Barbara Brust

Known on the streets of Berkeley as “the soup lady,” Barbara Brust died Feb. 25 at the age of 69.

Members of the Berkeley community describe Barbara Brust, a local advocate for homeless people, as fierce and bighearted, and since her recent breast cancer diagnosis, they have raised $19,000 in six days, as first reported by Berkeleyside. 

Renowned homeless rights activist Mike Zint, who founded the advocacy group First They Came for the Homeless, died at noon Feb. 14 after a lengthy battle with emphysema.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup sided with the City of Berkeley on April 16 against claims that three women arrested during Berkeley Police Department’s removal of a homeless encampment in 2016 were victims of police brutality or police retaliation.

The center, located on Second Street between Cedar and Virginia Streets, will offer shelter, meals, showers and laundry facilities for up to 45 people, as well as a variety of services including assistance in finding permanent housing.

Located on Second and Cedar streets, the center, which is the first phase of the Pathways Project, will provide 50 beds for Berkeley’s homeless population in shared trailer housing, as well as supportive services such as counseling, transitional housing and job assistance.

While the holidays were a time of celebration for many, for homeless residents in Berkeley, the dropping temperatures meant increasing strains on their health that led to the death of two community members.

City officials disbanded a homeless encampment near Old City Hall on Friday morning, after a series of similar incidents in recent months.

The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office declined to press charges Monday against City Council candidate Nanci Armstrong-Temple after she was arrested last week for allegedly intervening in a police officer’s attempt to arrest a protester.

The dismantling of a South Berkeley homeless encampment Friday was a citywide operation resulting in the arrest of four civilians, including District 2 Berkeley City Council candidate Nanci Armstrong-Temple.