Thanks Governor Newsom for signing this groundbreaking fire mitigation package into law — and thanks to all the advocates who made this happen! Lots of work still to do, but this will make a real difference. www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/29/g...

Governor Newsom signs legislation to accelerate wildfire prevention projects, strengthen fire response, and harden communities against future disasters | Governor of California

gov.ca.gov

The status quo on Harrison Street is unacceptable. The city must be allowed to act in the best interest of all residents and businesses — including those living in the encampment. The city should not be forced into indefinite delay by an open-ended, ever-shifting legal process. Enough is enough.

Thursday night, the City Council voted to ask the City Manager and Police Department to issue an RFP to evaluate more surveillance technology vendors before we move forward, while continuing our license plate reader program through the review period. www.berkeleyside.org/2026/05/08/f...

Berkeley rejects police surveillance expansion, will keep Flock plate readers

The City Council abandoned a $2 million proposal with Flock Safety for cameras, drones and software and will seek other bidders for the tech.

berkeleyside.org

Even in the wind and rain, more than 350 volunteers turned out in force to clear vegetation and create more defensible space across 20 sites in the Berkeley Hills.

I’m thrilled! Truly a once-in-a-lifetime chance for residents in Berkeley, Albany, and the East Bay to establish a beautiful new park along the waterfront, thanks to the Trust for Public Land and the East Bay Regional Park District. What are your ideas for this new park and amazing open space?

Golden Gate Fields' future owners want to turn it into a public park

Golden Gate Fields will be no more.

sfgate.com

Opening Day ceremony and parade for the Berkeley Albany Baseball League, where Dashiell is on the Red Sox. Great to see @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social Chancellor Rich Lyons throw a strike for the ceremonial first pitch! Play ball!

Step by step, we’re making progress on Zone Zero at our house. Here’s a Substack post with our latest update after our 1:1 home consultation with BFD. If you live in the Very High Fire Hazard Zone like we do, what steps have you taken so far? Love to hear your comments, questions, and feedback.

What We Learned from our BFD 1:1 Home Consultation

Last fall, we hired an arborist to trim some bigger trees in the back yard and next to the driveway, carefully prune some branches on our front yard lemon tree, and remove an Italian cypress tree and ...

open.substack.com

Appreciated the opportunity to support Senators @joshbecker.bsky.social & @benallenca.bsky.social and Assemblymembers Damon Connolly, Chris Rogers, and Steve Bennett in Sacramento as they introduced their wildfire prevention bill package.

Really enjoyed participating in this week’s Urban Land Institute panel on wildfire risk & insurability, where I talked about Berkeley’s EMBER program. Thanks to Holly Neber, Edward McFarlan, Wahib Ghazni, and former CA Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones for the great discussion.

Frozen yogurt at Menchie’s on the northside of campus is always a hit in our household!

It’s not enough to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk too — especially when it comes to wildfire safety in Berkeley. I’m documenting our family’s step-by-step path to EMBER compliance to share our progress. Hope you’ll follow along and share your tips too! open.substack.com/pub/brentbla...

One Step at a Time: Our Family’s Path to EMBER Compliance

Last June, the Berkeley City Council unanimously passed our EMBER ordinance, a fact-based proposal from the Fire Department that asks ~900 households located in the highest wildfire danger zone along ...

open.substack.com

Helping Berkeley homeowners keep their insurance at better rates is a top priority. Thanks to CA Deputy Insurance Commissioner Michael Soller & wildfire insurance broker Andrew Engler for meeting with BFD Asst Chief Dave Winnacker & me to talk about how our EMBER ordinance can make us more insurable

This week, I authored a resolution alongside @mayoradenaishii.bsky.social, CM @cecilialunaparra.bsky.social and CM Terry Taplin condemning Operation Metro Surge, calling for the abolishment of ICE, and showing solidarity with peaceful protesters in Minneapolis. www.berkeleyside.org/2026/01/28/b...

Berkeley reacts to ICE and Border Patrol shootings in Minneapolis

The Berkeley City Council passed a resolution that calls for abolishing ICE and ending aggressive enforcement operations.

berkeleyside.org

My son Dashiell and I enjoyed joining @mayoradenaishii.bsky.social, Superintendent Ford Morthel, and CM @igortregub.bsky.social staff to visit with the Berkeley High Robotics Team — Berkelium 5419. Thanks for the behind-the-scenes tour, and good luck in your next competition kicking off this week!

Happy New Year from Tokyo!

As seen in Nga Trang, Vietnam yesterday. Next door neighbors. Very on brand.

Honored to join Chabad Berkeley, Itamar Landau, Councilmember @igortregub.bsky.social, and so many others at the 4th Street menorah lighting last night.

Thanks @mayoradenaishii.bsky.social for this D6-appropriate Christmas gift. Happy Holidays!

Thanks to all the veterans who served to defend our country and keep us safe — especially my dad, Earl, who commanded a Titan II missile in the US Air Force. Happy Veterans Day!

Thanks @mayoradenaishii.bsky.social for co-hosting office hours with me in North Berkeley! Enjoyed chatting with you and our constituents about their ideas and concerns.

Thanks to the Berkeley Student Cooperative for hosting @cecilialunaparra.bsky.social and me last night for a “Meet Your Councilmembers” event at Cloyne Court.

Congrats to the Berkeley FireSafe Council for hosting another successful neighborhood potluck yesterday!

Thanks to Dan for hosting your Scenic Ave neighbors and me last night, for a lively discussion about housing, fire safety, downtown revitalization, and other issues facing Berkeley. Look forward to continuing the conversation over the weeks and months ahead!

My team and I enjoyed our walk with Councilmember Shoshana O’Keefe and Bob & Emma from the Berkeley Path Wanderers to discuss plans to upgrade Keeler Path near Remillard Park. Thanks for the tour! (And thanks to Shoshana’s mom for the cookies!)

Thanks to all of the constituents that joined my team and me for our September office hours, held at the Berkeley Rose Garden! It was great to catch up with so many neighbors to hear what’s on their mind and learn more about how we can help. Look forward to the next one!

Enjoyed joining Councilmember Shoshana O’Keefe at Berkeley’s first Sun Day today. Congrats to @kerabinns.bsky.social and the planning team on a wonderful event celebrating clean energy and climate action!

Had a wonderful time at yesterday’s Solano Stroll! Thanks to all the friends, neighbors, and colleagues who marched with us in the parade and stopped by our booth. Always great to celebrate our beautiful community while getting feedback on how to make Berkeley even better!

The shooting of Charlie Kirk is a senseless tragedy. I condemn it wholeheartedly. There should be no place in America for political violence — full stop. *Now* can we talk about guns?

With our indomitable Congresswoman @lateefahsimon.bsky.social this morning. Thanks you for your bold progressive leadership — and for fighting for East Bay families every day in Washington, DC!

Thanks to @bloomberg.com for covering the work we’re doing here in Berkeley to protect our community from the wildfire threat. But lots of work still to do! #ZoneZero #EMBER #FiresafeBerkeley

How This California City Aims to Avert Another Urban Wildfire Catastrophe

In the wake of the Los Angeles fires, Berkeley has moved quickly to require ember-resistant zones for high-risk homes after years of delay by the state.

bloomberg.com