5.2) Hearing to consider a request for Downtown Design Review and Vesting Tentative Parcel Map to develop the western portion of the Downtown Core site (formerly Livermore Village) with the affordable housing component of the Downtown Plan approved by the City Council on January 29, 2018, and a First Amendment to Disposition, Development and Loan Agreement (DDLA) with Eden Housing, Inc.
Hi, my name is Emily Wilson and I am a lifelong Livermore resident and community organizer.
In June 2020 Mayor Marchand released a statement saying “All of us must lead by example, to ... ensure that injustice cannot, does not, and will not happen in Livermore” in response to the growing call for racial equity in our cities. After the racially coded comments about this project, this vote will reveal whether this city truly hopes to include people of color. Statements are important, actions are crucial. We cannot have racial equity in our cities without affordable housing. If this council hopes to ensure racial equity and if this council wants to prove that its commitments are long standing and truthful voting in support of the Eden Housing project is necessary.
We bought a home here in 2010. A financial stretch at the time (with 2 professional incomes) has doubled in value. That's great for us personally, but it's also insane. There's no way teachers and firefighters and shopkeepers and restaurant workers can afford to live here. My kids won't be able to live here. Livermore needs affordable housing, and we need it where people can walk to work, transit, restaurants, and the grocery. I know many of my suburban neighbors are worried about traffic and parking, but think about it: if you live downtown, you're not going to be driving and parking downtown to go out to eat. If you have a car at all, you'll leave it at home and walk. It's the big developments on the fringes of town that cause traffic/parking problems, not housing at the town's core. Let's get it done, Livermore, and not let well-financed disinformation and fake architectural drawings get in the way!
As a long time resident of Livermore lucky enough to be able to afford to own my home, I strongly support the Eden Housing plan for affordable housing near down town and transit. Low income individuals and families need to be able to live in our community without spending an unreasonable amount of their income. The plan as currently moving forward has had lots of opportunities for public input, and people have clearly shown their support both for housing, and for the politicians who are working to make it happen. We cannot let a small but well funded group of people who are afraid of low income housing derail this much needed project.
As a resident of downtown Livermore for the last three years, I support the existing Eden housing plan. All of Livermore (including downtown) would benefit from additional housing and affordable housing. The plan is well thought out and meets the necessary requirements. The Eden plan will help more people live near the downtown core, and it will benefit downtown Livermore businesses by increasing local customer base.
I am lucky enough to have recently moved to Livermore close to downtown, and I support the Eden Housing Plan. Making Livermore more accessible to more people via affordable housing will improve our city. The fair market rent for a 2 bedroom apartment in Livermore is $2,640 - meaning that to afford housing without spending more than 30% of your income on rent - you need to make $105k annually. This prices out minimum-to-mid-wage workers and makes Livermore a less accessible plan to live. Affordable housing should be treated as a top priority, and we should move forward with the Eden Plan.
As a Livermore resident for more than 20 years total, 19 years of that as a homeowner, I wholeheartedly support approving the actions required to move this much-needed and well-planned project forward. It is an optimum use of the land and the opportunity.
I've been living in Livermore for 4 years and working in Livermore for over over 6 years. I can't believe I am watching the same cast of characters try to derail this project. One of the first things I did when I moved here was participate in a series of community planning and input sessions for the downtown. This plan reflects exactly the input we have and has been approved multiple times including at least once on the ballot!
Our community desperately needs more affordable housing including for teachers, first responders, essential workers and others who make Livermore a better place to live.
Also, the "other plan" is not a real plan. It's not realistic and involves exercising eminent domain over at least 5 private owners who do not want to sell. We're trying to address the housing shortage, not create one!
Stop entertaining rich bullies and their lemmings and approve this plan.
I support the Eden Housing project as is! Let’s stop debating and start building. The working and blue collar classes are already here. Let’s stop pretending we’re doing just fine and not struggling to survive, or moving out of town due to housing costs. I urge the city council to honor the grocery store workers, teachers, medical assistants, EMT workers, veterinary assistants, carpenters, cooks, dishwashers, servers and ALL of the people who keep this town running and make it the vibrant place we know and love by offering affordable housing! It’s time to stop listening to the vocal privileged few and get to work making affordable homes for the rest of the community.
I support the Eden Housing Plan. I live in Livermore with my small family, and I LOVE the character of the town and how family friendly it is. And, it is becoming so painful to deal with rising housing costs, even on a tech income.
I want my kids' teachers, Livermore's first responders, and essential workers to be able to live here. They mostly can't. Our rising housing costs will themselves change the character and family feel of Livermore. Eventually only wealthy retirees and tech workers will be afford to live here. If we are to manage growth with a urban growth boundary (beautiful, popular, preventing us from cooking the planet with endless sprawl...), we badly need to add more affordable AND market rate housing.
The downtown plan is appealing. The design is attractive. I like the mix of housing, greenspace and commercial property. A giant, sprawling park/lawn doesn't resonate at a time of acute drought and a crisis of housing affordability.
As Manager of the Tri-Valley Career Center and a member of the steering committee for the Tri-Valley Anti-Poverty Collaborative, I know that this affordable housing is needed within our region. Alameda County is in the top 10 LEAST affordable counties in the nation. According to the Economic Policy Institute, it takes $123,310 to maintain a modest standard of living in the Oakland/Fremont metro area for a family of 4. This is >2x the income of 2 adults making minimum wage. Likewise, according to the Census' ACS, more than 45% of Livermore's residents are burdened by housing costs >30% of their income. The Eden Housing project for Downtown Livermore can improve these statistics - and the lives of Livermore residents. Additionally, this project will help employers who cannot find low- to middle-wage employees. The region imports these workers from Concord or the Central Valley due to local housing prices, causing added hardship. This project is just the beginning of the solution.
Hi, my name is Emily Wilson and I am a lifelong Livermore resident and community organizer.
In June 2020 Mayor Marchand released a statement saying “All of us must lead by example, to ... ensure that injustice cannot, does not, and will not happen in Livermore” in response to the growing call for racial equity in our cities. After the racially coded comments about this project, this vote will reveal whether this city truly hopes to include people of color. Statements are important, actions are crucial. We cannot have racial equity in our cities without affordable housing. If this council hopes to ensure racial equity and if this council wants to prove that its commitments are long standing and truthful voting in support of the Eden Housing project is necessary.
I support the Eden Housing project.
We bought a home here in 2010. A financial stretch at the time (with 2 professional incomes) has doubled in value. That's great for us personally, but it's also insane. There's no way teachers and firefighters and shopkeepers and restaurant workers can afford to live here. My kids won't be able to live here. Livermore needs affordable housing, and we need it where people can walk to work, transit, restaurants, and the grocery. I know many of my suburban neighbors are worried about traffic and parking, but think about it: if you live downtown, you're not going to be driving and parking downtown to go out to eat. If you have a car at all, you'll leave it at home and walk. It's the big developments on the fringes of town that cause traffic/parking problems, not housing at the town's core. Let's get it done, Livermore, and not let well-financed disinformation and fake architectural drawings get in the way!
As a long time resident of Livermore lucky enough to be able to afford to own my home, I strongly support the Eden Housing plan for affordable housing near down town and transit. Low income individuals and families need to be able to live in our community without spending an unreasonable amount of their income. The plan as currently moving forward has had lots of opportunities for public input, and people have clearly shown their support both for housing, and for the politicians who are working to make it happen. We cannot let a small but well funded group of people who are afraid of low income housing derail this much needed project.
As a resident of downtown Livermore for the last three years, I support the existing Eden housing plan. All of Livermore (including downtown) would benefit from additional housing and affordable housing. The plan is well thought out and meets the necessary requirements. The Eden plan will help more people live near the downtown core, and it will benefit downtown Livermore businesses by increasing local customer base.
I am lucky enough to have recently moved to Livermore close to downtown, and I support the Eden Housing Plan. Making Livermore more accessible to more people via affordable housing will improve our city. The fair market rent for a 2 bedroom apartment in Livermore is $2,640 - meaning that to afford housing without spending more than 30% of your income on rent - you need to make $105k annually. This prices out minimum-to-mid-wage workers and makes Livermore a less accessible plan to live. Affordable housing should be treated as a top priority, and we should move forward with the Eden Plan.
As a Livermore resident for more than 20 years total, 19 years of that as a homeowner, I wholeheartedly support approving the actions required to move this much-needed and well-planned project forward. It is an optimum use of the land and the opportunity.
I've been living in Livermore for 4 years and working in Livermore for over over 6 years. I can't believe I am watching the same cast of characters try to derail this project. One of the first things I did when I moved here was participate in a series of community planning and input sessions for the downtown. This plan reflects exactly the input we have and has been approved multiple times including at least once on the ballot!
Our community desperately needs more affordable housing including for teachers, first responders, essential workers and others who make Livermore a better place to live.
Also, the "other plan" is not a real plan. It's not realistic and involves exercising eminent domain over at least 5 private owners who do not want to sell. We're trying to address the housing shortage, not create one!
Stop entertaining rich bullies and their lemmings and approve this plan.
I support the Eden Housing project as is! Let’s stop debating and start building. The working and blue collar classes are already here. Let’s stop pretending we’re doing just fine and not struggling to survive, or moving out of town due to housing costs. I urge the city council to honor the grocery store workers, teachers, medical assistants, EMT workers, veterinary assistants, carpenters, cooks, dishwashers, servers and ALL of the people who keep this town running and make it the vibrant place we know and love by offering affordable housing! It’s time to stop listening to the vocal privileged few and get to work making affordable homes for the rest of the community.
I support the Eden Housing Plan. I live in Livermore with my small family, and I LOVE the character of the town and how family friendly it is. And, it is becoming so painful to deal with rising housing costs, even on a tech income.
I want my kids' teachers, Livermore's first responders, and essential workers to be able to live here. They mostly can't. Our rising housing costs will themselves change the character and family feel of Livermore. Eventually only wealthy retirees and tech workers will be afford to live here. If we are to manage growth with a urban growth boundary (beautiful, popular, preventing us from cooking the planet with endless sprawl...), we badly need to add more affordable AND market rate housing.
The downtown plan is appealing. The design is attractive. I like the mix of housing, greenspace and commercial property. A giant, sprawling park/lawn doesn't resonate at a time of acute drought and a crisis of housing affordability.
As Manager of the Tri-Valley Career Center and a member of the steering committee for the Tri-Valley Anti-Poverty Collaborative, I know that this affordable housing is needed within our region. Alameda County is in the top 10 LEAST affordable counties in the nation. According to the Economic Policy Institute, it takes $123,310 to maintain a modest standard of living in the Oakland/Fremont metro area for a family of 4. This is >2x the income of 2 adults making minimum wage. Likewise, according to the Census' ACS, more than 45% of Livermore's residents are burdened by housing costs >30% of their income. The Eden Housing project for Downtown Livermore can improve these statistics - and the lives of Livermore residents. Additionally, this project will help employers who cannot find low- to middle-wage employees. The region imports these workers from Concord or the Central Valley due to local housing prices, causing added hardship. This project is just the beginning of the solution.