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Residents, experts urge indoor air filtration ordinance and use of ARPA funds
Summary
Public commenters at Berkeley City Council urged an ordinance to control infectious aerosols in city buildings, said ARPA funds were intended to cover pandemic‑related indoor air improvements, and called for staff reports quantifying costs and avoided public‑health impacts.
Several members of the public told Berkeley City Council on June 14 that the city should act to improve indoor air quality in public buildings and that federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were available for pandemic‑related mitigation.
Chuck Soper, a resident, played recordings and described the pandemic as a missed opportunity to address indoor air quality, arguing that improving filtration "is cheap" and protects against COVID‑19, influenza, wildfire smoke and allergens. "For the past 2 years, I've been recovering from long COVID," Soper said, adding the ordinance is personal and urging the council to support it.
An earlier commenter said staff reports should identify whether ARPA funds had been used for this purpose and alleged the existence of city air‑filter machines in public buildings that were nonfunctioning for lack of replacement filters. The commenter called that condition "malpractice" and asked for a "fulsome report" estimating the costs of repairs and avoided public‑health and productivity costs.
Mayor Arregine and council members invited the speakers to share materials and asked staff to prepare impartial analyses. The mayor reiterated that staff reports must be neutral under Elections Code guidance when connected to ballot measures; however, the air‑quality appeals were taken as public comment and referred to staff for follow‑up rather than as an immediate policy adoption.
Council did not take formal action on an indoor air ordinance at this meeting; the concerns were recorded for staff follow‑up and potential inclusion in future operational reports.
