Happy Neighbors

Happy Neighbors

Happy Neighbors seeks to create awareness and optimal neighbor relations through peer education and outreach. Happy Neighbors educates students and their neighbors about community expectations, relevant policies and laws, and police and student conduct procedures for possible alcohol, party, and noise-related violations. Happy Neighbors messages are promoted through the use of various media and outreach methods, often in partnership with PartySafe@Cal, the City of Berkeley and various student-facing organizations. Shortly after it launched in 2009 in the Parker-Piedmont Neighborhood, Happy Neighbors expanded to four Southside neighborhoods. Happy Neighbors currently partners with Parker-Piedmont and Dwight-Hillside neighborhood leaders to regularly convene meetings in the fall and spring semesters.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the activities and scope of Happy Neighbors. Berkeley Government and Community Relations staff continue to work in partnership with city and campus staff, community and student leaders and residents who are interested in strengthening student-neighbor relations and ensuring the safety of the entire Berkeley community.

Happy Neighbors partners have traditionally met with students one-on-one, co-convened meetings in long-time neighbor and student homes, and attended neighborhood meetings to provide updates regarding city and campus policies, resources, tips and Quiet Zone signs. Partners include UC Berkeley staff from a variety of departments including Government and Community Relations, University Health Services, PartySafe@Cal, the LEAD Center/Greek Life, Center for Student Conduct, and UCPD; student leaders from the ASUC Executive Affairs Vice President, the Berkeley Student Cooperative, the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council; as well as staff from the City Manager's office, Neighborhood Services, Code Enforcement, 311, Berkeley Police and Berkeley Fire Departments. Leaders from North American Interfraternity Conference, BSC and Berkeley Property Owners Association are also key partners as Happy Neighbors work evolves.

GCR looks forward to continuing to partner with city, campus and community leaders on this important work.

For more information about the history of the program, download this outreach flyer and to find out about the next Happy Neighbors meeting, email Jen Loy at JenLoy@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail), Associate Director of Government and Community Relations and the manager of the Happy Neighbors program.

Fall 2023

Virtual Happy Neighbors Meeting, Fall 2022 
Monday, August 28 , 5 pm to 6:30 pm

Documents of Interest: 

Resources: UC Berkeley information and reporting processes

Resources: City of Berkeley information and reporting processes

Fall 2022

Virtual Happy Neighbors Meeting, Fall 2022 

Tuesday, August 31, 5 pm to 6:30 pm

Documents of interest

Resources: UC Berkeley information and reporting processes

Resources: City of Berkeley information and reporting processes

Fall 2021

COVID-19 continues to impact the Happy Neighbors Initiative. For fall 2021, we co-convened a meeting with the City Manager's Office to connect with neighbors in neighborhoods adjacent to the university, including Parker Piedmont, Dwight Hillside and Claremont Elmwood. 

Virtual Happy Neighbors Meeting, Fall 2021 
Tuesday, August 31, 5pm to 6:30 pm

Documents of interest include:

Resources: information and reporting processes: UC Berkeley

Resources and reporting processes: City of Berkeley

Fall 2020: COVID-19 Impacts, Reporting Resources

COVID-19 has impacted the Happy Neighbors Initiative. For fall 2020, we will co-convene a meeting with the City Manager's Office to connect with neighbors in the Parker Piedmont and Dwight Hillside neighborhoods.

Virtual Happy Neighbors Meeting
Wednesday, September 16, 6 p.m.

Documents of interest include:

Resources: information and reporting processes: UC Berkeley

Resources and reporting processes: City of Berkeley

Resources and reporting processes: Community partners

Happy Neighbor Meeting archives (a work in progress)

Dwight-Hillside Joint Meeting of Happy Neighbors and IFC Quarterly meeting: October 2

Parker-Piedmont Happy Neighbors, Fall 2019 meeting