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Let’s Reimagine the Rules
Welcome to the official chapter of the Student Policy Institute at Berkeley, where we challenge pressing social issues with the power of public policy
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Our Primary Pillars
Learn to analyze and influence public policy with our Applied Policy Lab Decal
Explore our past publications and initiative topics
Apply policy frameworks to current issues by crafting and presenting a policy memo
Recent Policy Memos
Housing Initiative, FA’ 25
Unincorporated Alameda County faces a growing housing crisis shaped by weak tenant protections, limited enforcement systems, and the absence of municipal governments. Although the county adopted a Just Cause for Eviction ordinance in February 2025, there is no enforcement infrastructure to uphold it. Renters in unincorporated areas have no rent board, hearing processes, or oversight body to review violations, which leaves many residents without practical protection. Measure W was meant to support housing stability, yet its programs have not reached the communities that most heavily rely on county governance. This memo recommends two coordinated strategies to fill these structural gaps: establishing an Independent Rent Board with elected commissioners and launching a Measure W-funded Community Land Trust partnership for long-term affordability.
Public Health Initiative, FA’ 25
This policy memo addresses a critical vulnerability in the City of Berkeley’s District 7: the significant gap in emergency preparedness, specifically around wildfire and disaster evacuation. Survey results and stakeholder interviews reveal that UC Berkeley students and other District 7 residents lack clear, accessible, and actionable information about how to evacuate during an emergency. This problem is amplified by conditions unique to the district including high student population with limited car access, dense Southside layout that makes driving difficult during emergencies, and low visibility of evacuation routes and materials on and around campus. As a result, many residents are unsure of where to go, how to leave, and which sources offer reliable information when a crisis occurs.
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Student Policy Institute At Berkeley 