A surprise 11th-hour action could lead to yet another stall for the massive Sacramento Railyards development project and the proposed soccer stadium that is slated to go up in it.

People who live in the Railyards are protesting the development's new financing plan and the proposed enhanced infrastructure financing district.

Some lined up in a show of solidarity, supported by the union Unite Here Local 39, in the council chambers on Tuesday, arguing that more affordable housing is needed in the railyards.  

There are currently only two residential buildings in the Railyards: The A.J. Apartments and the Wong Senior Center. Both include affordable housing. 

Of the roughly 250 people who live in them, state law requires that if half protest the formation of the railyards' proposed special tax district, the district can not be created for at least a year.

Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum is chair of the Railyards Public Financing Authority.

"This is a huge mistake, tremendous," Pluckebaum said. "This is a lose-lose proposition." 

Sacramento Republic FC's proposed soccer stadium is the highest-profile building that would be impacted by the loss of city financing.

"So we lose that soccer stadium, probably the rest of that project gets set back another decade," Pluckebaum said. "And how many decades have we been talking about this?"  

Pam Freemon is one of the residents who signed the protest.

"My passion is that everybody has the same opportunities," Freemon said.

A city spokesperson said the clerk's office is verifying the signatures to see how many were submitted and whether the formation of this railyards district must be stopped.

They say that the process is expected to take approximately one week.

• Sacramento