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PROTECTING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS:
When Dwight Way Liquors was cited for selling alcohol to minors,
allowing drug dealing in front of the store, and allowing neighbor’s
yards to become dumping ground for drug paraphernalia and liquor
bottles, Raudel Wilson, as a Zoning Commissioner, voted to declare
Dwight Way Liquors a public nuisance. He also demanded their
immediate closure. Raudel Wilson also voted to declare the Berkeley
Market and Black & White Liquors public nuisances following a
similar history. As a result the only remaining liquor store of the
three to remain open is Black & White Liquors. They have become more
of a safe and clean community store.
Earlier this year Raudel and his family joined 100 other
community volunteers to participate in Get Ready Berkeley Day. The
volunteers helped distribute disaster preparedness information to
citizens of Berkeley. This information gave helpful tips on how to
survive after a natural disaster such as flooding or an earthquake.
This is the type of preventative action that could help countless
lives
AFFORDABLE FAMILY HOUSING:
 Raudel Wilson, as a Zoning Commissioner, has supported affordable
family housing. He supported and voted for the David Brower Center,
a 100% affordable housing project. It offers every unit at below
market rate rents. These 96 new units will offer dozens of two and
three bedroom family housing. Raudel has consistently encouraged
developers to add more affordable housing to their project. He has
also encouraged them to lower the rates on these units.
SOCIAL SERVICES: Raudel has
volunteered numerous hours of his time to non-profit and social
service organizations. As a board member of Options Recovery
Services (a drug and alcohol treatment program) he helped secure new
funding that has allowed them to expand their services to help more
 people. As a board member of the Berkeley YMCA, Raudel Wilson
allowed his place of business to be a meeting area for the Y
Scholars program (a program that matches a Berkeley High Student
with a mentor). The students chosen are from low income families and
who have never had a family member attend college. Raudel has also
donated meeting space to the Berkeley Public Library Foundation and
BUILD (Berkeley Youth Living with Disabilities).
Raudel Wilson, as a member of the Berkeley Rotary Club, has joined
forces with the Berkeley Police Department, the Berkeley Boosters
Club, and other community leaders to annual preparations of
Thanksgiving and Holiday food baskets. He is proud to say that his
young son stood next to him making these baskets. Food baskets are
given to low income families in Berkeley.
Raudel Wilson, a graduate of Leadership Berkeley, joined his
classmates to help clean up St. Joseph’s Elementary School. Clean up
included: planting a new community garden, removing weeds and broken
sidewalk, trimming vines and bushes, and painting a mural.
BUSINESS GROWTH: Raudel Wilson,
as President of the
Downtown
Berkeley Association, voted to support Longs Drugs coming to
Downtown Berkeley. His vote came with one condition. Because Longs
Drugs is located on the corner of Shattuck & Bancroft, less than 200
feet from Berkeley High School, no alcohol could be sold.
Raudel Wilson, as a Zoning Commissioner, voted to bring sorely
needed business to Downtown and Telegraph Avenue by supporting
permits to Peet’s Coffee, Gelato Milano, and Kimball’s Jazz Club.
 Raudel Wilson, as a community leader, volunteered his expertise for
the Small Business Development Corporation. The SBDC gives free
expert advice to small business owners. Raudel participated in a
panel that gave advice on how to achieve a Green Business
Certification for your business. Last year Raudel spearheaded the
conversion of The Mechanics Bank to the first Green Certified Bank
in the City of Berkeley.
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