In this short piece for Grassroots, a local publication that concentrated on organizing efforts on the left, Ken Hughes — the co-author of the Neighborhood Preservation Ordinance — celebrates its victory at the ballot box in the 1973 municipal elections.

Hughes also provides a useful statistical breakdown of the support for the NPO by area. The NPO won by a 60/40 margin, buoyed by overwhelming support (75/25) near the Cal campus and in the flatlands. Within the black community, support ranged from 50 percent in the “relatively well-off” San Pablo Park area to 65 percent in poorer black areas.

In the hills, the initiative drew the weakest support — between 30 and 40 percent.

In his closing remarks, Hughes urged his readers to be active in the planning process mandated by the NPO, lest the new master plan for the city not reflect the interests of all of Berkeley residents.