Make UC a Good Neighbor v. The Regents of the University of Cal.

Opinion of the Court by Guerrero, C. J.

The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) provides student housing to the lowest percentage of students at any University of California campus in the state. In response to concerns regarding housing insecurity, and in light of the Bay Area’s regional housing crisis, UC Berkeley proposes to build a housing project on a site called People’s Park near the campus. The project has generated opposition. Project opponents challenge the certification of an environmental impact report (EIR) that evaluates both the specific housing project at People’s Park and a broader plan to guide long-term physical development at UC Berkeley. 1 Plaintiffs Make UC a Good Neighbor and People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group (collectively, Good Neighbor) contend the EIR fails to consider the environmental impacts caused by “student-generated noise” such as “vocal noise from house parties and from late-night pedestrians.” They further contend the EIR failed to adequately consider alternatives to the People’s Park location. The Court of Appeal agreed with Good Neighbor on these points.

1 The EIR was prepared pursuant to the California…