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Eden Housing opponents’ attacks on City Council have become increasingly picturesque: the Council uses “weasel words” and, according to Richard Ryon in a recent letter to The Independent, has perpetrated “fudge.”
The current Eden Housing situation is straightforward, notwithstanding persistent efforts by opponents to sow confusion and misinformation.
The petition at the heart of Mr. Ryon’s lawsuit states: “We request that the legislative acts contained in said RESOLUTION be entirely repealed by the City Council…”
The appellate court identified a single legislative act in the resolution which, consistent with election code, Council has repealed.
Council subsequently reaffirmed all the resolution’s administrative acts, which per election code cannot be referended.
Council has complied in every respect with the court rulings and election code. Council made lawful decisions, not baked goods.
Mr. Ryon went fishing through the court system for a legislative act and reeled in the equivalent of a barnacle-encrusted boot: a legislative act that, sadly, delays Veterans’ Park but has zero impact on Eden Housing.
Mr. Ryon also states Eden Housing opponents “support low-cost housing in downtown Livermore,” north of Railroad Avenue across the street from the Eden Housing site.
This is a nonsensical but strategic fantasy. Mr. Ryon fails to disclose (1) the City is obligated to build affordable housing on the catalyst site, since it was purchased with affordable housing funds; (2) The owners of the north of Railroad parcels will not sell to developers, since that would entail forcibly displacing two critical non-profits and several businesses; (3) One of the parcels north of L will be a parking lot for the downtown hotel; and (4) MEH has produced no planning analysis or financial projections to support their affordable house of cards.
Advocating for an impossible alternate downtown location for affordable housing is a disingenuous attempt by MEH to disguise its ambition to do just the opposite: Keep affordable housing away from downtown.
Years ago, MEH principals lobbied to build 426 housing units on the catalyst site, alongside a 10-story theater, yet now they argue that Eden’s two four-story buildings will “destroy the character of downtown.”
Legacy Apartments sits a few feet away from Eden Housing. When the city explored limiting this luxury apartment complex to three stories, MEH principals lobbied to maintain the limit at four. Why would they roll out the red carpet for Legacy Apartments and green sod for Eden Housing, which they wish to repurpose as a park? (hint: Legacy rents start at $4k / month)
To suggest that MEH “support low-cost housing in downtown Livermore” isn’t fudge, it’s a crock.
–David Jonas
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