We are the long-term, rent-controlled tenants at 1921 Walnut St. in Berkeley. Since April 2020, UC Berkeley has pursued plans to evict us and demolish our homes.
We do not oppose UC Berkeley building more student housing. What we oppose is the UC administration’s hasty decision to purchase 1921 Walnut St. at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, ignore the Berkeley community’s concerns and pursue shadowy plans to replace our long-standing community with luxury apartments and market-rate commercial spaces.
In January 2020, UC Berkeley planned to build up to 810 student beds next door to 1921 Walnut St. At the time, it was known as the Gateway Student Housing Project. Then, suddenly, in the months prior to April 2020, UC Berkeley altered the project now known as Anchor House, among many other names, including Housing Project #1 and Helen Diller Anchor House to include the purchase of 1921 Walnut St. and thus essentially evict the building’s tenants, all for the purpos
UC Berkeley tells tenants of 112-year-old rent-controlled building they must leave
Cal said it will offer $54,000 or more to the occupants of 1921 Walnut St. to leave so it can build a 760-bed student housing project there.
1921 Walnut St. was built in 1909. UC Berkeley wants to tear it down for a student housing complex and is asking the 12 tenants to leave. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel
UC Berkeley officials on Tuesday night informed the dozen or so tenants at 1921 Walnut St. that it has decided to go ahead and tear down a 112-year-old rent-controlled building right across from campus in order to use the land as part of a planned massive housing project for transfer students.