The University of California, Berkeley has announced that its new student housing project at People’s Park will be named Judith E. Heumann House, in honor of the late disability rights advocate Judith Heumann. The 11-story building is under construction and will provide housing for more than 1,100 undergraduates, with a focus on accessibility.
Judith Heumann, who died in 2023, earned her master’s degree from Berkeley’s School of Public Health in 1975. She played a significant role in advancing disability rights nationwide. Heumann was instrumental in leading a 26-day sit-in at a federal building in San Francisco that resulted in lawmakers signing regulations for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
Heumann also formed and led several coalitions both locally and nationally to advocate for civil rights protections, which contributed to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“Some people say that what I did changed the world,” Heumann wrote in her 2020 memoir, Being Heumann. “But really, I simply refused to accept what I was told about who I could be. And I was willing to make a fuss about it.”
Her brother Rick Heumann said he hopes the building’s name will prompt people to learn more about his sister’s work and legacy. “Judy didn’t do stuff for Judy,” he said. “Judy did stuff to make a difference in the world.”
Heumann contracted polio as a child and faced barriers due to lack of accessibility throughout her life. After being denied a teaching license by New York officials because she was deemed a “fire hazard,” she successfully challenged the decision through legal action.
Her leadership within the Disability Rights Movement has been documented in books and interviews as well as the film Crip Camp (2020), which details how experiences at a summer camp for teens with disabilities helped inspire broader advocacy efforts.
As Rick Heumann noted, features such as accessible rooms throughout Judith E. Heumann House are fitting: “That’s one of the reasons why we’re so supportive,” he said. “Having something that’s fully accessible.”
UC Berkeley plans to keep two-thirds of People’s Park as public green space while using the remaining third for undergraduate housing and permanent supportive housing for very low-income or formerly unhoused people.
The process to name the new residence began earlier this year when proposals were solicited from campus members; four separate nominations suggested honoring Judith Heumann. The final decision followed review by a subcommittee and approval from university leadership after receiving permission from her family.
“I think this honoring signals recognition of her brilliance, yes, but also how astute and effective she was in making concrete differences in the lives of real people,” said Ella Callow, assistant vice chancellor for disability rights at Berkeley. “This is, essentially, Berkeley exceptionalism. It is us producing scholars who truly create sea changes, for the better, for everyone.”
Construction crews recently placed steel beams marking completion of the structure’s highest point—a milestone known as “topping out.” Work now shifts toward completing exterior elements along with mechanical and electrical systems; university officials expect students will move into Judith E. Heumann House by fall semester 2027.
“Today, we’re excited to share the news about Heumann House,” said Kyle Gibson, director of strategic communications for UC Berkeley’s Office of the Vice Chancellor Administration. “We look forward to sharing additional updates in the months ahead.”
Judith E. Heumann House will be located about one mile from Ed Roberts Campus—a nonprofit named after another prominent disability rights leader associated with UC Berkeley.
Reflecting on his sister’s legacy after attending an event at the White House honoring her work, Rick Heumann recalled hearing stories from people touched by her advocacy: “Her reach is very far and wide,” he said, “and it’s because she cared about a lot of people and she made a difference in the world.”
