Chateau Student Co-op

Letter in Support of Neighbors Opposing The Chateau Nuisances

June 19, 2004

Dear Mayor and Berkeley City Council:

We are writing to express our support for the neighbors of the Chateau student co-op. For over twenty years these neighbors have struggled with a myriad of ongoing nuisances resulting in a significant negative impact on the quality of life in the neighborhood including: excessive noise all times of day and night, public health hazard with garbage and rodents, unkempt grounds, broken glass and debris on sidewalks, homeless loitering and encampment, and verbal abuse.

The Chateau, owned by the University Student Cooperative Association (USCA), composed of three large houses and a large back yard area containing a swimming pool, is located on Hillegass Ave and Parker Street in the middle of a densely populated neighborhood, and is a block from People's Park and Telegraph area. The Chateau is a starter house for USCA, where approximately 85 residents, mostly freshman, live unsupervised. Hence problems have continued for years since the USCA purchased the property in 1977.

Moreover, the Chateau, part of the non-profit USCA pays almost no taxes and is a drain on City of Berkeley resources. The Chateau required 144 police and fire calls services in just the last two years and multiple visits from environmental health and code enforcement.

This nuisance has continued unabated even though neighbors have spent prodigious amounts of energy trying to resolve this problem. Over a number of years, neighbors have gone through the Berkeley Dispute Resolution Service, negotiated an addendum to the Chateau residents' contract, and hosted up to 12 meetings a year in their homes--all with little success. In desperation neighbors have now turned to the courts where 22 neighbors, students and non-students alike, have filed a public nuisance lawsuit in small claims court.

There is a growing awareness that problems in one part of the city do not exist in a vacuum but affect the rest of the city as well. While we may not all live in the Chateau neighborhood, we respect the right of every Berkeley resident to peaceful enjoyment of their home. In addition, our property tax money supports the city services that are wasted on managing the residents of the Chateau. These neighbors have our support and sympathy and we urge you to support their efforts to regain their neighborhood and restore their quality of life by supporting a permanent solution to this problem.

Sincerely,

Marie Bowman, President