ALBANY - A plan to demolish hundreds of housing units at University Village and build hundreds more has prompted strong criticism from residents wanting to keep housing costs low, as well as save a 14-acre plot of land used for farming and university agricultural research.

About 30 people criticized the plans at a recent meeting held to get input on the University Village draft environmental impact report. Residents said the plans would impact the affordability of village housing and take away a valuable agricultural resource, the 14-acre Gill Tract, by replacing it with ball fields and a community center.

"There's no monetary interest from the university in sustainable agriculture and historic landmarks and nice parks for people," said Albany resident Kim Linden. "It's not on their agenda and I think it's a mistake. I think their view point is that it's going to build a top-notch village with commercial (uses). And it's all about money."

Rents to rise

In the works since 1998, UC Berkeley is planning to raze 564 units of older housing at University Village and replace it with new 1,333 units over the next five years. One part of the plan -- "step 2," which could begin construction this fall -- would demolish 412 units and build 606 new units for students with families, said UC Berkeley senior planner Jeff Bond.

The current rent for the step 2 housing at the village is between $720 and $830 and that's expected to increase to $1,300 when the new units are built -- to pay off the cost of building -- said Bob Jacobs, the UC Berkeley director of housing facilities.

Residents said that would decrease the number of students that could afford the housing and would decrease diversity at the village.

"There's been an ongoing struggle about whether to rebuild them and whether that makes sense," Peter Brownwell, a board member of the Village Residents Association, said after the meeting. "We've asked them essentially to hold off on rebuilding them until they have some combination of funding and or a plan to keep them affordable for students either currently living there or students similarly situated in the future."

The project's effects on traffic, and city services also proved troubling to Albany city and school district officials.

City planners believe the village's environmental report has underestimated the amount of strain the development would put on the city's firefighters, according to a report by community development director Ann Chaney and planning manager Dave Dowswell.

The environmental report also underestimates the amount of traffic the plans will create in the area, by not factoring in the Target store that will be built on Eastshore Highway, as well as the number of vehicles expected to be used by students, Dowswell said.

The loss of the affordable units could also place state pressure on the city to build more affordable housing.

"We would like the university to clearly retain some of them (affordable units)," Dowswell said. "How many, we couldn't tell you, but as many as financially possible, I guess. There's just a number of ways the two agencies could partner and do that."

Schools concerns

Miriam Walden, vice chairwoman of the Albany School Board, said is concerned that the loss of affordable housing will place a burden on the school district as well. The loss could decrease the number of students enrolled in the district, which could decrease the amount of funding the district receives from the state, she said.

Last year, the Albany school district passed a resolution stating its support for retaining the affordable housing as well as retaining the Gill Tract as a research facility and farmland.

Urban Roots, an organization of UC Berkeley students and Albany and Berkeley residents, has lobbied to save the Gill Tract and has created a proposal for University Village that would preserve the research facility by offering a smaller number of units and less commercial space.

UC Berkeley senior planner Jeff Bond said the university wanted to continue with its plan to replace the Gill Tract because it provides 300 more units and because placing the ball fields in that area would bring it closer to Ocean View Elementary School and Albany City Hall.

"It seems to us, that having the community center and ball fields across the street from Ocean View Elementary and across the street from City Hall -- they're things that are complementary to each other," Bond said. "There's joint uses that would be going on all the time, and it becomes a community park -- a larger community park in a lot of respects."

As for the affordable housing issue, the university has every intention to increase the number of people who can attend the University and live at the Village, even with the increase in rents, said Jacobs.

"We have to do something," Jacobs said. "That's not an option to let them be, because we have structural issues and issues with mold that need to be addressed."

Reasons disputed

Brownwell disputed the reasons behind the Village plan and wants the university to hold off on building the new units, so that the rents do not have to be increased.

"Basically students are facing monumental fee increase from the university at the same time," he said. "That's hurting the students, and it's also hurting the university's ability to recruit and retain students. That, taken together with the huge loss of affordable units ... it's not the right time to do it all and it makes much more sense to leave the functional units in place until university is in better shape."

Reach Alan Lopez at 510-243-3578 or at alopez1@cctimes.com.

UC VILLAGE PLAN

In the works since 1998, UC Berkeley is planning to raze 564 units of older housing at University Village and replace them with new 1,333 units in two phases over the next five years. A first phase of redevelopment, known as "step one," has been completed.

In "step two" of the university's plans, 412 units of 1960s housing would be demolished with construction of up to 606 new units for students with families. Step two is located adjacent to the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks on the west side of the development and construction could begin this fall, pending a decision by the UC Regents said UC Berkeley senior planner Jeff Bond.

In "step three," 152 units of 1940s housing would be demolished to make room for up to 727 new units of housing for graduate students without children and faculty. Step three, located between Jackson Street, and Marin and San Pablo avenues, would also include construction of a new community center, an infant/child care center and little league fields.

Some 73,000 square feet of retail space would also be built, located mainly in two mixed-use buildings in the step three area. The university could build step three within the next five years, Bond said.