Village Living

Know your RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES as a University Village resident. Information can be accessed on the web and your rental agreement. Violations of any and all policies are subject to judicial action, termination and eviction proceedings.

Smoking: A no-smoking campus

A tobacco and smoke-free campus creates a healthier environment for students, families, faculty, staff, and visitors. This policy supports those attempting to quit and reduces the prevalence of nicotine use by fostering a culture of wellness and environmental responsibility.

UC Berkeley is a 100% tobacco and smoke-free campus. This policy is strictly enforced and includes the following provisions:

“No Smoking” Policy: The use of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco (snuff, chew) is strictly prohibited.
Vaping and E-Cigarettes: The use of all electronic smoking devices—including vapes, e-cigarettes, vape pens, and tanks—is prohibited, regardless of whether they contain nicotine.
Cannabis: In accordance with federal law and university policy, the smoking or vaping of cannabis/marijuana is strictly prohibited on all university property.
Scope of Coverage: This policy applies to all indoor and outdoor spaces owned or leased by UC Berkeley, including parking lots, private vehicles on university property, and residential grounds.
Commercial Restrictions: The sale, advertising, or promotion of any tobacco, cannabis, and/or nicotine products is not permitted on UC Berkeley property.

Tenant Responsibility: Tenants are responsible for ensuring that all family members, occupants, and guests comply with this policy. Please be advised that failure to comply with these regulations may result in the forfeiture of your right to occupy the premises.

Pets, Emotional Support Animals, and Service Dogs

Pets are not permitted in the Village. Tenants with trained Service Animals and tenants who require Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) may submit the Service Dog Acknowledgment and Emotional Support Animal Approval Application available on the UC Berkeley Housing website, before arriving on campus to notify our staff of the presence of an animal and to ensure the housing assignment provided to you meets the needs of you and your animal. Please note, Emotional Support Animals must be approved prior to arrival.

DO NOT bring a dog or cat into the Village to live or to visit without approval. Animal problems (e.g., biting and scratching children, odors, carpet damage, fleas, allergies and landscape damage) are time consuming and costly to rectify. If approved for an emotional support animal, tenants must follow the guidelines for maintaining an animal within the residential community.
Fish in tanks under 20 gallons, small animals in cages or tanks under 10 gallons (e.g. hamsters and mice), and caged birds are permitted on the premises.

Bicycles

Register your bike for exterior parking with the University of California Police Department. At UC Berkeley and in the City of Berkeley, bicycles are required to have a California Bicycle License. Check bicycle registration rules with the City of Albany. Refer to the safety, security, emergencies section for tips on keeping your bikes secure.

Vehicles and parking

Parking

Learn more about parking at University Village at Maps and Parking. In addition, visit Parking and Transportation for policies and to purchase passes.

Car washing and repairs

Washing vehicles and performing vehicle repairs is prohibited at University Village. The storm sewer lines go directly into Codornices and Village creeks, and dirty car wash water, old brake fluid, and used motor oil unnecessarily contaminate storm sewer water runoff into these creeks. There is no approved site for cleaning of vehicle interiors or exteriors. Please wash vehicles at commercial car wash facilities where the wash water is properly disposed of in the sanitary sewer.

Speed limit 15mph in the village

There is a speed limit of 15 mph throughout University Village. Please obey this rule and remember that there are many children living in Family Student Housing, and their safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Street sweeping

Street sweeping will resume with an anticipated schedule on the first and third Wednesday of the month.

Apartment upkeep

Be a responsible tenant and take care of our facilities. To help ensure cost-effective, quality maintenance services, and to ensure that you do not have additional maintenance charges upon moving out, we need your cooperation. After your occupancy, please return your apartment to the Village in its original move-in condition. Negligent use increases apartment rehabilitation expenses and wastes staff time and finances. We thank you in advance for your cooperation and consideration.

Appliance restrictions

All university apartments were not built to accommodate washers, dryers, dishwashers, disposals, extra freezers, individual EV Chargers, refrigerators, or air conditioners. Installing any of these appliances is a violation of your rental agreement, and you may be subject to labor and administrative costs, plus structural damage repair costs to the apartment. Repeat violators, or violators responsible for serious damage to the apartment, will be appropriately charged and served with a termination notice. Additionally, none of these appliances may be stored on the premises. At no time should spare refrigerators or freezers be left out on patios. Working or not, these pose a safety hazard to young children.

Appliance repairs

Refrigerators and ranges are provided in every apartment. These should be clean and in good working order at the time of occupancy. Should these appliances require service, please report this to The Village office. Appliance repair service is sometimes performed by contractors and must be scheduled. While waiting for repairs, cost of food replacement is not provided. Decisions to repair or replace is at the university’s discretion.

General apartment upkeep guidelines

Pianos are allowed only on the ground floor, but are subject to noise regulations.
Do not pour cooking grease or oil down the drain. Grease clogs and ruins our pipes and causes sewer backups into apartments.
Do not use chemical drain cleaners (e.g., Drano or Liquid Plumr) to clear a clog in the drain pipes. The chemical generally does not yield satisfactory results and can eat away at pipes and fittings, including behind the wall. The chemical is extremely caustic and can create a hazardous condition for maintenance workers or plumbers, when they need to address the issue.
Do not flush anything but toilet paper down the toilets. Anything but toilet paper not only clogs our pipes but blocks our sewer lines.
Do not let your children climb or hang on our trees. Such activities break, injure, and even kill the trees. Pulling the bark off of the trees leaves them vulnerable to disease and blight.
Do not let your children play in the laundry rooms or throw handballs against exterior walls.
Do not use sidewalk chalk on building exteriors or rubber surfaces; sidewalks are ok.
Do not wash your car or change automotive oil in the Village; it is not permitted.

Alterations of interiors and exteriors

Building interiors and exteriors may not be altered. You may not make any repairs yourself. If your apartment needs repairs or alterations, contact The Village office and your request will be forwarded to our maintenance staff.

This includes but is not limited to paint, wallpaper, scotch tape, adhesive-backed picture hangers, construction, latticework, vines, plantings, tarps, dividers, fences, patios, roofs, sheds, artwork, etc. Charges may be assessed for any drilled holes, ceiling hooks and large nail holes, except holes specifically used to “earthquake proof” your property. Charges may also apply if: hardware is not removed, if there are an excessive number of holes, or if holes have been badly patched or filled. Refer to the damages section on the UC Berkeley Housing website’s Family Student Housing Move-Out page to avoid any charges when you move out.
Gardens and plants of any kind may not be planted around buildings.
Potted plants with liners may only be placed on patios and balconies, not on the common area landscape or walkways.
Do not tamper with electrical or data and phone wiring
Do not install any additional locks on doors or windows. (Window locks are available at The Village office.)
If you wish to install blinds or shades, contact The Village office for approval.
Fire regulations require a minimum of 36-inch clearance on all walkways, stairs, balconies and patios at all times for fire exits. Property is not allowed in or on stairwells and will be tagged and removed. You are responsible for keeping stairways and walkways clean and safe!

Kitchen cabinet care

In order to keep your cabinets looking good, the custodial staff requests that you spend a little time every few months cleaning them. Here are the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning your kitchen cabinets.

All hardwood exteriors of the cabinets can be cleaned with warm water and a soft cloth or sponge. Absolutely no Scotch Brite or similar products are to be used. A mild soap solution can also be used, if needed.
After cleaning with a soap solution, wood should be rinsed, then treated with lemon oil. Using lemon oil every 3 to 6 months will preserve the beauty and finish of the cabinets.
The cabinet interiors are water resistant, although water left standing for a prolonged length of time (20 minutes or more) will damage shelves. These shelves can be cleaned with common household cleaners with a cloth or sponge. There is no need to use lemon oil on the interior adjustable shelves.

Laundry

Laundry machines, provided and serviced by CSC Laundry Systems, are in 28 locations throughout the Village. Your apartment door key will open the laundry rooms in both East and West Village.

Payments for washing and drying can be made by credit card or via the CSCPay Mobile App. View the linked video for information on how to download and add funds to the mobile app.

For service needs, i.e. machine(s) not working properly, please use the CSCPay Mobile App or call CSC at 844-272-9675. Be prepared to give the washer or dryer ID number, and your email contact information when reporting issues.

Washer and dryers are not permitted in your apartment. Village apartments and pipes are not designed to handle the load. Flooding has occurred due to tenants who violated this policy, resulting in major damages and repair costs to the tenant.
Do not leave clothes unattended on the counter; they will be disposed of after two days.
Do not leave laundry products, i.e. bleach, soap, softener, etc. on top of washer, dryers or counters.

Right to enter

Staff will enter your apartment for routine inspections, performed for your safety, with 24-hour prior notice posted outside of your door.

Family Student Housing staff may enter your apartment for health and safety emergencies after first trying to notify you. We have defined health and safety emergencies as visible, audible or reasonable evidence of danger or damage.
There are approximately four annualized inspections on separate calendar rotations where we must enter to inspect your unit to: test various fire and life safety equipment (fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, fire sprinklers, fire and heat alarm systems), replace furnace filters, and to inspect general conditions for repair and habitability.
Staff will enter your apartment to show it to prospective tenants (after you have filed your 30-Day Intent to Vacate) with approximately 24 hours written notice.
Staff will enter your apartment when you have requested maintenance for a repair. A notice explaining the repairs will be left inside your apartment after the work has been completed.

Maintenance

With the exception of laundry machines, report all maintenance problems as soon as possible. This includes clogged drains, dripping pipes or faucets, broken shades, broken windows, leaks, electrical problems, burned out lights inside and outside, etc. Problems left unattended often get worse and cause bigger troubles. Repairs are made as quickly as possible, and in most cases, repairs are free unless tenant negligence is a factor. You may not make any repairs yourself, and you may not alter the interior or exterior of the building.
If you are not home when maintenance arrives to make repair(s), the worker(s) will enter your apartment and complete the work. In such an instance, you will find a note on your door telling you if someone is inside. Once the work is complete, maintenance staff will leave a note inside explaining what was done.
For health and safety reasons, maintenance workers are required to wear shoes or boots. Please do not ask them to remove shoes or boots when entering your apartment. We cannot always offer to remove work shoes when entering your unit to perform work. We apologize if this is not culturally consistent with your home traditions. Our staff members are equipped with shoe covers they can use to accommodate this request.
A 24-hour notice will be given to tenants for routine scheduled maintenance such as semi-annual apartment inspections. On occasion, maintenance may have to enter an apartment without 24-hour notice. This will only be for emergencies such as sewer backups in adjacent units or when they have to clear out drain pipes to correct a problem. A notice will be left in your apartment informing you that they were there.
Staff will enter your apartment at your request for maintenance. A notice explaining the repairs will be left inside your apartment after the work has been completed.
The university may require a tenant to move to another comparable unit to conduct serious maintenance repairs.

How to request maintenance – when the office is open

You will need to provide your building and apartment number and contact information, along with a description of the problem. Here are several ways to submit a work request:

Call 510-526-8505 or visit The Village office to fill out a request
Use the online request form. You will need a Berkeley email address in order to submit a request.
For tenants without a university address, send an email to: rssp_servrequest@berkeley.edu

How to report emergency maintenance – when the office is closed

Call 510-642-2828 for emergency maintenance only.

After-hour emergencies include (but are not limited to) no heat, power or water; flood in apartments; toilet backups; broken pipe, furnace, or water heater; broken windows; and suspect a gas leak.

Mold and mildew

Mildew and mold spores are everywhere in the outdoor and indoor environment. It is important to minimize mold growth indoors because excessive airborne mold can lead to respiratory problems in sensitive individuals. Some individuals can be particularly sensitive and develop health problems when exposed to high levels of certain types of mold over a prolonged period of time. Therefore, it is important to minimize mold growth indoors for everyone. Since mold can grow wherever there is moisture, the key to minimizing mold growth indoors is to minimize moisture. Learn how to properly minimize the risk, report, and take action on mold and mildew through the Office of Environment, Health and Safety.

Waste management

Trash enclosures are located throughout the Village. In each location, there are recycling, trash, and compost bins. Make sure you are familiar with recycling bins so that our recycling efforts are not wasted. It is especially important to keep our refuse areas neat and orderly to prevent rodent, insect and other pest problems in the Village.

Recycle: cans, glass, paper, plastic #1-5,7, mixed paper, juice and milk cartons. Make sure to break down boxes before putting them into the recycling bins.

Trash: household garbage, styrofoam packaging “peanuts”, recyclables with food on them, waxed cardboard and plastic bags (clean, dry plastic bags with the can be returned to grocery stores for recycling)

Compost: food waste, yard waste, paper towels and tissues, food contaminated paper (i.e., pizza boxes)

Hazardous waste: Bring TV sets, computer monitors and fluorescent light bulbs to The Village office. Bring household batteries to the community center.

Mattress disposal: All mattress retailers are required to offer a no-charge take-back of the customer’s used mattress when delivered. Bring your mattress to Cal Move Out or bring your mattress to an approved site for recycling.

Pest control

Pests can be a nuisance as well as a health concern. If you have a problem with any pests (ants, mice, etc.) in or around your apartment, please contact The Village office at 510-526-8505. Due to EPA regulations, do not apply any pest treatment on your own outside of your unit. Here is some information to help prevent a problem from occurring.

FACT: Fleas, roundworm infestations, and animal feces can cause the spread of infectious diseases.
- SOLUTION: To control the population growth of rodents, ants, raccoons, etc., it is important that all trash be put into the garbage dumpster, and that the lid be kept closed. Be especially careful when disposing of food scraps in the compost bins. Layering with newspaper or paper bag can help keep flies and smell to a minimum.
FACT: Mice can chew through paper, plastic, wood, cardboard, and styrofoam containers; they can also get into most desks and files. Mice are highly talented climbers and escape artists who can squeeze through holes the size of a dime.
- SOLUTION: Store all food in tightly-sealed containers, or in the refrigerator. Glass jars and metal containers such as cookie tins are best.
FACT: Rodents and roaches like to use cardboard boxes, paper bags, and newspapers as nesting materials, especially if they are on the floor.
- SOLUTION: Store materials at least 12 inches from the floor.
FACT: When you go to bed, mice and other nocturnal pests come out to hunt for food.
- SOLUTION: To keep a nutrient-free environment for your neighborhood pests, clean, sweep, wipe up, and mop down your kitchen floors/counters, refrigerator, and bathrooms; also empty trash, wash dishes. Keep your unit free of crumbs and food scraps.
FACT: Bird seed is a favorite food for rats and mice.
- SOLUTION: Avoid feeding birds near buildings.
FACT: Roaches, ants and fruit flies like to set up house in our homes.
- SOLUTION: Rinse cans and bottles before recycling.

Bed bug advisory

Bedbug infestation is a serious issue that should be reported as soon as discovered by tenants, so it can be professionally treated and minimized.
If you believe your apartment is infected by bed bugs, please notify The Village office immediately.
Your reporting will be followed up by an inspection of your apartment with or without your consent (landlord’s right of entry).You will be given 24-hour notice pursuant to CC 1954.
Subsequent treatment will include pest control procedures and special handling of your personal belongings. You may need to relocate temporarily until the conditions are cleared.
Tenants will be given a copy of the Pest Control Operators (PCO) report within 48 hours.
Eradicating bed bug infestations caused by gross negligence or non-compliance of the tenant, however, can be the tenant’s financial responsibility. If you have renters’ insurance, the costs of moving out and replacing any ruined belongings may be covered.

Information about bed bugs:

Bed bug appearance: Bed bugs have six legs. Adult bed bugs have flat bodies about ¼ to ⅜ of an inch in length. Their color can vary from red and brown to copper colored. Young bed bugs are very small. Their bodies are about 1 of an inch in length. They have almost no color. When a bed bug feeds, its body swells, may lengthen, and becomes bright red, sometimes making it appear to be a different insect. Bed bugs do not fly. They can either crawl or be carried from place to place on objects, people, or animals. Bed bugs can be hard to find and identify because they are tiny and try to stay hidden.
Lifecycle and reproduction: An average bed bug lives for about 10 months. Female bed bugs lay one to five eggs per day. Bed bugs grow to full adulthood in about 21 days.
Bed bugs can survive for months without feeding.
Bed bugs are not known to transmit disease. However, bed bug bites can cause large, itchy welts to the skin. Bed bugs usually feed at night, most people are bitten in their sleep and do not realize they were bitten. A person’s reaction to insect bites is an immune response and so varies from person to person. Sometimes the red welts caused by the bites will not be noticed until many days after a person was bitten, if at all.

Common signs and symptoms of a bed bug infestation:

Small red to reddish brown fecal spots on mattresses, box springs, bed frames, mattresses, linens, upholstery, or walls.
Molted bed bug skins, white, sticky eggs, or empty eggshells.
Very heavily infested areas may have a characteristically sweet odor.
Red, itchy bite marks, especially on the legs, arms, and other body parts exposed while sleeping. However, some people do not show bed bug lesions on their bodies even though bed bugs may have fed on them.

For more information:

Storage

Exterior storage and tagging

In an effort to keep the external areas of the Village safe, neat, and undamaged, certain types of items will be tagged and removed by Village personnel. If an item appears broken or abandoned, poses a fire or safety hazard, interferes with emergency egress (exit), or is an illegal appliance, it may be tagged for removal. If you have an item that is tagged, you have several options for removal, including:

Remove/relocate the item.
Have us remove your belongings FOR FREE (excludes hazardous waste). Please fill out the back of the tag and place it on the item you want removed.
Sell/donate items on craigslist.org or similar websites or to other tenants.
Properly store unwanted items until The Village-wide yard sale.
Discard electronics through StopWaste.

Listed below are certain steps you can take to prevent items from being tagged in the future:

Do not store propane on the premises.
Keep all stairs clear.
Keep all staircase landings and corridors clear and uncluttered.
Make sure your satellite dish placement has been approved by The Village office prior to installation.

It seems the toughest policies to abide by are the ones where the notion of “home” and “university property rental” collide. Please know that these policies were not created as a punishment, or as a personal affront, but as a baseline for us to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our community, and for the preservation and longevity of our facilities.

Exterior storage lists

Below is a summary of what can and cannot be stored in the exterior areas of your apartment.

Items that CAN be stored in balcony (with 36-inch exit clearance):

Metal/iron outdoor furniture
Strollers (1 per child)
Plastic outdoor furniture
Bikes (1 per person)
Wicker/rattan/wood outdoor furniture, Toys and wheeled toys – not broken
Planter boxes/pots on patios/balconies. They must have drip liners underneath.
Charcoal barbecue grills on ground or on balcony level (1 per apartment) – must be used 25 feet away from any building entrance or window

Items that CANNOT be stored:

Anything not being used and “stored” outside belongs in storage shed or discard
Recycling – keep inside or take to recycle bins
Wood tables and chairs (unless made for outdoor use)
Wood lattice work
Animal food and bowls – cats/dogs not allowed
(Hazard) Patio/balcony privacy dividers (all types)
(Hazard) Refrigerators outside — life and safety hazard to children and it is against the law
(Hazard) Planter boxes/pots on balcony railings or roofs – earthquake falling
(Fire Hazard) No combustible materials allowed under stairs or within 15 feet of buildings
(Fire Hazard) Cardboard boxes
(Fire Hazard) Bags
(Fire Hazard) Pieces of wood
(Fire Hazard) All propane are not allowed per rental agreement (grills without propane tank may be stored)
(Fire Hazard) All gas powered vehicles, mopeds and/or motorcycles must be parked in an designated spaces

Lock outs

During normal office hours (i.e. Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.):

Come to The Village office: A key can be loaned to you for one business day without a charge.
Keys not returned within one business day will result in a key replacement charge to the leaseholder’s CalCentral account.

After business hours (weekends, University holidays, and Winter curtailment):

Call the 24/7 University Village lockout phone at: 510-703-6166.

Other notes about lockouts, keys, and lost key charges

You may want to create a backup plan for times that you might be locked out so that you can avoid lock-out fee charges as well as a possible long wait for help.
For security reasons, if you have lost a key outside of your apartment, please inform The Village office and we will have your locks changed and issue new keys. A fee will be charged to your CalCentral account.
At the time of your move-out, you will be responsible for returning ALL keys in your possession to avoid a change of lock fee.

Safety, security, emergencies

University Village is a small tight-knit community, but with public access to the general community. Here are a few tips:

Never leave valuables or your navigation system in your car.
Bike thieves love the village – lock up your bike at the provided lock stations with a sturdy U-lock or comparable locking system! If your bike is particularly valuable, consider storing it inside overnight.
Never leave young children at home unattended.
Do not store valuables (computer, television, etc.) in plain sight or by a window.
Pull blinds shut if you are not going to be home and lock your deadbolt.
Obtain window locks from The Village office to secure windows and patio doors. For additional security, dowels may be placed in the window or door tract.
Do not tie the blind strings together.
Know how to use your fire extinguisher.

Safety/security frequently asked questions

What are some alternatives being discussed to improve security other than increasing police presence?

There is an ongoing lighting project which will increase the illumination across University Village. We have partnered with a company that will be switching all exterior lights to LEDs and replacing worn/fogged up covers.

Can we install more cameras around UVA to prevent theft?

The infrastructure at University Village is not set up for the easy installation of cameras, but it’s a long-term goal we have. Especially in light of recent events, we are exploring our options regarding camera installation.

How will we ensure that the increase in policing is not accompanied by an increase in racial profiling?

This is a real concern for many, as it came up in several questions. This is something that we are mindful of, and will continue to partner with UCPD on our overall strategy to be less reliant on law enforcement from UCPD. One way we are reimagining security at University Village is through leveraging our Community Assistants (CA) who can observe and address concerns in the community in lieu of UCPD officers.

Can UVA become a gated community?

Installing a gate isn’t a feasible option, because it would impact our AC Transit service, make it more difficult to get packages delivered, slow down emergency response, and create a barrier for guests.

Child safety

According to kidshealth.org, more than a third of child injuries and deaths happen at home. Young children have the highest risk of being injured at home because that’s where they spend most of their time. The good news is most injuries are predictable and preventable. The key to home safety is communication and information. We suggest that you talk with your children and help them to be aware of how they can help themselves to be safer in and around your home.

Here are a few tips to get you started. These tips and other excellent child safety information can be found on the Safe Kids Worldwide and radKIDS websites.

Windows and doors:

Screens are meant to keep bugs out, not children in. Properly install window guards to prevent unintentional window falls. For windows above the first floor, include an emergency release device in case of fire.
Install window guards that adults and older children can easily open in case of emergency. Include this in your family’s fire escape plan and practice it regularly.
Install window stops so that windows open no more than four inches. Window stops are available free of charge in the University Village office.
For your crawlers and climbers, move chairs, cribs and other furniture away from windows to help prevent window falls.

Stoves:

Don’t carry or hold a child while cooking on the stove. Instead, move a high chair in the kitchen within reach or sight before you start. Then talk to your children so they know what’s going on. It’s a great way to spend time together.
Kids love to reach, so to prevent hot food or liquid spills, simply use the back burner of your stove and turn pot handles away from the edge.
Keep hot foods away from the edge of your counters.
Install barriers such as safety gates around ovens.
Use common sense in the kitchen. Limit distractions when cooking and don’t leave a hot oven or stovetop unattended.
Be careful if using a microwave. Microwaves can heat unevenly and create hot spots, so avoid using them to heat baby formula or baby milk. Heat bottles by placing them in warm water, and make sure they have cooled to the appropriate temperature before feeding your baby.

Electrical outlets and appliances:

Childproof your electrical outlets and appliances.
Keep appliance cords out of children’s reach, especially if the appliances produce a lot of heat.
Cover electrical outlets so that children are unable to insert metal objects, such as forks or keys.
Keep an eye on appliances such as irons, curling irons or hair dryers that can heat up quickly or stay warm after use. Unplug these items after you’re done.

Stairs and balconies:

Use approved safety gates at the tops and bottoms of stairs and attach them to the wall, if possible. Remember to read the manufacturer’s instructions and warning labels to make sure you have the right gate for your needs. Not all gates are safe for use at the top of stairs.
Actively supervise toddlers on stairs. Hold their hands when walking up and down stairs.
Don’t let children climb on furniture or use drawers or shelves as steps.
Don’t let kids play on high porches, decks, stairs or balconies. If it’s unavoidable, make sure they are supervised by an adult.

Tub and water safety:

Never leave your child unattended around water. Babies can drown in as little as one inch of water.
Check to make sure the water temperature is just right. Check the water with your wrist or elbow before giving your baby a bath.
Empty all tubs, buckets, containers and kiddie pools immediately after use. Store them upside down so they don’t collect water.
Close toilet lids and use toilet seat locks to prevent drowning. Keep doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed.
Consider anti-slip rugs for the floors in your home and mats or decals in the bathtub or shower to help prevent dangerous falls.
Watch kids when they are in or around water without being distracted. Keep young children within arm’s reach of an adult.

Fire safety:

Children should know how to respond to the sound of a smoke alarm. Teach them to get low and get out when they hear it. A child who is coached properly ahead of time will have a greater likelihood of getting out safely.
Create and practice a home fire escape plan with two ways out of every room in case of a fire.
Teach kids never to play with matches and lighters. Make a habit of placing these items up and away from young children.
Candles are prohibited.

Know more:

The best way to reduce risk in the home is through constant supervision, removing a potential hazard or dangerous item, adding a suitable safety product, and most importantly by engaging your child in helping to keep him/herself safe in the event that all else fails.
We value the safety of all our residents and continue to offer additional resources for Village residents, including free classes for children ages 5-12 from the national leader in children’s safety education program, radKIDS®.
For more tips and additional safety information, visit safekids.org and radkids.org

Smoke and heat detectors – interior and exterior

Each apartment contains at least one smoke/heat detector (a single device) and a combination carbon monoxide/smoke detector. The smoke detectors only sound in the individual apartment.

If you notice a fire, always call 510-642-3333 from your cell phone or 911 from landline. Never assume the alarm or another person has already called for help.

Smoke detectors are the first defense against fire and are essential to your safety.

If it is too sensitive and goes off often, do not disconnect it. If disconnected, all detectors in the unit are affected and a trouble signal will register at the main fire panel.
Call The Village office at 510-526-8505, if a device needs adjustment or if the batteries need to be replaced. Call 510-642-2828 for assistance after normal business hours.
RSSP-Trades and Village Maintenance workers are the only ones allowed to replace the smoke/heat detector batteries.
If you remove a device or it is tampered with, you will be charged for all repair costs.

The heat alarm is connected to one audible alarm outside your building and automatically calls the fire department.

The heat alarm is triggered when the heat in your apartment reaches abnormal levels.
If you hear an alarm — investigate. Do not ignore an alarm even if it is the middle of the night. These are essential warning signals for your safety.
Should you discover a fire, evacuate all occupants and call 642-3333 from your cell phone or 911 from a landline immediately.
Fire extinguishers are located on the outside of each building. Check to make sure you know where your closest extinguisher is and how to operate it.
Go to your nearest extinguisher, follow the directions to break the glass and use the extinguisher on the fire. Be careful of the broken glass.

Emergency preparedness

In case of emergency your family should have a predetermined outside location to meet. The emergency/evacuation location for University Village is located at the softball field at the corner of Kula Gulf and Red Oak Avenue. Practice walking to the emergency/evacuation field so that children and other family members know the way.
Prepare an Emergency Kit for you and your family, including first aid supplies, food and water to use in case of a serious earthquake or other disasters. Stay informed, learn about Berkeley specific hazards, and download earthquake preparedness information at the Office of Emergency Management Earthquakes web page.
Refer to the Office of Emergency Management for more information on how to get informed, prepared, trained and involved.

Fire prevention

Please follow these fire prevention guidelines:

Do not tamper with, cover or attempt to remove fire alarms or smoke detectors. Call The Village office for repairs.
Do not park gas-powered vehicles in or around apartment buildings, i.e. mopeds.
Avoid storing flammables (including brooms, mops and rags) near water heaters and room heaters.
Do not block access to water heater closets or fire extinguishers.
Do not block access to balconies, stairs, exits or fire escapes.
Storage or use of ammunition, kerosene, gasoline, naphtha, benzene, propane, or other flammable or explosive materials is strictly prohibited in your apartment or any common area. Do not leave charcoal lighter fluid outside.
Do not use aluminum foil or plastic wrap on water heaters, stove tops, or hood fans over stoves or walls.
Do not leave your apartment with food cooking on the stove or heaters/appliances turned on.
Do not use extension cords longer than eight feet. Extension cords must not be placed under rugs or in places where someone may trip over them.
Do not use portable electric heaters of any kind in the bathrooms.
All electric heaters, heat lamps and sun lamps must be placed away from combustibles and in places where they will not start a fire if they are knocked over.
Use caution with paper decorations, especially lampshades which are highly combustible.
All electrical appliances should bear the label of a qualified testing agency. Most of the products sold in the US are tested by Underwriters Laboratory (UL). Their insignia must appear on the appliance, not just the cord.
Dispose of any faulty appliances (short-circuits, exposed wiring, cut insulation). These can pose an electrical fire hazard.
When cleaning, unplug the toaster or other appliances with exposed coils. Holiday electrical decorations must be approved by the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) or another approved testing agency.
Use barbecues and outdoor cooking equipment only in the designated picnic areas, never in your apartment or on balconies. Barbecues must be at least 25 feet from buildings. Propane-fueled barbecues are not permitted.
Do not put hot coals in a trash dumpster.
Above all, use common sense!

Renters insurance

The university does not carry insurance for tenant’s personal property. Personal property insurance or renter’s insurance will protect you in the event of a robbery, fire, or damage. As an example, renters’ insurance will cover your property damaged by a neighbor’s vehicle. The university will not cover losses nor be responsible for collecting payment. As a service, the university has arranged for students to obtain coverage from GradGuard. More information at Berkeley Risk Services. Renters Insurance is not mandatory by law but is highly recommended, and may be purchased from an insurance company.

Megan’s Law

Civil Code Section 2079.10a requires all written leases or rental agreements to contain the following:

Notice: The California Department of Justice, sheriff’s departments, police departments serving jurisdictions of 200,000 or more, and many other law enforcement agencies maintain for a publicly accessible database of the locations of those required to register pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 290.4 of the Penal Code. The database is updated on a quarterly basis and is a source of information about the presence of these individuals in any neighborhood. The Department of Justice also maintains a Sex Offender Identification Line through which inquiries about individuals may be made. This is a “900” telephone service. Callers must have specific information about individuals they are checking. Information regarding neighborhoods is not available through the “900” telephone service. The University of California, Berkeley, is providing this notice in compliance with state requirements. This notice is not intended as a statement or implication that any university facility is susceptible to the activities of or has experienced any problems with sex offenders and is only intended to make the law widely known.

If you have concerns, you may call the University of California Police Department (UCPD) at 510-642-6760. For your information, the Campus Police Department does maintain the information referenced for public viewing.

Warn Me/Nixle notifications

By default WarnMe/Nixle will send (1) emergency alerts, and (2) advisory and community messages to your Official UC Berkeley Email Address in the CalNet directory.
If you would like to get SMS text message go to Warn Me and add your cell phone number.
If not a UC Berkeley student, you can sign up for alerts through Nixle by creating an account and entering zip code: 94706.

Conduct

Village residents are subject to both the Campus Code of Student Conduct and the Graduate & Family Living Code of Conduct.

Observation of neighborly behaviors

Noise carries well between apartments in the Village. Along with this, there are residents from over 60 countries, each with different customs and cultural backgrounds, living in the 974 apartments in The Village. Add over 700 children, the demands of student life, and the varying schedules that go along with academia, it seems inevitable that some friction might occur between neighbors. The fantastic mix of cultures, interest and ages is one of the things that make living in the Village so interesting and challenging.

The following are specific to The Village, and take precedence over the Residential Code of Conduct if information is found to differ. For any questions, contact the Village Senior Community Director.

Observe quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekdays and midnight to 8 a.m. on weekends.
Observe courtesy hours 24/7. Courtesy hours prohibit all unreasonable noise that disturb our residents’ ability to sleep and study.
If you are an upstairs neighbor, be conscious of heavy-footedness. Try wearing socks or using throw carpets to soften the noise of footsteps.
Try not to slam your exterior and interior doors.
If your neighbor is noisy, speak to them diplomatically. If that is not successful, please call the Community Advisor on duty at 510-224-8298 for assistance.
Having a party? Let your neighbors know in advance, rein in exuberant guests, end your party at a reasonable hour, and clean up, throughout the neighborhood, if necessary. Better yet, invite them!
Children/families: You are responsible for your children’s actions and their supervision (See Section 17 of your rental agreement). Never leave underage children unattended in your apartment or on the grounds. Likewise, you’re responsible for the actions of your family members staying with you.
Always talk to a parent first if you have an issue with a child.
Do not discipline another person’s child without permission from their parents.
Do not leave your clothes unattended in washers and dryers. Set your oven timer to help you keep track of when your laundry has completed the washing and drying cycles.
Keep your surroundings clean. Dispose of trash and recyclables properly.
Guests: A guest is anyone you allow into your unit and not listed on your rental agreement. Overnight guests are permitted. If a guest is staying with you for more than two weeks, you must notify the UC Berkeley Housing Office and The Village office. If a tenant admits someone in, that tenant will be responsible for that guest’s actions throughout the facilities, whether or not the tenant is present.

How to handle a neighbor problem

In practice, we have surprisingly found few serious neighbor problems. From experience, prevention is the best way to avoid problems from becoming intolerable, and we offer the following tips.

Introduce yourself and get to know your neighbors before potential conflicts occur. Researchers studying family housing noted that neighbors who know each other have fewer neighbor-caused stress situations than those who do not know other neighbors.
If there is something that bothers you about your neighbors, please try to approach your neighbors first.
If your efforts fail, then call the Community Director on duty at 510-224-8298 for assistance.

Unauthorized subleasing

Subleasing (i.e. subletting) is renting to unauthorized tenants not listed on your rental agreement as confirmed family members. Subleasing is prohibited by your rental agreement and is a serious violation which could result in a 3-day notice to quit. Please note that your rental agreement allows for prior approval by UC Berkeley Housing, to eligible families, during summer months (June-August) only.

Unauthorized subletting can cause problems for neighbors, maintenance, and the overall peace and quiet of the community. Please understand the risk involved, in being fully responsible for the conduct of your subtenants, while violating your rental agreement with the university. Tenants subletting without authority will be served with a termination notice which will affect their university affiliation or student status, and lose their housing rights.

If you have questions about the sublease policy, please contact UC Berkeley Housing’s Family Student Housing team at apts@berkeley.edu or call 510-642-4109.