Get Involved
Attend Council Meetings
Berkeley City Council meetings generally take place on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month, except during recesses and on major holidays for religions most represented in Berkeley. Council sometimes also has special meetings other evenings and in afternoons.
Council is meeting remotely through March 2022, making it easy for you to join by Zoom or phone. The City is working to ensure Council can host “hybrid” meetings going forward, where Council meets in person but you can still participate remotely or in person.
Get Involved
Attend Council Meetings
Berkeley City Council meetings generally take place on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month, except during recesses and on major holidays for religions most represented in Berkeley. Council sometimes also has special meetings other evenings and in afternoons.
Council is meeting remotely through March 2022, making it easy for you to join by Zoom or phone. The City is working to ensure Council can host “hybrid” meetings going forward, where Council meets in person but you can still participate remotely or in person.
Get to Know Lori
About Lori
Lori Droste is District 8’s representative on the Berkeley City Council. Lori previously served as Chair of Berkeley’s Commission on the Status of Women, Vice-Chair of Alameda County’s Human Relations Commission, and on the Housing Advisory Commission. Lori also served on the board of the Claremont Elmwood Neighborhood Association what is now the East Bay Women’s Political Alliance.
Lori spent years serving the public as a high school teacher and an educator for unhoused individuals in Alameda County. While working on her Master of Public Policy, Lori engaged Oakland business owners and city officials to improve parking efficiency, pedestrian and bicycling infrastructure. She also authored a glass ceiling report on under-representation of women in transportation services.
Lori has been active in the City of Berkeley for years. Prior to her time on Council, she worked on policies to curb violence against women. While on Council, Lori has worked tirelessly on housing affordability, homelessness, economic development, children’s recreation, traffic mitigation, and family-friendly policies.
As one the few Berkeley Councilmembers with young children, Lori has particular interest in improving the quality of life for families and children in Berkeley. She is particularly inspired by her mother who was the mayor of Circleville, Ohio. Lori lives with her wife Carrie, 10-year-old son Simon, and 7-year-old daughter Cora in the Elmwood District.
My Vision
Throughout my life, I have dedicated myself to public service and giving back to the community. When I moved to the Elmwood twenty years ago, I knew I wanted to raise my family here. I immediately got to work serving my community by working with the homeless population, teaching high school, and earning a master’s degree in public policy. Serving as a City Councilmember, I spend my time listening to and working with my neighbors. I bring a fresh perspective to Berkeley and want to ensure that our city provides needed services to all, from youth to seniors. Our downtown must be attractive, vibrant, and safe. Our city must be friendly to new businesses and help current ones thrive.
We need to increase housing availability and affordability because people who work in Berkeley should be able to live here. I also need to know our residents are safe. Crime and excessive traffic shouldn’t threaten our quality of life. I also want to continue the strong partnership with our schools and teachers to end the achievement gap. As an educator, I can serve a role in that partnership. Most importantly, I want Berkeley to be the best possible place to raise my son Simon and daughter Cora and I want it to be the best possible place for you and your family.
Recent Accomplishments
In 2018, I oversaw the creation of a small business subcommittee which focused on finding solutions to the challenges Berkeley’s small businesses face, particularly in the Elmwood. I spearheaded changes to the retail quota system in the Elmwood so there is more opportunity for new businesses in the neighborhood.
As housing prices continue to climb steeply, the costs are pricing our middle class–teachers and firefighters–out of Berkeley. I believe we have a moral obligation to build affordable housing. National publications, including The New York Times have profiled my housing advocacy.
We’ve made a lot of progress in reducing traffic in District 8, but we still have work to do. As your Councilmember, I’ve secured over $400,000 from the City in traffic calming measures for our area and the City is in the midst of improving Ashby Avenue and Tunnel Road. But there’s still more: on my initiative, the City now participates in Vision Zero, a nationwide endeavor to eliminate pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities with effective traffic management.
Since November 2016, President Trump’s administration has done everything it can to make our undocumented neighbors and friends terrified for their livelihoods. We must courageously join our neighbors and defend our community from these senseless attacks. Even now, the administration continues to threaten our federal funding over our support for undocumented Americans. As your Councilmember, I authored the January 2017 item reaffirming that Berkeley is a sanctuary city. The Council passed that item unanimously. I’ve also worked with neighbors to provide our businesses with window signs saying “Immigrants and Refugees Welcome Here,” and–more importantly–signs in English and Spanish describing legal rights before ICE, and how to find an immigration attorney.
Get Assistance
Councilmember Lori Droste District 8
ldroste@cityofberkeley.info
(510) 981-7180
2180 Milvia Street, Fifth Floor
Berkeley, CA 94704
Email is the best way to reach my office! For service needs, please first contact 311. For emergencies, please immediately contact the Berkeley Police Department.
City Service Requests:
Dial 311 from a landline
510-981-2489 from a cell phone
Or use online 311 reporting
Homeless Outreach &
Treatment Team (HOTT):
(510) 981-5273
In an Emergency, contact the Berkeley Police Department (BPD):
Dial 911 from a landline or
(510) 981-5911 from a cell phone
BPD Non-Emergency:
(510) 981-5900
BPD sends out crime prevention tips and alerts through Nixle, and we encourage community members to sign up.