City of Berkeley Information

The City of Berkeley is distinguished by its diversity, community engagement, and activism. Home to the University of California’s flagship campus, Berkeley’s population is highly educated, diverse, and engaged. The City lies on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay and is sheltered by rolling hills on its eastern border. Berkeley spans 10 square miles with 124,000 residents. Our climate is mild year-round, with cool summers. An outdoor focus is demonstrated with acres of open space, parks, and an abundance of bike lanes on City streets. Public transportation is well developed and reliable, with three Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stations in Berkeley. All of these factors translate to an outstanding quality of life for Berkeley residents, with an abundance of outdoor, recreational, and cultural activities. The City of Berkeley lies in Alameda County and operates under a Council-Manager form of government. The City is divided into eight districts, and each district elects one representative to the City Council. The eight-member City Council serves four-year terms, and a mayor is elected at large – also on a four-year term. The City Council appoints a City Manager, who serves as the Chief Executive of the City. Berkeley provides a comprehensive range of municipal services to its population, many of which are not typically provided by cities. In addition to the customary city services, the City of Berkeley operates its own Health, Housing and Community Services Department, providing public health, mental health, and environmental health services to the community. The City also provides its own residential and commercial solid waste collection, recycling, and disposal service. In addition, the City’s Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront Department offers a number of summer camps and operates a 1,000-berth marina. Join the City of Berkeley team. Apply for open positions on our jobs page.