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Gov. Arnold Schwarze-negger signed into law Thursday a new measure that increases the inclusionary bonus granted to builders who included low income housing in apartment and condominiums building. 

The inclusionary bonus allows developers to builder bigger buildings than normally allowed under local ordinances when the structures contain units reserved for low-income tenants or mid-income buyers. 

Under the old law, builders were granted a 25 percent increase in building size if they set aside 20 percent of units. The new law boosts the bonus to 35 percent. 

Berkeley’s representative Loni Hancock was one of four California Assembly members who voted against the measure when it came up for a final vote on Aug. 24. The measure cleared the Senate on a unanimous vote two days later. 

The density bonus has become a thorny issue in Berkeley politics because of its role in the construction of controversial downtown buildings. 

Though the downtown plan limits structures to five stories, the density bonus allowed Patrick Kennedy to build the seven-story-plus Gaia Building, and a combination of the density and cultural bonuses has resulted in the proposed nine-story Seagate. 

With the additional bonus enacted Thursday, Berkeley could be seeing ten-story edifices in the city center in years to come.ª