Possible Revival of Telegraph Area Association
In light of the closing of Cody’s Books and the subsequent attention of the problems with Telegraph Ave, the Telegraph Area Association may see a revival after it was basically shut-down following a fiscal scandal a year ago. The TAA previously provided a venue for residents, students, merchants, and the University to work together on improving the area, which is obviously central to Cal and the city itself. However, some $14,000 “disappeared” a couple years ago and the funding of the association was cut off. Now some people such as TAA President Bruce Miller, District 7 Councilmember Kriss Worthington and former Director Kathy Berger are calling for the revival of the association and provide an outlet for improving the troubled area.
If anyone can say anything good about the closing of Cody’s, its that it has brought the problems that plague Telegraph Ave to the forefront of the minds of city officials, who had largely ignored attempts to improve the area. The possibility of this revival, coupled with the ZAB’s recent approval for the new Peet’s Coffee and Chipotle locations and the possibilities of other reforms show that perhaps Telegraph can be saved if it’s just given enough attention, even if it is too late for Cody’s.
*OK so since people seem to have misunderstood my commentary previously put here, they’ve been removed so as to not take away from the rest of the article.*
Well first of all, I would hardly call anywhere near the UC campus low income. Besides the bums who were planted there for shits and giggles and to make the wealthy people of Berkeley seem like they care about poor people.
Comment by Anonymous — August 13, 2006 @ 6:36 pm
So, you’re arguing that student’s at Cal are basically in the same boat as those within the inner city ghettos? Both equally are in need of social services to right grave social justices? Both have similarly dire health and crime problems?
Wow. Hello reality check? OF COURSE you can’t equate these two populations. OF COURSE it’s undertandable why the honest-to-god poor people are more in need of support and capture people’s sympathies more. People at Cal are TEMPORARILY poor. If you can even call them poor at all, considering most are being supported by their middle class families. Do you think every resident of West Oakland has an iPod and a laptop? Can comfortably sip lattes at Strada, while worrying over what the characters on the OC are going to do next?
Hell, if you need any proof, compare rents. We have probably the highest per-square-foot average rental cost of any place outside of SF. What’s a flat go for in Richmand, huh? The prices are different, not just because of demand, but because of ability to pay. And yes, even if you remove the students, this is still one of the most expensive places to live in the Bay Area. I get the impression you’ve never actually left campus…
Josh, you win the Marie Antoinette aware of the century.
Comment by Spanky McCrackers — August 13, 2006 @ 7:41 pm
On top of that, people in Oakland have it so much better than people in Cincinnati. Come to Cincinnati to shock yourself at what REAL poverty is.
Comment by RepBast1984 — August 13, 2006 @ 9:12 pm