Housing and land-use laws that bind Berkeley

Law or ordinance name. The common or official name of the law.

Produce it: The name as the source uses it, for example 'SB 9 (2021) Housing Development: Urban Lot Splits' or 'Berkeley Missing Middle Housing Ordinance'.

Output path: law_name

Coverage: 100 minimum populated · 125 preferred · 150 maximum · 100% minimum · 100% target

Flat-file columns: namelawtitle

Example: SB 9 (2021) Housing Development: Urban Lot Splits

Missing values: Not allowed.

Source: Cite where the value came from.

Buyer review: Name must correspond to a real enacted law or ordinance.

Jurisdiction. Which level of government enacted it.

Produce it: Exactly one of: state, city, county, regional. Berkeley ordinances are 'city'; California statutes are 'state'.

Output path: jurisdiction

Coverage: 100 minimum populated · 125 preferred · 150 maximum · 100% minimum · 100% target

Flat-file columns: jurisdictionlevel

Example: state

Missing values: Not allowed.

Buyer review: Must match the enacting body.

Legal citation. The citation a reader can look the law up by.

Produce it: Bill number plus code section for state law, for example 'Gov. Code 65852.21; SB 9 (2021)'. BMC chapter or section for city law, for example 'BMC 23.326'. Must be the citation you actually read.

Output path: citation

Coverage: 100 minimum populated · 125 preferred · 150 maximum · 100% minimum · 100% target

Flat-file columns: citationsection

Example: Gov. Code 65852.21; SB 9 (2021)

Missing values: Not allowed.

Source: Cite where the value came from.

Buyer review: Open the citation. If it does not say what the row says, the row fails.

Law type. What kind of lever this law pulls.

Produce it: Exactly one of: ministerial_approval, density_bonus, rent_stabilization, tenant_protection, ceqa, impact_fee, design_review, adu, parking, inclusionary, zoning_standard, permit_process.

Output path: law_type

Coverage: 100 minimum populated · 125 preferred · 150 maximum · 100% minimum · 100% target

Flat-file columns: typecategory

Example: ministerial_approval

Missing values: Not allowed.

Buyer review: Type must be defensible from the operative text, not the title.

Effective date. The date the law took effect.

Produce it: ISO 8601, YYYY-MM-DD. The operative date, not the date it was signed or introduced. Blank if the law is enacted but not yet operative, and say so in the notes.

Output path: effective_date

Coverage: 80 minimum populated · 115 preferred · 150 maximum · 70% minimum · 90% target

Flat-file columns: effective_dateoperative_date

Example: 2022-01-01

Missing values: Allowed When the law is enacted but has no operative date yet..

Source: Cite where the value came from.

Buyer review: Reject signing dates presented as effective dates.

Overrides local zoning. Whether this law displaces Berkeley's own standards.

Produce it: Exactly one of: yes, no, partial, not_applicable. Answer from the law's preemption language, not from commentary about it.

Output path: overrides_local_zoning

Coverage: 100 minimum populated · 125 preferred · 150 maximum · 100% minimum · 100% target

Flat-file columns: overridespreemption

Example: yes

Missing values: Not allowed.

Source: Cite where the value came from.

Buyer review: Must be supported by the operative text of the cited section.

Berkeley implementation status. Where Berkeley stands on implementing or complying with this law.

Produce it: Exactly one of: implemented_by_ordinance, applies_directly, pending_local_action, superseded, not_applicable. Base this on a city record, not on assumption.

Output path: berkeley_status

Coverage: 100 minimum populated · 125 preferred · 150 maximum · 100% minimum · 100% target

Flat-file columns: statuslocal_status

Example: implemented_by_ordinance

Missing values: Not allowed.

Source: The city record establishing the status.

Buyer review: Status claims about Berkeley must cite a city record.

Berkeley implementing citation. The Berkeley ordinance or code section that implements this law locally.

Produce it: BMC section or ordinance number. Blank where Berkeley has adopted nothing local, which is itself useful to know.

Output path: local_implementing_citation

Coverage: 40 minimum populated · 90 preferred · 150 maximum · 30% minimum · 70% target

Flat-file columns: local_citationbmc

Example: BMC 23.326

Missing values: Allowed When Berkeley has adopted no local implementing measure..

Source: Cite where the value came from.

Buyer review: Blank is a real answer. An invented BMC section fails the field.

What it applies to. Plain-language statement of the projects the law reaches.

Produce it: One or two sentences. Say which projects are in scope and which are carved out. Plain language, no legalese, no copied paragraphs of statute.

Output path: applies_to

Coverage: 100 minimum populated · 125 preferred · 150 maximum · 100% minimum · 100% target

Flat-file columns: applies_toscope

Example: Two-unit projects and lot splits on single-family lots that meet the listed exclusions, approved ministerially without a hearing.

Missing values: Not allowed.

Buyer review: Summary must be accurate to the operative text. Reject copied statute blocks and reject overstatement.

Notes. Anything material the other columns do not carry.

Produce it: Short plain text. Sunset dates, pending amendments, litigation affecting operation. Blank is fine.

Output path: notes

Coverage: 0 minimum populated · 60 preferred · 150 maximum · 0% minimum · 50% target

Flat-file columns: notes

Example: Sunsets 2034 unless extended.

Missing values: Allowed When there is nothing material to add..

Buyer review: Notes must be factual and checkable.

Source URL. Public link to the record this row was read from.

Produce it: A working public URL on berkeleyca.gov, an official permit portal, the state legislature site, or another official host. No paywalled or login-gated links.

Output path: source_url

Coverage: 100 minimum populated · 125 preferred · 150 maximum · 100% minimum · 100% target

Flat-file columns: urllinksource

Example: https://berkeleyca.gov/construction-development/land-use-development/zoning-adjustments-board

Missing values: Not allowed.

Source: This column is the source link.

Buyer review: Sampled links must resolve publicly and must contain the claimed information.

Date captured. The date this row was read from its source.

Produce it: ISO 8601, YYYY-MM-DD. Must be within 60 days of submission.

Output path: captured_at

Coverage: 100 minimum populated · 125 preferred · 150 maximum · 100% minimum · 100% target

Flat-file columns: datecaptured_at

Example: 2026-08-12

Missing values: Not allowed.

Buyer review: Reject rows captured more than 60 days before submission.