An update — and some frustrating new from City Hall

Hi all, a quick update on where things stand.  We’ve reached 424 signatures on this petition—thank you so much for your support! 

On the positive side, we've connected with a group of engaged residents in the Potter Creek neighborhood of southwest Berkeley, who are seeing the same patterns we are and are now working alongside us to push this issue forward. The more neighborhoods that join this effort, the harder we become to ignore.

On the frustrating side: the narrow measure to establish a camping buffer zone around preschools — a modest, common-sense first step championed by Councilmembers Taplin and Kesarwani — was set to go before Council this month. Instead, it's been pushed back to November 17th, a date that also happens to carry one of the most contentious items on the city's calendar, so debate or action on the buffer zone could well be given little meaningful attention. Even this small, child-safety-focused measure couldn't get a timely hearing. If the city can't move quickly on something this limited, it raises real questions about how seriously broader action is being taken.

We also want to be transparent with you: despite sending the petition directly to Mayor Ishii, the City Manager, and every member of the City Council, we have not received a response from the Mayor or anyone else in city government. Not an acknowledgment, not a position, nothing. Several candidates running for Council this fall have engaged with us directly — but from the people currently in charge of addressing this, we've heard silence.

That silence is exactly why this petition, and your voice, still matters. Please keep sharing it with neighbors, friends, and anyone else who cares about this issue. The more of us who speak up — and the more visible our numbers become — the harder it is for city leaders to keep treating this as something they can quietly defer.

Thank you for staying engaged. We'll keep you posted as things develop.