Stebbins Hall

Stebbins Hall is named after Lucy Ward Stebbins, former Dean of Women at the University of California, Berkeley, who was born in San Francisco in 1880. Stebbins was originally built to be a hotel, the building is three stories and a basement. On the first level is the kitchen, dining room, laundry room, TV room, free pile, and maintenance area. By the entrance on the second level is the Lizard Lounge (a small recreational area), the Study, and the Mystery Room. One notable past resident of this cooperative was Beverly Cleary (1938), author of the Ramona series of children's books. Cleary stayed in Room 228 during her two years at Berkeley.

Members reside on all floors. Each floor is L-shaped, with a long South wing and a shorter North wing. There is one staircase near the front of the South wing and one at the back of it. This house has a high ratio of single: double occupancy rooms.

Every two double rooms share a private bathroom, and there are two restrooms in the hall (one with a shower) on each floor. These are used mostly by guests and residents living in single rooms. Single rooms have a sink, architecturally remnant of the building’s hotel days. Some of the rooms have hardwood floors, while others are carpeted. All of the hallways and staircases are carpeted.

I was asked to become House Manager for this property due to my experience and training in managing Kingman Hall. It is a vibrant community with a wholesome history. I was responsible for moving in and out 60 members, ensuring all needs and standards were met. I conducted safety training, emergency preparedness training and assignments, stocking E-kits, and coordinating with managers to maintain a safe, clean, inclusive, and comfortable housing accommodation.

Stebbins Hall, 1975

Working with Central Maitence, I coordinated and assisted in updating the House plumbing, installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in all rooms and hallways, and fixing residents’ sinks and windows. I organized community events to build up rapport and house culture