I was wondering if there were any arrangements for rooms at UC Berkeley during the conference?
(I think MIT arranges for people to be able to stay in dorm rooms during reunions, or other events over the summer, for example)
Otherwise, I’ll keep hunting for a convenient & cheap AirBnB room 
No, I’m afraid everyone will have to arrange their own lodging. If you look at Planning your day → Lodging and Dining at this http://visit.berkeley.edu/ link you can get a list of hotels in the area. And as you said, AirBnB is probably a good option also.
CC @andreasnoack, just to make sure I’m not giving incorrect information here
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Thanks!
Does anybody who knows the area have any recommendations about good areas near where the JuliaCon will be held (which building will it be at?), and also which areas in and around Berkeley that should be avoided?
The conference itself will be in the Pauley Ballroom (Google Maps) on campus, essentially at the corner of Bancroft Way and Telegraph Ave.
Less sure what to say about areas. I’ve had friends stay in AirBnBs all over Berkeley and it worked out fine. Having said that, Berkeley is part of a large metropolitan area with the usual associated crime, and one should obviously adjust ones behavior… Here is a crime map http://berkeley.ca.crimeviewcommunity.com/ for those that want to dig into the data.
Also keep in mind that it is only a 15 minute walk from Downtown BART to the conference location, so folks can also look for accommodation close to BART stations that have a connection to Berkeley and commute, one might be able to find more affordable options that way (not sure, though, this is not exactly a cheap area).
“Avoid People’s Park at night” as the saying goes.
Of the hotels listed at Lodging and Dining • Visitor Services you can map them out, many are a few minutes walk from the conference location at Telegraph and Bancroft. The hotels along University Ave are less expensive but correspondingly less nice than most of the others. If you’re on a budget, I’d recommend an AirBnB. If you’re splurging, then any of Bancroft, Shattuck, Durant hotels are pretty nice. If you want to do touristy things around the area, you could look at places in downtown Oakland or San Francisco and easily take BART to Berkeley.
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Thanks for the info, it is most appreciated!
I’m definitely not splurging, so I guess it will be an AirBnB for me.
If there is going to be a hackathon like in years past the day after the conference is officially over, I’ll look to stay close to Berkeley til Saturday night, and then find a place for Sunday night close to the SF airport.