Fw: [peoples-park-news] WEDNESDAY: People's Park Panel Discussion // Message from People's Park Historic District // Weekly Organizing Meeting // More

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----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "peoples-...@riseup.net" <peoples-...@riseup.net>
To: "peoples-...@lists.riseup.net" <peoples-...@lists.riseup.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 06:10:06 PM PDT
Subject: [peoples-park-news] WEDNESDAY: People's Park Panel Discussion // Message from People's Park Historic District // Weekly Organizing Meeting // More

On behalf of the People's Park Council (PeoplesPark.org):


Please join us at Wednesday's People's Park Panel Discussion (details
below).


We're forwarding the following message from our friends at the People's
Park Historic District Advocacy Group:

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Harvey Smith <peoplesp...@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, June 17, 2024 at 02:43:39 PM PDT
Subject: The False Narrative of People’s Park - Comment by People’s Park
Historic District Advocacy Group

Dear People's Park Supporters,

The commentary below was just sent as a press release and contains the
latest information since the State Supreme Court decision on June 6.
Despite UC's duplicity, we still must pay for our legal expenses. Any
amount you can afford, small or large, will help to offset the costs of
mounting the defense of the park. Although our options are now limited,
we will continue the struggle to preserve the historic and environmental
legacy of People's Park.

Thanks for your support!

An analysis of the nonfactual presentation in UC Berkeley’s flyer “A
Renewed People’s Park for All” reveals the irrationality of the People’s
Park project and the venality of UCB administration in pursuing it. This
is amplified by the undercutting of park proponents’ win in the State
Court of Appeal by AB 1307 and its subsequent impact on the recent State
Supreme Court decision reversing that win.

Moreover, an immediate concern is whether UC has done an adequate
archeological investigation of the park. Given a recent official filing
with the Northwest Information Center of the State Office of Historic
Preservation showing evidence of Native American artifacts in or near
the park, UC should present information to the public describing what
steps it has taken to ascertain it will not continue its long history of
destruction of historic Native sites, graves and objects.

AB 1307 was nothing more than a sweetheart, backroom deal concocted by
Assemblyperson Buffy Wicks. She had absolutely no contact with the
plaintiffs in the court case or with any park proponents in the district
she purportedly represents. There were no legislative committee hearings
to air arguments on the bill, either pro or con. The bill can only be
described as a piece of special interest legislation with the special
interest being none other than UC.

This outcome is disappointing because the nonprofit, community-based
organizations were only asking for a public process under the California
Environmental Quality Act. The Court of Appeal clearly saw that UC
pursued a private process in determining it had no alternative other
than to build on People’s Park. Our groups hired legal representation at
great expense to advocate for transparency from UC. They played by the
rules, and when UC did not like the outcome, it got the rules changed.

This begs the question - Is the project about student housing or about
destroying the park? This is particularly evident when the millions of
wasted dollars of public funds are considered due to delays, legal and
police costs, and the shipping container wall with razor wire.

In order to meet its housing goal, UCB has claimed that it wants to
build as much student housing as soon as possible. However, as an
indication of its outrageously poor planning to reach the goal, UCB
chose People’s Park as Housing Project #2 and then admitted early on
that it would certainly experience delays due to the controversial
nature of the project. Anchor House, Housing Project # 1, is nearly
completed. If any of the many alternative sites had been chosen for
Housing Project #2, it would likewise be nearly complete.

Cal claims extensive public engagement and input on the project.
However, it was only earlier this year that teach-ins were held on
campus that included student groups, faculty and community groups that
provided an open and balanced analysis of what it would mean to destroy
People’s Park. In 2021, People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group
circulated an Open Letter with nearly 150 signatures that includes
Berkeley residents, UCB professors, three former Berkeley mayors, three
former Berkeley city councilmembers, many former Berkeley commissioners,
Cal alumni and students, attorneys, architects, historians and many
others who are concerned about the threatened destruction of People’s
Park. Their representative views were never considered by campus
administration.

Additionally, several student groups support preservation of People’s
Park - Pay Your Workers Campaign, Historic Preservation Club, Cal ACLU,
and Suitcase Clinic. Add to that, two resolutions from the ASUC opposing
destruction of the park, the Berkeley Faculty Association’s questioning
of the project, and the many editorials in support of the park in the
Daily Cal. Support has also come from the country’s leading preservation
organization - The National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Cal touts that 1.7 acres of the park would remain open space after
development. However, the increasingly densely populated Southside needs
probably at least three times the acreage of People’s Park to meet urban
green space standards at the international, national, state or city
level. Stripping much-needed open space from students and the community
is particularly perverse because it is unnecessary.

Cal states it has “secured housing vouchers from the City of Berkeley
for this project” neglecting to explain that housing vouchers come from
the federal Housing and Urban Development voucher program. Vouchers
would only be available if UC completed an environmental impact report
in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, a requirement
UC refused for its original supportive housing project. Since UC has
destroyed a site on the National Register of Historic Places, this will
likely be a major deterrent for any potential nonprofit housing
developer.

Not only are the proposed buildings out-of-keeping with the area, they
overshadow a National Landmark (Bernard Maybeck’s First Church), a
building by famed architect Julia Morgan, the Anna Head complex by the
founding member of Berkeley’s Ratcliff architectural dynasty, and many
other historic structures that surround People’s Park.

The university claims to honor the historic importance of the park but
does so by destroying a place that is an official city landmark,
recognized by the State Historic Resources Commission. And People's Park
is also listed on the federal government's National Register of Historic
Places as a site of such national importance that it's worthy of
preservation. So UC's idea of honoring this historic place is to destroy
it.

Many who consider themselves part of the Cal family honor fact-based
research and support social justice. We think of these values as having
been strengthened by experiences at Berkeley. Therefore, it pains most
Cal-affiliated people when UC Berkeley behaves like a greedy and abusive
corporation without a conscience.

Corporations can make expensive miscalculations, e.g., Ford’s Edsel. UC
campuses likewise have made costly planning errors, e.g., UCSB’s
“Dormzilla.” However, both of these mistakes were recognized and the
projects were terminated. Harm only comes when a bad decision is
stubbornly sustained at the cost of institutional integrity.

*****

UPCOMING EVENTS:

*****

People’s Park Last Stand?
The Struggle Continues!
Save the Heart and Soul of Berkeley

Join us for a panel discussion and community meeting to confront the
impending UC destruction of Berkeley’s most iconic landmark. Speakers
will expose state manipulation of the housing market, suppression of
information about the archeological significance of People’s Park,
collusion of elected leaders in the theft of the land and discuss the
legally required and urgent need for open space in the Southside area.

PANEL DISCUSSION
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19 @ 7PM
East Bay Media Center
1939 Addison Street, Berkeley

Featured Speakers Include:
Jovanka Beckles - State Senate Candidate
Joe Liesner - People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group
Margot Smith - State Assembly Candidate
Moni Law - Affordable Housing and Police Accountability Activist
Jonah Gottlieb- from Councilmember Lunaparra's Office
Aidan Hill - Longtime People's Park Gardener
And more to be announced!

People’s Park Community
We Ain’t Going Anywhere!

*****

People's Park Council Meeting
SATURDAYS 1PM
Grassroots House
2022 Blake Street, Berkeley, CA 94704

*****

*** Please sign the petition to remove the wall around People's Park:
https://www.change.org/p/remove-the-border-wall-berkeley

*** The struggle is not over! Text SAVETHEPARK to 41372 to join the
bulldozer alarm text alert

*** Let 1000 Parks Bloom!