Measure J   —   Top 10

• Measure J protects the neighborhoods that make Berkeley such a livable city. It guards against the unchecked demolition of historic buildings by developers and real-estate speculators seeking to cash in on these valuable resources.
  
  
• Measure J is Berkeley's 1974 Landmarks Preservation Ordinance (LPO) with six updates, as recommended by the State Office of Historic Preservation. The State has certified Berkeley's LPO as being in compliance with all relevant state and federal preservation laws, including the Permit Streaming Act.
  
  
• Measure J will save homeowners time and money. Under the Mayor's competing plan, all permits for ordinary maintenance and repair of older buildings would have to be approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC).
  
  
• Measure J ensures meaningful citizen participation in LPC decisions. It prevents back-room development deals and undue influence by special interests.
  
  
• Measure J prevents the destruction of traditional neighborhood housing and the displacement of long-term residents from affordable housing in their own neighborhoods.
  
  
• Measure J encourages the conservation of resources and creates a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly city. The greenest and least wasteful way to provide new housing is by improving our existing structures.
  
  
• Berkeley's LPO is moderate by current standards. Other California cities have outpaced our city with strong preservation zoning. Pasadena has 11 Historic Districts, one of which contains 800 homes. Similar cities without preservation zoning have been hit hard by demolitions. In Palo Alto, for example, over 900 older homes have been destroyed since 2000. Berkeley neighborhoods could face a similar fate, if the speculators are allowed to have their way.
  
  
• The Mayor's plan would hurt local carpenters, plumbers and electricians by insuring that their already lengthy permit applications take even longer. Under Tom Bates' administration, permit fees have doubled and will likely rise even higher.
  
  
• The city's neighborhood associations support Measure J. None of Berkeley's 20+ neighborhood groups support the Mayor's competing plan.
  
  
• The Mayor's competing LPO benefits only those large real-estate developers who want to demolish historic buildings -- it doesn't help homeowners or renters.
  
  
• Under the Mayor's competing plan, it would be quicker and easier to demolish a 120-year old Victorian than to remodel a kitchen or repave a driveway.
  
  Support your neighborhood.   Vote Yes on J.