Public Comment

Discussions of development in Berkeley involve a lot of complicated jargon. It is easy to become confused. As a public service, I've assembled some definitions for a few commonly used terms:

"Smart Growth": The proposal to build 1960s housing projects for a 1990s economy along streets where the 1950s imagined there'd be great public transportation by the 1970s. (See also, "real estate swindle".)

"Urban Density": The confinement of low wage workers to small ghettos and the restriction their regional travel options to those offered by anemic public transportation systems.

"Green Building": Building probably does not contain a coal or oil burning furnace in the basement.

"2020": The target year of many regional public policy initiatives, each of which will be clearly visible as terrible mistakes in hindsight from the perspective of the year 2020.

"Vibrant": An environment carefully arranged to hide any indication that poverty exists. Any environment purged of all social challenges the 1% might encounter.

"Mayor's Office": Winking name for a high-priced "escort" service serving UC Regents and other clients in the real estate speculation sector.

"West and South Berkeley": staging area for forced emigration of colored people.

"Real estate swindle": See "City Executive Staff".

"City Executive Staff": co-owner/overseers of "Mayor's Office" (c.f.)