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Berkeley council votes to refer TOPA/COPPA study to staff, adds $100,000 to budget process
Summary
After hours of public comment and council debate, the council voted to refer the tenant-opportunity purchase proposal and related COPPA models to staff for fiscal and administrative analysis and to refer $100,000 to the budget process to support that study.
The Berkeley City Council voted to send the Community Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) proposal and a model based on San Francisco’s COPPA to the city manager for a fiscal, operational and administrative analysis, and to refer $100,000 to the budget process to support that study.
Council Member Hahn, who introduced the referral motion, said the city should study a compact COPPA model that could work in Berkeley’s limited staffing environment. "Refer to the city manager to study and return to council recommendations for a program based on San Francisco's COPPA," Hahn said, asking staff to examine thresholds, administrative costs and potential funding sources. The motion also asked staff to consider tenant notice requirements and a possible right of first refusal allowing tenants or groups of tenants to match the best market offer.
Supporters of the referral said the additional study is intended to produce options that are "right-sized for Berkeley," given the city's staffing constraints and existing small-sites funding. Opponents argued the council should reject TOPA outright or complete an equity study first, citing mixed national evidence about TOPA's effectiveness.
The council recorded roll-call votes after the debate and the mayor announced the motion carried. The referral instructs staff to return with analysis of the Harrison proposal and COPPA-style alternatives and to identify funding or administrative changes needed to implement any chosen approach.
What happens next: City staff will prepare the requested fiscal and operational analysis, including a review of San Francisco’s COPPA model and other comparable programs, and return recommendations to council before any ordinance adoption. The referral included a budget referral so staff can seek resources to complete the work.
