UC Berkeley gets go-ahead to build housing at People’s Park after years-long battle

California supreme court greenlights project that protesters say will add noise pollution to already dense historic park

A California supreme court ruling will allow student housing at University of California, Berkeley, to be built at the historic People's Park.

The court on Thursday ruled that a new law enacted in 2023 invalidates the claims by two local organizations that sued the school, saying students living in downtown Berkeley would add noise pollution to an already dense area. The project set off years of protests over the park - a landmark that is a touchstone of counterculture.