Use City online forum designed for civility
Use the City of Berkeley's online forum to weigh in on whether the City Council should refer to the City Manager to establish an outdoor emergency shelter in Berkeley.
Such a shelter would consider, but not require, amenities such as
- climate-controlled, wind-resistant durable tents with wooden pallets for support.
- seeking an agency to manage and oversee the emergency shelter.
- portable toilet service and handwashing service.
- shower and sanitation services
- garbage pickup and safe needle disposal.
The January 21, 2020 council item would also refer $615,000 to the November budget process to be considered alongside other Measure P recommendations. It would temporarily waive a Berkeley Municipal Code section to allow for the installation of tents and membrane structures that may be erected for longer than 180 days even if they do not meet all physical requirements.
The proposal would also refer to the City Manager protocol for selecting residents that mirror other shelter selection criteria and are less restrictive than HUD protocols.
View and give input on this Berkeley Considers topic, which was selected by the Council Agenda & Rules Committee. Learn more by reading Item 44 on the January 21, 2020 agenda.
Registered users on Berkeley Considers can post their comments online with or without their name. Anyone can view registered comments. The goal of the forum is to broaden civic discourse in a constructive and civil manner.
On Berkeley Considers, each person on Council-focused topics will be allowed one comment, a feature enforced through registration and through the platform operator's analysis of 25 different fraud detection data points, such as IP addresses, browser identity and similarity between email addresses.
The forum will also be moderated so that comments comply with our guidelines for civility, which prohibits elements such as hate speech, personal attacks or obscene materials.
In the process, the intention is to create a more informed community and provide Council with a broader array of voices.
The platform is operated by OpenGov, which has used its software and services to broaden civic discourse around the country and Canada.
When registering, you will be asked for your name and home address. This confidential information is used only by OpenGov to identify statements from residents in and near Berkeley - so that users know which statements are from local residents. They will keep your information confidential, they do not accept advertising, and they will not share contact information, as noted in the company's Privacy Policy.
Of course, community members can, at any time, mail the full City Council through one email address: council@cityofberkeley.info.
Online forums are not social science, nor scientific polling. But, as with public comment, it is intended to provide the Council with additional data to help in its decision making process.
Look at the question before you. Consider what others are saying. Let the City Council know what you would like them to consider for Berkeley.
