First They Came for the Homeless

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.

On Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 18 bills to tackle California's lack of affordable housing.

On Thursday, Caltrans cleared the Seabreeze and University Avenue Interstate 80 underpass homeless encampment in the Berkeley Marina.

A federal court ruled against three homeless men and in favor of the city of Berkeley last week, deciding that constitutional rights were not violated in the removals of a homeless encampment and that the procedural seizure of people's possessions was valid.

There is only one cause of homelessness: not being able to pay rent. There is only one solution: enough affordable housing.

Campus maintenance workers removed a “FreeBox” donation and distribution site in People’s Park on Tuesday morning, a little more than a week after it was constructed by a park user in collaboration with UC Berkeley students.

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.

After more than two years of existence, the “Here There” encampment, described by Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín as a “well-run intentional community,” now faces the enforcement of regulations that place restrictions on residents’ use of sidewalk space.

Over the course of one year, at least 2,000 people in Berkeley experience homelessness for some period of time, according to information gathered by the city’s Health, Housing and Community Services department.