History

Alameda County launched the Eden Area Livability Initiative (EALI) in December of 2004, spearheaded by Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, with the goal of improving the livability of the community of the western part of the unincorporated areas of Alameda County (referred to hereafter as the "Eden Area").

EALI developed from the formulation of the Livability Principles, based on the Ahwahnee Principles, which identify regional and local beliefs that will be used to guide the development of an integrated approach for future planning, development, land use and all aspects of service within the Eden Area.

In November 2007, six Task Force meetings to sharpen the conversation about the characteristics of a livable community. Task Force participants were asked to develop potential strategies and actions aligned with their vision. These meetings were followed by another series of six meetings in January 2008 to fine tune and prioritize proposed strategies and actions. Because no Spanish-speaking residents attended any of the 12 Task Force meetings, a special meeting conducted entirely in Spanish was held in February 2008. The strategies and actions developed from this meeting were added to those from the Task Forces and prepared to move forward to a larger audience at the April 5th Community Charrette.

On April 5, 2008 close to 300 community members from throughout the unincorporated communities of Alameda County joined together in a day of intensive collaboration towards building community consensus on a vision for the future of the area. Participants discussed and prioritized 24 catalyst projects to bring the community's vision to life.

On January 30, 2013 we held a Blue Ribbon Steering Committee meeting, the first meeting of EALI Phase II. Over 50 community members attended the first meeting; we hope to continue this community effort throughout the year leading into our second Community Charrette in October 2013.