“When I started development at Berkeley 35 years ago, I would go to public meetings and be compared to Hitler, Attila the Hun — I’m not exaggerating,” says Patrick Kennedy, a longtime local developer. “The local paper called [an eight-story building I built] a Stalinist monstrosity and monument to civic corruption.” 

California city officials say the surprise immigration sweeps that started earlier this year have eroded public trust, strained local economies, and revived old fears. And although there are limited ways to respond, they are determined to take care of their residents.

“The painful truth is that it’s less of a contradiction than just the system functioning the way it’s been designed. That sounds bleak, but in fact, it points to the possibility of different choices: If systems are designed, they can be redesigned.”

According to State Librarian Greg Lucas, no other government-paid-for entity is as nimble or flexible as libraries. That makes them pillars of their community and well-positioned to tackle some of our biggest challenges — if they have the funding.  

Experts are warning that artificial intelligence (AI) could undermine this year’s elections. But just what does that mean? Here’s what AI can do, the threats it poses to election security, and how local officials can help their communities prepare.

At 27, Rigel Robinson’s political future was bright. His election to the Berkeley city council had broken barriers and his campaign for mayor won the endorsement of California Attorney General Rob Bonta. But earlier this year, he resigned, citing burnout and a long-running harassment campaign.

It’s easy to think of anti-Asian hate as a red or purple state problem. But most incidents occur here in California. Even though anti-Asian hate decreased in 2022, experts are warning this could be an aberration. Here’s what cities can do to mitigate the next wave of hate.

When Overwatch launched in 2016, it felt like a breath of fresh air. Its cast was a self-proclaimed mix of “oddities,” whose “soaring ideals of freedom and equality would never be forgotten.” It felt like a video game for everyone. ...Six years later and Blizzard’s slipshod track record demonstrates the limits of this milquetoast, Pixar-ification approach to diversity.

Like many cities, Emeryville’s housing market is out of balance. The supply does not come close to the demand. Emeryville has roughly 30,000 jobs, but only 12,905 residents. Both are expected to increase in the coming years, especially if the city’s burgeoning research sector continues to grow. Rebalancing that ratio is tricky and will take years to fully realize.