated you well and have brought much-needed rest and quality time with friends and family. 

The New Year often brings with it renewal, opportunity, and excitement for the future. This year, given the growing threats against democracy, community and peace, it’s difficult not to feel apprehensive about the road ahead. With the ongoing social, political, and humanitarian crises unfolding internationally and in cities across the United States like Minneapolis, many things may seem out of our control, but what we can focus on is creating a lasting impact locally.

On Tuesday night, we had our first City Council meeting of the year. We created an employee recognition program, updated certain recreation and camp facilities fees, and passed the ADU condo ordinance to allow the separate sale of ADUs in an effort to promote more homeownership opportunities. With Council back in session, I’m looking forward to all we can accomplish in 2026. 

Warmly, 
In this issue: 

  • Join Us for Office Hours!
  • 2025 In Review 
  • Item Spotlight - Citywide Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • WORK ALERT - California/Ada & Rose/Josephine
  • Interested in Serving on a Commission?
  • AC Transit Service Changes
  • Library Events 
  • City Events

Join Us for Office Hours!

Next month, Mayor Ishii and I will be hosting joint office hours! Come find our booth at the North Shattuck Farmers’ Market on Thursday, February 19th. We look forward to getting to know you, chatting about local issues, and sharing ideas. I hope to see you there!

2025 In Review

2025 was a busy year – both for the Berkeley City Council and the District 5 Office. As we enter the new year, I wanted to share some major victories and milestones we achieved in 2025. 

Traffic Safety Updates

I understand how much is at stake when it comes to street safety, and how many intersections and streets in our District need attention. During my first month in office, community member Elise Lusk was killed at the intersection of California and Ada after shopping at Monterey Market. A few months before that, Ben Brown was killed as he crossed the street on Rose and Josephine, coming home from watching a soccer game. 

As your representative on the City Council, one of my top priorities is ensuring the safety and well-being of our community – improving our streets is a major aspect of that goal. During my first year in office, we worked closely with the Public Works Department to secure improvements at intersections like Ada and California, Rose and Josephine, Berryman and Henry, Marin and the Circle, and more. 

If you have concerns about a pedestrian or traffic safety issue, please let my office know and we will get it on the radar of our Public Works staff. They have been incredibly responsive to our inquiries so far, and their professionalism and dedication to making our community safe has been extraordinary. For more specific details about past and ongoing projects, you can click here. 

Middle Housing

After dozens of community workshops, meetings, and hearings, the Middle Housing Ordinance was unanimously approved by the City Council in July. The passage of this ordinance effectively ended single-family zoning in Berkeley, allowing duplexes, triplexes, condos, and small apartment buildings to be built across the city and in historically redlined neighborhoods. 

The Planning Department estimates as many as 1,700 homes could be built over the next 8 years. This ordinance was an important part of a multi-pronged effort to address Berkeley’s shortage of housing for working and middle-income families. You can learn more here. 

EMBER 

During our June 17th meeting, the Berkeley City Council approved the EMBER initiative, based on the best available science around preventing the spread of wildfire. At its core, EMBER requires homeowners in two high-risk areas – East of Grizzly Peak and Panoramic Hill – to create a 5-foot buffer around their house to mitigate Berkeley’s wildfire risk. Broad compliance with these new rules is expected to greatly reduce the risk of an out of control structure-to-structure firestorm for both the targeted communities and for neighborhoods further down the hill, including much of District 5.

Sanctuary City Ordinance 

In September, the City Council unanimously passed the Sanctuary City Ordinance to reaffirm Berkeley’s commitment to protecting immigrant communities, codifying these principles into law. I was proud to join the Council and the broader community in standing in solidarity with immigrant neighbors amid heightened anxiety and uncertainty.

ROBOCOP

This item was drafted in response to many complaints from community members about excessive noise from a surveillance device installed at the CVS on Shattuck and Rose, where motion-activated warnings would play at all hours of the day and night. My item, passed unanimously on the consent calendar, asked the City Manager and City Attorney to draft amendments to the current noise ordinance explicitly prohibiting this type of device. You can read more about it in Berkeleyside.

Alternative Housing 

Coming into Council, I knew I wanted to work to address the big issues our City is facing. That’s why one of my first acts in office was working with the Mayor and Councilmembers Lunaparra and Blackaby to introduce the Alternative Housing Sites item. Having passed by consent, the City Manager and Homeless Response Team have begun the process of locating additional potential housing and shelter sites for people experiencing homelessness. While the City may not currently have the funding to expand shelter capacity, funding from the County-level Measure W has recently become available and presents an opportunity for the City to continue its work addressing homelessness. 

Item Spotlight - Citywide Guidelines on

 Artificial Intelligence (AI)

I’m proud to announce that, if passed, my first item of the year will see the development of citywide guidelines on AI.  

As a computer science teacher at Berkeley High, I think constantly about the ways this emerging technology will affect how we work, communicate and access information. I consider myself neither an AI skeptic nor an optimist, but rather a careful observer trying to navigate new territory with an appropriate blend of curiosity and caution. This item is intended to bring this sense of circumspection to the way we incorporate its use in City business.

The item begins the process of developing official, citywide guidelines for the secure, ethical, and effective use of AI tools by City of Berkeley employees. The policy will align with Berkeley’s values, protect privacy and public trust, while still promoting innovation and progress in technology. AI has the capacity to improve efficiency, simplify advanced data analysis, and scan for errors when used responsibly. However, the technology can pose risks related to privacy, bias, and accuracy. 

Given the rapid rise of AI, the City of Berkeley should follow best practices from other jurisdictions, many of which have already adopted AI guidelines – including San Francisco, San Jose, Long Beach, and more.You can find the item in its entirety here. 

WORK ALERT - California/Ada & Rose/Josephie

Proposed Improvements at California/Ada 
Proposed improvements at Rose/Josephine 
As of yesterday, Public Works staff have begun installation of the planned improvements at California Street/Ada and Rose/Josephine. Final timing details are being confirmed, but the work is moving forward as planned.

Staff have also proactively notified nearby community members that construction is imminent. Advance notification signage has already been placed in the field to alert the public about the start of roadwork. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office. 

Interested in Serving on a Commission?

My office is looking for dedicated community members to volunteer their time by serving on one of our vacant boards or commissions. Boards and commissions advise the City Council on a wide variety of subjects through policy recommendations on important topics. 

Commissions with a vacant District 5 seat currently include: Commission on Labor, Elmwood BID Advisory Board, Homeless Services Panel of Experts, Solano BID Commission, and the Disaster & Fire Safety Commission. We are also looking for Alternate Commissioners. If you take an interest in any of these appointments, I encourage you to fill out my Commissioner Interest Form or email my office at sok...@berkeleyca.gov. To learn more about serving on a board or commission, click here. 

Please note: District 5 residency is not required — applicants only need to be residents of Berkeley. 

AC Transit Service Changes

As AC Transit adjusts to its new 2026 schedule, some small changes were made to address overcrowding and to increase reliability. These changes are based on rider and operator feedback to provide better service for the community. Some of the important changes are highlighted below: 

  • Additional trips between CSU East Bay and Hayward BART on line 60
  • Addition of hourly service to Skyline High School on Line 31
  • Additional trips to relieve overcrowding on Lines 73, F, O and P
  • Service between Fruitvale BART and Seminary Ave at San Leandro St. discontinued from Line 19, added to Line 54
  • Schedule changes on most bus lines

These changes will be effective as of Sunday, February 1st. To view more schedule changes and updates, visit the AC Transit Website. 

Library Events

Don’t forget to check out the Berkeley Public Library’s events calendar. Our libraries host hundreds of events a month. You can check out the full list of offerings here. 

City Events


Address: Virtual Meeting
Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 | 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm 



Address: 2101 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA
Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 | 9:00am - 11:00am




Address: Fire Department Training Facility, 997 Cedar Street
Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026 | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm



Address: 124 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94710 
Date: Thursday, February 5, 2026 | 12:00pm - 1:15pm



Address: Fire Department Training Facility, 997 Cedar Street
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026 | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm


Shoshana O'Keefe | 1320 Spruce St. | Berkeley, CA 94709 US
Constant Contact

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