The regional housing shortage in the San Francisco Bay Area is hitting students hard. A surprising number of them are homeless, unable to afford a place to live.

In response, Berkeley city councilmember Kriss Worthington is proposing a plan to allow 6,000 new units for UC Berkeley students, centered around the transit-rich area along Telegraph Avenue near the campus.

KTVU News covered the proposal on Sunday and interviewed me, the councilmember and a student:

Many Berkeley residents and elected officials there have become notoriously hostile to new development, so this proposal may be controversial. But it’s badly needed to increase housing opportunities for students. And perhaps as the students find these new homes, it will reduce demand for surrounding housing for long-term residents, achieving a win for all.