Month: April 2009

Canaries Flying Around Our Home Values

In the 94611 zip code, the real estate market is still alive – but there might be both healthy and sickly canaries flying around this coal mine.

Home prices have begun decreasing again, through mid-February. The 94611 median values were $718,918, reflecting a 15 percent decline over last year.  By contrast, Oakland’s values were $332,688 and dropped 34 percent.  While the hills performed better, that’s nothing worth gloating about!

City Data - 946111

Here’s what a bubble and post-bubble look like, in these 2003- 2008 trends. Clearly the prices dropped at a faster pace than inventory in our zip.  Prices hit rock bottom by the fourth quarter of 2007, and increased $100k by 2008 year-end.  Inventory started to disappear as a lagging indicator, with 50 percent fewer homes sold in the same time period.  Yes, we’re still in transition now.

RealtyTrac - 946111

Foreclosures are everywhere. To make this feel quite real, look at the map depicting pre-foreclosure, bank-owned, resale and auction properties reported by the bad-news bears, RealtyTrac.  We’re seeing a visual story of single homes scattered equally across the hills, in all prices ranges.

Foreclosures - 94611

Foreclosures are trending higher, and much higher than Oakland and Alameda County rates.  This is a surprise, since we were sitting pretty between December and October.  When you examine the foreclosure rates reported today versus December, however, we’re still swinging upwards.  Maybe it took longer for available rainy-day funds to dry up?

We’ll continue to watch the local economic levers, like you.  We’re pretty sure the 94611 market will stay tamped down and there won’t be any flood of homes for sale.  But there were two ailing canaries recently:  slightly lower home prices and higher foreclosures.  Maybe these birds will continue to live, after all.

Visit Our Little, Local School On Cal Day 2009

2010 Update:  Cal Day 2010 takes place on Saturday, April 17th, from 9am-4pm.  Click here to select events by subject or time.  Also click here to see all the kid-friendly events.

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If you are not part of UC Berkeley’s community already, then Cal Day 2009 is your chance to see what’s happening at our little, local school in the hills.  Just you and 35,000 of your neighbors (!) are expected to partake Berkeley’s annual and free educational buffet next weekend.

Cal Day jam-packs special museum, library, lecture, concert and tour programs into a mere nine hours.  Just browse or search the event options, which are endless yet wonderful.

UC Campus Map

To The Campus

One option is to join the crowd and then go mellow out.  We suggest arriving at Sather Gate by 10:30am, to hear the rousing Cal Marching Band.  Visit the top of the Campanile next, for a great campus view.  Then proceed to your free massage or Ashtanga class, and call it a day.

There are other nice options, too.  You could listen to live music all day, ranging from a symphony concert to Javanese percussion.  Getting free admission to the museums and gardens is also pretty sweet.

Cal Day has geared up for kids, and we’re impressed by the hands-activities at the archaeology and life sciences buildings.  Make sure to browse through all the kids stuff, and plan your trek across campus.

To feel that academic glow, you might visit the libraries or wander into some academic buildings.  There are many tours scheduled on Cal Day, where you’ll also get a dose of history from the guides.

To The Classroom

Let’s not forget that Cal is a school of higher learning.  In that spirit, we think you are supposed to attend at least one hour-long lecture.  Here are ten nominations:

After Cal Day

We’re fortunate that some UC Berkeley folks call Montclair home, and have learned (from them) about Cal resources available to the public anytime.  For example, the Bancroft Library welcomes all locals who supply two IDs.

All year long, the UC Berkeley events calendar lists a large variety of campus lectures, performances, exhibits and events.  Other Cal sources include the news center as well as the Daily Cal, which is worth reading now and again for the student pulse.

Yet we still forget the embarrassment of riches at our little, local school – and never get around to doing anything until the Cal Day crush.

Closer Views Of Bay Bridge Construction

The Bay Bridge’s seismic retrofit will be part of our lives for, oh, another five years or so.  However you just can’t see very much from the current bridge, ground or air.

How about the water?  Montclarion Nancy Lane snapped some terrific photos while day cruising around the Bay and Bay Bridge, and shared them with us.  Check them out!

Bridge Underway

“Bridge Underway” – This first image shows the new bridge working its way across the Bay, and there’s quite a distance until it reaches shore.  It still looks nice and sleek, as opposed the the train-trestle style of the old model.

Bridges Meet

“Bridges Meet” – This is a really cool perspective, since the old and new bridges seem to bear down and connect into infinity.  You have to like the optical illusion shots like this one.

Bridge Beauty

“Bridge Beauty” – Yes, the new bridge is quite sleek and looks like it will last into the 22nd century.   This eastern span opens to the sky, both coming and going – which we think will change perceptions of the East Bay.

Bridge Erector Set

“Bridge Erector Set” – The bridge and bypass construction is massive, and it’s good to zoom into this bite-sized section with plenty of cranes and gear.  We’re wondering where the workers are milling around, though.

Thanks again to Nancy for sharing these images of the Bridge under construction.  We would love to tour the Bay ourselves and see what progress has been made since she snapped them last fall – anyone with a boat and captain handy?

Bay Bridge Undergoes Bypass Surgery

Today we heard the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge will finally undergo its long-awaited bypass surgery, and will temporarily close over Labor Day weekend this year.

This kind of super-orchestrated surgery should be a sight to behold.  The construction gods plan to remove a chunk of the existing bridge and insert another roadway section that connects to the curving bypass on Yerba Buena Island.  Check out the video here.

Bay Bridge Closure

While driving today, you can glance at the bypass construction and signage as you arrive westbound on Yerba Buena.  It looks like you will need to veer left pretty substantially, and the speed limit will be lower as well.

That’s all well and good, but how will the driving feel on the bypass?  We suggest looking at these eastbound and westbound video simulations for a quick preview.  After a few dozen trips on the real thing, you will probably adjust and commute back and forth with ease.

More info:   To learn about the entire Bay Bridge retrofit project, just visit this web site.  There are construction cams where you can see daily progress over the past months, as well as interactive plans which illustrate different bridge elements.  You can spend hours here!

September 9th update:   Check out final snapshots of the Eastern Span closure.  Also see the entire bypass surgery, through this video made from time-elapsed Caltrans snapshots.

Less Schmutz For Caldecott Bore Neighbors

There should be less schmutz for Caldecott Tunnel neighbors when fourth bore construction begins later this year.  It turns out that the Fourth-Bore Coalition settled with Caltrans, who will add a couple more steps to reduce air, noise and light pollution after all.

Fourth Bore Coalition

Coalition Finally Settles

The Coalition had filed suit against the California Dept. of Transportation, claiming it violated reviews required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).  Our neighbors felt that Caltrans didn’t perform the proper assessments, especially related to construction mitigation impacting nearby residents.

In November, the group got its day in court and awaited the judge’s decision. “The judge never ruled in our case, ” explained Coalition Chair Ann Smulka.  “Governor Schwarzenegger threatened to exempt the project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as part of the budget negotiations, which would have trumped any decision the judge made.”

Instead, the Coalition and Caltrans settled their differences, with a little help from their Democratic legislator friends in Sacramento.

Reduced Construction Pollution

From the settlement, Chairperson Smulka was pleased with “several important wins that will make a difference to our community” including:

  • Contractors must use low sulfur diesel fuel for off-road vehicles and equipment, to reduce air pollution
  • Caltrans will seek Cal OSHA approval to use a non-audible vehicle back-up warning system
  • Various schedules and restrictions will minimize lighting and noise exposure during construction

Future Corridor Improvements

Smulka also noted that the settlement goes beyond construction commitments, and includes funding to improve the Highway 24 corridor safety and environment.  The funding covers:

  • Rt 13 by Tunnel Rd/Ashby Ave, for pedestrian, bicyclist motorist safety – $2 million
  • Highway 24 study, covering topics like reduced highway congestion and noise – $250k
  • FROG Park debris barrier, plus park lease extension from Caltrans – $50k barrier
  • Highway 24 paved with sound-attenuating surface, when ready to repave – $ na

Additionally, the Chair pointed to the Coalition’s other success in obtaining $3 million to improve air quality at Chabot Elementary School and Claremont Middle School, which are located within 75 feet of the freeway.  While $6.5 million is needed overall, this state funding “is a good start for the air quality improvements,” said Smulka.

As Coalition head, Smulka felt “fortunate to have such dedicated people in our community” and gave kudos to all the volunteers, lawyers, elected reps and school staff who helped thus far.  Now the group will switch gears, and make sure the cities and public agencies meet their commitments.

More info:   Fourth Bore Coalition – Coalition-Caltrans settlement – Oakland-Caltrans settlement – Tribune article – Tribune editorial – Caldecott Tunnel tour – Coalition status report