Bay Area

Low-income residents can apply for E-bike lottery

Low-income Berkeley residents – such as a family of four making less than $106,000 annually or an individual making less than $74,200 – can apply for a lottery to get an electric bike for long-term use as part of a city-funded program.

Published

2 years ago

February 26, 2023

Oakland Post

Residents 18 years or older can apply and be entered into a lottery for the e-bikes, which will be delivered from April through June.

Eligible individuals and households can apply by March 8 for new program, which will include maintenance, helmet, locks, and training for up to 50 households.

City of Berkeley

The 50 selected households – who can also qualify if they participate in SNAP, PG&E CARE, or Medicaid – would pay a $100 refundable deposit and get an electric bike, helmet, bicycle locks, lights, and training on safe riding.

Those households will also receive free check-ups and maintenance for at least a year from Waterside Workshops, a nonprofit partner with GRID Alternatives and the City of Berkeley as part of the Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project.

Anyone in Berkeley can use electric bikes at a lower cost through shared bike and scooter companies. These tools also allow residents to tie into the city’s bike boulevards, a network of lower-traffic, calmed roads designed to enhance safety and convenience for those on scooters and bikes.

Eligible residents can apply online by March 8 to enter the e-bike lottery.

RESIDENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAM

Residents 18 years or older can apply and be entered into a lottery for the e-bikes, which will be delivered from April through June.

The program prioritizes applicants who earn less than 80% of the Area Median Income, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The size of the household affects the income limit.

Households can also qualify by participating in a range of public programs such as:

Find more income eligibility information on the Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project application.

Interested applicants can access computers at any of Berkeley’s public library branches. For application assistance, contact Waterside Workshops at (510) 644-2577, or visit in person at 84 Bolivar Drive Tuesday – Sunday, noon – 6:00 pm.

TURN CAR TRIPS INTO BIKE TRIPS

Electric bikes, or e-bikes, are faster and more convenient than traditional non-electric bikes and are gaining popularity in our bike-friendly Bay Area climate. E-bikes can help:

provide a boost on hills, long commutes, and recreational rides
carry cargo, including young children, over long distances
save money on gas and public transportation when commuting
improve mental and physical health, as a form of exercise or recreation
reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel vehicles, the largest driver of climate change in Berkeley and beyond

Learn more about e-bikes at an upcoming webinar.

CLIMATE EQUITY PILOT SUPPORTS ACCESS TO CLEAN TRANSPORTATION AND BUILDING UPGRADES

The Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project is funded by the City of Berkeley’s Climate Equity Pilot Fund, a pool of money authorized by the City Council to provide benefits to – and elevate the voices of – low income and historically marginalized communities, the people most impacted by climate change.

As part of the E-Bike Equity Project funding, Waterside Workshops is also developing a new e-bike curriculum for its youth bicycle mechanics education program.

The City’s Climate Equity Pilot also funds electrification upgrades in buildings and access to resilience measures for income-qualified residents.

Use the online application (https://airtable.com/shrOwBiN588qJqrn3) to apply by March 8 for a chance to receive an e-bike to start your fun, healthy, and emission-free ride.

LINKS

Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project Online Application
E-Bike Webinars & Events (Ride & Drive Clean)
Electric Bicycle or Scooter Share (City of Berkeley)
Bike Boulevards (City of Berkeley)
Waterside Workshops
GRID Alternatives

Income Guidelines by Region (U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development)

Keep up with City of Berkeley news via our news page, email, or on Twitter @cityofberkeley

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Asm. Corey Jackson Proposes Safe Parking for Homeless College Students Sleeping in Cars

Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), is the author of AB 90, which would require community colleges and California State University campuses to create overnight parking programs where students can sleep safely in their vehicles. With one in four community college students in California experiencing homelessness in the past year, Jackson says the state must act urgently.

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April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Corey Jackson. File photo.

By Bo Tefu
California Black Media

As California’s housing crisis continues to impact students, new legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 90, promises to allow college students without stable housing to sleep in their cars on campus, offering a stark but practical solution aimed at immediate relief.

“This just deals with the harsh realities that we find ourselves in,” he said at a recent hearing.

The bill passed its first committee vote and is gaining attention as housing affordability remains a top concern across the state. California rents are more than 30% above the national average, and long waitlists for student housing have left thousands in limbo. CSU reported more than 4,000 students on its housing waitlist last year.

Supporters stress that the bill is not a long-term solution, but a humane step toward helping students who have no other place to go. A successful pilot program at Long Beach City College has already shown that safe, supervised overnight parking can work, giving students access to restrooms, Wi-Fi, and a secure environment.

However, the CSU and community college systems oppose the bill, citing funding concerns. Critics also worry about safety and oversight. But Jackson and student advocates argue the crisis demands bold action.

“If we know students are already sleeping in their cars, why not help them do it safely?” said Ivan Hernandez, president of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges.

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Faces Around the Bay: Author Karen Lewis Took the ‘Detour to Straight Street’

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

Published

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April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.

By Barbara Fluhrer

I met Karen Lewis on a park bench in Berkeley. She wrote her story on the spot.

I got married young, then ended up getting divorced, raising two boys into men. After my divorce, I had a stroke that left me blind and paralyzed. I was homeless, lost in a fog with blurred vision.

Jesus healed me! I now have two beautiful grandkids. At 61, this age and this stage, I am finally free indeed. Our Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul. I now know how to be still. I lay at his feet. I surrender and just rest. My life and every step on my path have already been ordered. So, I have learned in this life…it’s nice to be nice. No stressing, just blessings. Pray for the best and deal with the rest.

Nobody is perfect, so forgive quickly and love easily!”

Lewis’ book “Detour to Straight Street” is available on Amazon.

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Barbara Lee Accepts Victory With “Responsibility, Humility and Love”

“I accept your choice with a deep sense of responsibility, humility, and love. Oakland is a deeply divided City,” Lee said in an April 19 statement. “I answered the call to run to unite our community, so that I can represent every voter, and we can all work together as One Oakland to solve our most pressing problems.”

Published

1 day ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Barbara Lee. File photo.

By Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌,
California‌ ‌Black‌ ‌Media‌

As a candidate for mayor, former U.S. Representative Barbara Lee released a “10-point plan” last week to reassure residents that she will tackle Oakland’s most pressing challenges.

Now that she has edged out her competitors in the ranked-choice special election with 50% or more of the vote, the former Congresswoman, who represented parts of the Bay Area in the U.S. House of Representatives, can put her vision in motion as the city’s first Black woman mayor.

On Saturday evening, Taylor conceded to Lee. There are still about 300 Vote-by-Mail ballots left to be verified, according to county election officials. The ballots will be processed on April 21 and April 22.

“This morning, I called Congresswoman Barbara Lee to congratulate her on becoming the next Mayor of Oakland,” Taylor said in a statement.

“I pray that Mayor-Elect Lee fulfills her commitment to unify Oakland by authentically engaging the 47% of Oaklanders who voted for me and who want pragmatic, results-driven leadership.”

The influential Oakland Post endorsed Lee’s campaign, commending her leadership on the local, state, and federal levels.

Paul Cobb, The Post’s publisher, told California Black Media that Lee will bring back “respect and accountability” to the mayor’s office.

“She is going to be a collegial leader drawing on the advice of community nonprofit organizations and those who have experience in dealing with various issues,” Cobb said. “She’s going to try to do a consensus-building thing among those who know the present problems that face the city.”

Born in El Paso, Texas, Lee’s family moved to California while she was in high school. At 20 years old, Lee divorced her husband after the birth of her first child. After the split, Lee went through a tough period, becoming homeless and having to apply for public assistance to make ends meet.

But destitution did not deter the young woman.

Lee groomed herself to become an activist and advocate in Oakland and committed to standing up for the most vulnerable citizens in her community.

Lee traveled to Washington, D.C. to work for then U.S. Congressman Ron Dellums after receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mills College in Oakland in 1973. Lee later won a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) fellowship to attend the School of Social Welfare, and she earned a Master of Social Work from the University of California-Berkeley in 1975.

Lee later served in the California State Assembly and State Senate before she was elected to Congress in 1998.

After serving in the U.S. Congress for more than 25 years, Lee ran unsuccessfully for California’s U.S. Senate in the 2024 primary election.

Lee joins current Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass and former San Francisco Mayor London Breed as Black women serving as chief executives of major cities in California over the last few years.