Progress on housing at Berkeley's People's Park elicits mixed feelings

"The much-needed housing, which will be named in honor of disability rights activist Judith Heumann, is expected to be up and running by the start of the 2027-28 school year, university spokesperson Kyle Gibson said. What was once a green 2.8-acre lot known for being a hub for political activism and gathering place for unsheltered residents now features an 11-story concrete structure currently being wrapped with a prefabricated facade."

"A section of the former park, bound by Dwight Way and Haste and Bowditch streets, will be developed into a supportive housing site with about 100 units for formerly unsheltered residents with financial support from city, state and federal dollars. The steady advancement is a major change of pace for a project that spent years fending off student protests and legal challenges. Coming to terms with that change has been challenging for those who tirelessly fought for People's Park to remain undeveloped."

"The neighborhood goes on. We're still very much a hub for unhoused folks and the loss of the park is being felt every day, said Lisa Teague with the People's Park Council, a community group that advocates for protecting the park and its legacy. We can try to remediate the loss of the park, but we can't completely make up for it. Work continues on UC Berkeley's People's Park Housing Project in Berkeley, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025."

Construction at People's Park has advanced to an 11-story concrete tower wrapped in a prefabricated facade on a former 2.8-acre green lot. The development will provide housing for more than 1,100 students and will be named for disability rights activist Judith Heumann, with operations expected by the 2027–28 school year. A separate portion of the site will become supportive housing with about 100 units for formerly unsheltered residents funded by city, state and federal dollars. The project progressed after years of protests and legal challenges, and community advocates report the park's loss is being deeply felt.

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