When Rochdale Village Coop opened in 1971, it was a shining example of public entities (UC Berkeley, HUD) partnering directly with students to tackle the issue of affordable student housing on a long-term basis.

Last year, Rochdale Village quietly turned 50 years old without much ado, in the shadow of great uncertainty about its future. There is no longer any tangible agreement between the UC and Berkeley Student Cooperative ensuring that the experiment started in 1971 will exist much farther into the future, or that it will do so in an affordable manner.

Rochdale was made as affordably as possible 50 years ago. With those decades, it has served many students, but is now also showing its age. On the low end, to complete the seismic retrofits and do minimal accessibility and apartment reconditioning, it will cost the BSC approximately $26 million. To make more comprehensive accessibility upgrades and reconditioning that future low-income students deserve, the cost would be between $42 and $48 million.

We can continue down the path we have been on in recent years, with a lopsided relationship between UC and BSC, with shorter and shorter lease agreements with conditions that are onerous for an affordable housing organization like the BSC. Or, a new path can be forged, one where the land beneath Rochdale and Fenwick is guaranteed for affordable student housing in perpetuity.

Toward these ends, we demand

1. that UC entrust the land beneath Rochdale/Fenwick to the BSC on a restricted deed basis for the purpose of providing affordable low-income housing to UC Berkeley students.
2. that the UC provide more time and/or waivers for costly requirements it expects the BSC to adhere to as a condition of a lease extension or sale of land.
3. that the UC direct a materially substantial amount of capital support for the retrofits and refurbishment but, if it is deemed unable to support the entire sum, it must partner with the BSC to consult and share fundraising capacity to raise capital in order to lessen the cost shouldered by BSC members. 

We invite support from the community, including city council members, concerned students and student groups, alumni and all stakeholders to support these demands in order for us to Save Rochdale, Save Our Home!