DEAR VALLEY. LUCKILY NO HOMES OR BUILDINGS ARE DAMAGED. >>> IT'S BEEN A SYMBOL OF THE FREE SPEECH MOVEMENT IN BERKELEY OVER HALF A CENTURY, BUT NOW UC BERKELEY HAS THE GREEN LIGHT TO TRANSFORM PEOPLE'S PARK INTO STUDENT HOUSING. THE MAYOR PRAISED THE RULING THAT REMOVED THE HURDLE IN THE FINAL BATTLE OVER THE FUTURE OF THE PARK. DA LIN HAS MORE ON WHAT'S NEXT. >> Reporter: THE UNIVERSITY SAYS UC BERKELEY CAN ONLY HOUSE ROUGHLY 20% OF ITS STUDENTS. THEY SAY THAT'S THE LOWEST AMOUNT OF STUDENT HOUSING OF ALL UC CAMPUSES. LIKE MANY UC BERKELEY STUDENTS, CASSADY SONER WALKS QUITE THE DISTANCE TO ATTEND SUMMER CLASSES. >> 30 TO 35 MINUTE WALK FROM ONE OF MY CLASSES. >> Reporter: CASSADY WILL BE A SENIOR IN AUGUST. SHE SAID THE STUDENT HOUSING SHORTAGE MEANS PAYING HIGHER RENT AND LIVING FAR FROM CAMPUS. >> IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND HOUSING AND YOU'LL HAVE TO EXPECT IT TO BE EXPENSIVE. >> THE ACADEMIC RIGOR IS JUST INSANE AND IT'S PUTTING SO MUCH PRESSURE ON PEOPLE I THINK THE LAST THING STUDENTS NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IS AFFORDING RESIDENT OR HAVING A STABLE PLACE TO LIVE. >> Reporter: THE UNIVERSITY HOPES TO REDUCE SOME OF THAT PROBLEM NOW THAT THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT RULED IT CAN BUILD HOUSING AT PEOPLE'S PARK. THE UNIVERSITY PLANS TO BUILD HOUSING FOR 1,100 UNDERGRADS, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR MORE THAN 100 HOMELESS PEOPLE, AND PRESERVE 60% OF THE SITE AS PUBLIC PARK SPACE. >> WE SEE THIS AS A WIN/WIN. WE'LL HOUSE OUR STUDENTS. WE'LL HOUSE THE HOMELESS. >> Reporter: BERKELEY MAYOR BELIEVES UC BERKELEY WILL START CONSTRUCTION VERY SOON, POSSIBLY IN WEEKS. >> THE SHORTAGE OF STUDENT HOUSING IMPACTS EVERYONE IN OUR CITY BECAUSE IT CONSTRAINS OUR HOUSING MARKET. IT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN BERKELEY. IT DRIVES UP RENTS. >> Reporter: OPPONENTS OF THE PROJECT SAY THEY'RE NOT AGAINST STUDENT HOUSING. THEY SUED THE UC REGENTS BECAUSE THEY SAY THERE ARE BETTER HOUSING SITES THAN PEOPLE'S PARK. THE PARK IS A HUB FOR ACTIVISM AND POLITICAL PROTESTS. IT WAS PLACED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN 2022. >> A HIGH RISE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PARK DESTROYS THAT OPEN SPACE AND, OF COURSE, IT DESTROYS THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THE PARK. >> Reporter: HARVEY SMITH WITH PEOPLE'S PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT ADVOCACY GROUP IS ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS THAT LOST THE CASE. HIS GROUP HAD ARGUED THE UNIVERSITY FAILED TO ANALYZE NOISE IMPACTS FROM FUTURE RESIDENTS. STATE LAWMAKERS RECENTLY PASSED A BILL THAT VOIDED THAT ARGUMENT. >> OUR REPRESENTATIVE BASICALLY CONCOCTED A SWEETHEART BACK ROOM DEAL WITH UC. >> Reporter: AFTER YEARS OF LITIGATION AND PROTESTS, SOME BELIEVE HOUSING WILL FINALLY BE BUILT ON PEOPLE'S PARK. >> OBVIOUSLY OUR OPTIONS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY LIMITED, BUT IT'S NOT OVER TILL IT'S OVER. >> HISTORY SHOULD NOT STOP US FROM PROGRESS. >> Reporter: WHILE MANY STUDENTS LIKE CASSADY DON'T WANT TO TAKE SIDES, THEY DO WANT MORE HOUSING. >> I DEFINITELY THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING CLOSER HOUSING TO CAMPUS. >> Reporter: UC BERKELEY HAS NOT ANNOUNCED A CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE. THEY SAY THEY'RE FINALIZING THE SCHEDULE AND WILL ANNOUNCE IT SOON. >> THE UNIVERSITY PLANS TO SPEND OVER $400 MILLION AT
