Livermore residents may not get to vote on a bitterly contested affordable housing project after all. After a court decision to send the project before voters this November, city officials have determined a referendum isn’t necessary and that construction can move forward on the 130-unit complex downtown. In March, a state appellate court ruled that the city had to consider a petition for a referendum by a neighborhood group opposing the project, set to be developed by the Hayward nonprofit Eden Housing.
But on Monday, the City Council, which has the final say over whether to put the issue on the ballot, voted 4-1 to effectively halt the measure. The neighborhood group, Move Eden Housing, which gathered the thousands of signatures needed for a referendum, argues the project can’t proceed without a public vote. City officials, however, contend the court ruling makes clear that a referendum is needed only to build a proposed public park bordering the project, not the housing itself.
Over objections from residents who accused the city of denying the will of the voters, the council voted to pause completing the 1-acre park for at least a year as it continues working with the developer on the housing project, planned for the corner of Railroad Avenue and South L Street. During Monday’s public meeting, Councilmember Evan Branning, whose district includes downtown, chastised residents who’ve opposed and delayed the project. Before pursuing the referendum, opponents the city .