Housing advocates in Livermore decry what they see as a new tactic for NIMBYs

A drone view of a parking lot adjacent to Stockmen’s Park where 130 units of affordable housing are proposed to be built in downtown Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. A long battle took another turn recently when the California Court of Appeals sided in favor of groups aiming to block the project.

The city clerk chose not to process the proposed referendum, calling the land transaction an “administrative act” which could not be challenged by petitions or a referendum. Referendum supporters, in turn, said the council and city clerk were denying the will of voters. After a resounding win in the lower courts, the decision was a serious blow to the years-long effort to build affordable housing in Livermore. A statement from the City of Livermore said they were “reviewing the opinion”, and Linda Mandolini, CEO of Eden Housing, said her team would meet with the city later in the week. Both the city and Eden Housing said they were evaluating next steps to determine how and whether they should move forward with the project.

Laura Foote, the executive director of YIMBY Action, a non-profit advocating for abundant affordable housing, called nonprofit affordable housing a “tried and true method” to address the housing crisis. In her view, the fact that opponents needed to pursue a ballot measures is in some ways proof of the strength of the project.Still, to those at Eden Housing, the project’s delays are representative of the continued challenges to housing efforts, especially in wealthier parts of the state.

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