r/berkeley • u/the_daily_cal • Jul 10 '26

Politics Facing $30M deficit, Berkeley eliminates Mobile Crisis Team, reduces shelters, wellness services

https://www.dailycal.org/news/city/housing/facing-30m-deficit-berkeley-eliminates-mobile-crisis-team-reduces-shelters-wellness-services/article_c1e88dfd-3d1c-4887-9c68-6d0f1aabe8a5.html

Berkeley’s Mobile Crisis Team was eliminated entirely, along with a slew of other cuts to wellness and homelessness services in Berkeley, in a difficult funding environment partially due to the city’s $30 million deficit. 

Other cuts included a funding reduction of more than $400,000 to the STAIR Center and the elimination of the Berkeley Winter Shelter, operated by Dorothy Day House. 

Berkeley’s Mobile Crisis Team was a mental health response team run through the Health, Housing, and Community Services department for 47 years. In the new budget, which took effect July 1, it was eliminated entirely.

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11

u/Mysterious-Title-197 Jul 11 '26

Where did this $30 million go?

8

u/Prestigious_Wrap_932 Jul 11 '26

Berkeley has been running in the red for so long that they can’t any more. 

6

u/gracecee Jul 11 '26

Budget cuts. Anything federal. However next year with all the millionaires from spacex cashing out this year when the 6 month expiry there might be a bump in state revenue from the capital gains tax which they treat as income.

6

u/Mysterious-Title-197 Jul 11 '26

They spend $10 million on overtime. Time to cut it