As individuals and members of civil society, we must revisit our priorities. Dialogue and discussion must come first, and then a comprehensive plan. In the meantime, we practice preventive medicine. Law enforcement cannot be everywhere at once. Yet safety must be assured on all sides.
People pulling together, across the socio-economic divide, is the way toward true revitalization.
Leadership is key. Support the Telegraph Avenue Business Improvement District, which has established a baseline of services, such as street cleaning, to be performed by the city, with extras to be paid by property owners, including the university. This would provide both pressure and evaluation and ensure that effective measures move forward. The city and university jointly develop the vacant site at Haste and Telegraph into ground-floor commercial space with housing above. A Telegraph mall was a dream of many citizens long before I came to Berkeley 33 years ago.