Meet The Livermore Candidate: Narayan Tadimeti

LIVERMORE, CA — Patch reached out to candidates running for Livermore City Council District 2, located in the southern part of the city. District 2 is the only contested election this year: John Marchand is running unopposed for mayor, and Evan Branning is running unopposed for District 1.

We reprinted their answers to the questionnaire verbatim.

Below, read the answers of Narayan Tadimeti, a doctor running in District 2 against incumbent Ben Barrientos.

What is your educational background?

I completed my undergraduate and graduate medical education in India before moving to and settling down in the United States. I completed Residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship training in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago. I subsequently completed Fellowship training in Sleep Medicine at the University of Chicago.

What is your professional background?

After completing Residency and Fellowship training in Chicago, I practiced Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine in Southern California, where I was a partner in a small medical group. I later moved to Central California and practiced the same specialty medicine for about 17 years with a Physician group that worked exclusively with a managed care organization. I am currently taking a break from clinical practice.

Have you ever held public office, whether appointive or elective?

No

What are the top three issues facing Livermore right now?

Livermore is a very good city, and our community survey shows residents value the quality of life here. The challenge is preserving what works while addressing three key issues.

First, housing affordability and homelessness. We need housing across income levels, especially for those being priced out and our most vulnerable residents. It is not sustainable for workers to commute long distances because they cannot afford to live nearby.

Second, traffic, road safety, and infrastructure. As Livermore grows, infrastructure must keep pace. In District 2, projects at I-580/Vasco Road, I-580/First Street, and Vasco Road near Garaventa Ranch Road should stay on schedule and deliver promised safety and traffic improvements.

Third, responsible growth. We need housing and economic development while protecting Livermore’s character, open space, and agricultural heritage. These issues are connected, and I would approach them with careful listening, facts, and long-term thinking.

What is one specific action you would prioritize during your first year in office?

The City has already adopted a Vision Zero Safety Action Plan, so I would ask staff to identify the highest-priority intersections and corridors, particularly around schools and areas with a history of serious accidents, and bring forward an implementation schedule —what improvements are needed, what they will cost, how they will be funded, and when residents can expect to see them completed. My goal would be to take the information we already have and turn it into measurable improvements in traffic flow and safety.

Livermore’s unhoused population rose substantially between 2024 and 2026. What should the city do itself, and what should it pursue regionally, to expand shelter, treatment and permanent housing?

Homelessness is a complex issue and there is no one cause or solution. The increase in homelessness in Livermore is concerning, and I think we need both a local and a tri-valley regional response.

At the city level, it is important to focus on three things: preventing people from becoming homeless in the first place, making sure we have adequate year-round shelter and effective outreach and housing navigation, and continuing to expand permanent supportive and deeply affordable housing. We have great resources such as the Vineyard Housing and Resource Center and Multi-service center on Pacific avenue. I would want to understand where the remaining gaps are and measure success by how many people actually move from the street into stable housing.

Livermore alone cannot solve this problem. City should continue to work with Alameda County, Pleasanton and Dublin for a stronger East County strategy so that shelter, treatment and supportive housing capacity are available here rather than expecting people to travel elsewhere in the county for help. Housing and shelter require strong local participation, but behavioral-health treatment, substance-use treatment and the broader homelessness system require Alameda County and the Tri-Valley cities to be full partners.

My goal would be a coordinated system that combines accountability with compassion, outreach, treatment when needed, temporary shelter, and ultimately a pathway to permanent housing.

How should Livermore accommodate new housing—including affordable housing—while addressing traffic, infrastructure and the city’s existing character?

Livermore should accommodate new housing, including affordable and attainable housing, through thoughtful and responsible growth. I support locating housing where existing or planned roads, utilities, public services, and other infrastructure can support it, while making sure infrastructure improvements keep pace with development. We should pay particular attention to the need for lower-income housing while providing a range of housing options for families, seniors, and our workforce. Those who help our city function should be able to live here and not be forced to commute long distances. At the same time, new development should respect established neighborhoods, protect open space, and preserve the character that makes Livermore a desirable place to live.

Why do you feel you're a better candidate than your opponents?

I respect my opponent’s service to the community. I believe I offer voters a different perspective and set of experiences. After decades as a physician and serving in leadership and committee roles, I have learned to listen carefully, evaluate complex information, consider different viewpoints, and make thoughtful decisions. I would bring that same collaborative, evidence-based approach to the City Council.