Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association facts for kids
The Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA) is a special group in Berkeley, California. It's a non-profit organization, which means it doesn't try to make money. Instead, its main goal is to teach people about Berkeley's history. BAHA also works hard to protect and save old, important buildings in the city.
This organization started its work in 1971. It officially became a non-profit group on December 9, 1974. BAHA's main office is in a historic place called the McCreary-Greer house. This house was given to the association by Ruth Alice Greer in 1986.
What BAHA Does
BAHA helps people understand why old buildings are important. They believe these buildings tell stories about the past. By saving them, they help keep history alive for everyone.
Saving Historic Buildings
One of BAHA's main jobs is to protect historic buildings. These are buildings that are old and have special meaning. They might be beautiful, or important for history, or show how people used to live. BAHA works to make sure these buildings are not torn down or changed too much.
Recent Challenges
In 2025, BAHA faced a challenge. Some builders wanted to change two smaller buildings in Berkeley into big housing complexes. BAHA tried to get these two buildings recognized as "landmarks." A landmark is a place or building that is officially protected because of its history or special features.
However, BAHA was not successful in getting the buildings declared landmarks. The housing developers said that BAHA's efforts caused expensive delays. They also felt that BAHA was trying to stop new changes from happening in the city. This shows that sometimes, groups like BAHA have to balance saving history with new developments.
External Links
- Learn more about BAHA on their website
- See Berkeley's landmarks on BAHA's site
- Read news from BAHA
