Editing Berkeley, California (section)

==== 21st century ====
The City of Berkeley's 2017 annual homeless report and point-in-time count (PIT) estimate that on a given night, 972 people are homeless.<ref name=":3">{{cite web|title=2017 Berkeley Homeless Point-In-Time Count and Survey Data|last=Williams-Ridley|first=Dee|date=July 25, 2017|url=https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/2017/07_Jul/Documents/2017-07-25_Item_53_2017_Berkeley_Homeless.aspx|access-date=April 28, 2018|archive-date=June 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625194757/https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/2017/07_Jul/Documents/2017-07-25_Item_53_2017_Berkeley_Homeless.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sixty-eight percent (664 people) of these individuals are also unsheltered, living in places not considered suitable for human habitation, such as cars or streets.<ref name=":3" /> Long-term homelessness in Berkeley is double the national average, with 27% of the city's homeless population facing chronic homelessness.<ref name=":3"/> Chronic homelessness has been on the rise since 2015, and has been largely a consequence of the constrained local housing market.<ref name=":3" /> In 2015, rent in Alameda County increased by 25%, while the average household income only grew by 5%.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=A Report on the 2015 Alameda County Point In Time Count|url=http://everyonehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/EOC_Full2.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://everyonehome.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/EOC_Full2.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|journal=Alameda County Public Health Department}}</ref> The City of Berkeley's 2017 report also estimated the number of unaccompanied youth in Berkeley at 189 individuals, 19% of the total homeless population in the city. Homeless youth display greater risk of mental health issues, behavioral problems, and substance abuse, than any other homeless age group.<ref name=":12"/> Furthermore, [[Homelessness among LGBT youth in the United States|homeless youth identifying as LGBTQ+]] are exposed to greater rates of physical and sexual abuse, and higher risk for sexually-transmitted diseases, predominantly HIV.<ref name=":153">{{Cite journal|last1=Keuroghlian|first1=Alex S.|last2=Shtasel|first2=Derri|last3=Bassuk|first3=Ellen L.|date=2014|title=Out on the Street: A Public Health and Policy Agenda for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth Who Are Homeless |journal=The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry|volume=84|issue=1|pages=66–72|doi=10.1037/h0098852 |pmc=4098056|pmid=24826829}}</ref><ref name=":33">{{cite web|title=2017 Berkeley Homeless Point-In-Time Count and Survey Data|last=Williams-Ridley|first=Dee|date=July 25, 2017|url=https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/2017/07_Jul/Documents/2017-07-25_Item_53_2017_Berkeley_Homeless.aspx|access-date=April 28, 2018|archive-date=June 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625194757/https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/2017/07_Jul/Documents/2017-07-25_Item_53_2017_Berkeley_Homeless.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The City of Berkeley has seen a consistent rise in the number of chronically homeless individuals over the past 30 years, and has implemented a number of different projects to reduce the number of people living on the streets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=4222|title=Records Online – City of Berkeley, CA|website=Cityofberkeley.info|language=en|access-date=May 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511150144/https://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=4222|archive-date=May 11, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2008, the City focused its efforts on addressing chronic homelessness. This led to a 48% decline in the number of chronically homeless individuals reported in the 2009 Berkeley PIT.<ref name=":7">{{cite web|url=https://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=4222|title=Records Online – City of Berkeley, CA|website=Cityofberkeley.info|access-date=May 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200429004134/https://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=4222|archive-date=April 29, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, the number of "hidden homeless" individuals (those coping with [[Housing insecurity in the United States|housing insecurity]] by staying at a friend or relative's residence), increased significantly, likely in response to rising housing costs and costs of living.<ref name=":7" /> In 2012, the City considered measures that banned sitting in commercial areas throughout Berkeley.<ref name=":7" /> The measure was met with strong public opposition and did not pass. However, the City saw a strong need for it to implement rules addressing encampments and public usage of space as well as assessing the resources needed to assist the unhoused population.<ref name=":7" /> In response to these needs the City of Berkeley established the Homeless Task Force, headed by then-Councilmember [[Jesse Arreguín]].<ref name=":7" /> Since its formation, the Task Force has proposed a number of different recommendations, from expanding the City Homeless Outreach and Mobile Crisis Teams, to building a short-term transitional shelter for unhoused individuals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/2018/01_Jan/Documents/2018-01-23_Item_44_Update_On_Homeless_Task_Force.aspx|title=Arreguín, Jesse. "Update on Berkeley Homeless Task Force Recommendations." Received by Members of the City Council, City of Berkeley, 23 Jan. 2018|access-date=January 9, 2019|archive-date=January 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109110921/https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/2018/01_Jan/Documents/2018-01-23_Item_44_Update_On_Homeless_Task_Force.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>