|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Nearly two decades since the city of Livermore first purchased a parcel of land near the heart of its downtown with plans to build affordable housing, excavation has finally begun at the site of a contentious apartment project that spent years tied up in litigation.
The 130-unit Downtown Livermore Apartments — previously dubbed the Eden Housing project — is poised to go up by October 2028 at the southeast corner of the Railroad Avenue and L Street intersection, currently occupied by a parking lot.
It is set to feature two, four-story buildings with one to three-bedroom apartments for rent to households earning 20-60% of the Alameda County area median income.
The buildings will also feature a resident meeting space, onsite laundry facilities, management offices, units for onsite management and maintenance personnel as well as a private playground for residents, according to officials from nonprofit developer Eden Housing Inc.
Estimated to cost $132.7 million, the project initially received the greenlight from city council in 2021 but was stalled as the affordable housing and the associated Veterans Park made their way through years of litigation.
The Downtown Livermore Apartments received an excited welcome at a groundbreaking ceremony Monday (May 18) from city officials, Eden Housing representatives and members of the community.
“Having housing here not only supports the businesses that are here, with labor, it also supports it by bringing more people to the downtown,” Eden Housing President and CEO Linda Mandolini told Pleasanton Weekly.
In 2008, the city of Livermore acquired the project site with affordable housing funds, according to the city website.
A decade later, the city selected Eden Housing to develop plans for the project, followed by the Livermore City Council’s approval in 2021.
What followed was a years-long legal battle with multiple community groups of different names that shared members, which finally ended this past January when the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of the project’s progression.
Community group Move Eden Housing — whose goal was to relocate the project to a different location — filed a petition with the California Supreme Court to review its previous loss in state appellate court. The appellate court had ruled that the city was permitted to readopt a development agreement in 2024 for the housing project, without Veterans Park provisions.
Between the city, Eden Housing and proponents, several million dollars have been “unnecessarily wasted” on lawsuits and legal fees, Mandolini explained.
“It’s unfortunate what the delays cost in terms of people not having a place to live,” Livermore Councilmember Evan Branning told Pleasanton Weekly. “But I think once it’s built, we’re going to see a gem downtown that really adds to the entire neighborhood and really just lifts up the entire area.”
According to the Eden Housing website, a two-bedroom apartment in Livermore at market rate costs $2,640 monthly. A person must earn $105,600 annually to cap their rent and utility payments at 30% of their income.
“There’s a great misunderstanding about what low-income means,” Livermore Mayor John Marchand told Pleasanton Weekly after the ceremony.
As of 2025, an individual is considered low-income in Alameda County if they are earning $87,550 annually or less. The AMI in Alameda County for a family of four was $159,800.
“These are the teachers who teach our children, they’re the people who serve food in our restaurants,” Marchand said of those with qualifying income levels. “They’re people who serve our community.”
At the Downtown Livermore Apartments, rental prices are set to range from $497 to $2,310, depending on the applicant income and bedroom count. Units will be allocated by lottery system with a preference for those who live and work in the Tri-Valley. Of the units, 33 are set for people who were formerly houseless.
“This project reflects what Californians have been telling the legislature — housing affordability is their number one priority,” said Lauren Howe, communications director for the Office of Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda).
“Housing is economic development,” Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group CEO Katie Marcel added. “It’s not a side issue. It’s the issue.”
Mandolini said she is hopeful that pushback against the project is now in the rearview mirror.
“We have heard a lot from the community that they support affordable housing, just not in this location,” Mandolini said. “Well, this is the location that the city has selected and zoned for and it makes a lot of sense to be in this location.”
“It’s actually one of the best sites we’ve worked on,” Mandolini added. “It’s flat. It’s in the middle of everything. It’s close to buses and other regional transit.”
The affordable housing project has received funding from sources including Measure A1 and Measure W bonds.
“This project is the living proof of what housing bonds can do when voters choose to invest in their communities,” said Melissa Hernandez, health care and social services director for the Office of Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert, District 1. “That combined investment reflects our belief that everyone deserves a safe and a stable, affordable place to call home right here in the community where they work and raise their families.”
While Veterans Park was separated from development of the affordable housing project, the city intends to build the park for an estimated $5,485,000, according to the city website.
Similarly to Stockmen’s Park and Livermorium Plaza, soil will be removed from the project site to ensure the park is safe for children and families, Marchand said.
Surface soils in the area between First Street, L Street, Railroad Avenue and Livermore Avenue were contaminated with metals and hydrocarbons during “historical activities,” according to the city website. Deeper soil, soil vapor and ground water were contaminated by dry cleaning operations.
Veterans Park will honor those who have served in the armed forces and continue to serve in the community and nation, according to Marchand.
“Veterans Park and Eden Housing also represent Livermore’s commitment to those who are underserved, but at the same time, serve our community,” he said.
