Fresno Regains Major Housing Designation: Mayor Dyer

On Wednesday, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer at his State of the City event, lauded construction projects throughout the city, saying the building he promised in 2025 is well underway.

Alongside those construction projects, he previewed future projects. These include the city’s plan to develop the southeast part of town, and the return of housing at Dyer’s marquee senior center near Ashlan and Blackstone avenues.

And for a win, the city regained its Prohousing Designation, scoring higher than all but one other city in California’s measurement of housing progress. The designation makes acquiring afforable housing grant money easier.

“We are building like no other time in our history,” Dyer said.

Fresno Gets Back Key Housing Designation

Fresno lost its Prohousing Designation largely after city council in 2023 denied an affordable housing project at Bullard and Fresno avenues after accepting it earlier.

Regaining that Pro-Housing Designation took instituting a new policy to fast-track housing conversions by allowing office space and land intended for office to be turned into housing without putting it before the public — which can be a long and costly process.

The city earned a 102-point score, surpassing the 30-point minimum. Having the Prohousing Designation makes Fresno more competitive in securing housing grants.

“I am grateful to the see the city of Fresno do the work needed over the last year to regain its Prohousing Designation, and I have great hope that the city will follow through on its policy commitments to remain a strong housing partner going forward,” said Gustavo Velasquez, director of California’s Department of Housing and Community Development.

Dyer on SEDA: ‘People Do Not Want to Be Told Where to Live’

Dyer also addressed the Southeast Development Area saying his department would present the 9,000-acre plan and its associated financial studies to the city council this summer.

He said that to grow and compete with nearby cities for jobs, homes, and young people, it would take expansion: “Otherwise we will continue to see folks leave our city for employment and housing opportunities.”

The mayor also said that housing demand in Fresno has not slowed even though available land for jobs and housing has lagged. Dyer noted that Fresno has 5% of its land available for advanced manufacturing compared to Visalia’s 17% and a statewide average of 7.5%.

Housing supplies, especially multifamily development, have also slowed, he said.

Opponents to SEDA say dedicating city funds to build water and sewer in the area would take away from commitments in the inner city and in west Fresno. Dyer said the city can invest in SEDA and infill and that the city should not limit housing.

“The housing demand in Fresno is not slowing down and people do not want to be told where to live, they want options,” Dyer said.

Fresno’s Seeks to Get Housing Back at Senior Center

Dyer pointed to construction projects such as downtown parking garages, a new fire station, the 911 Response Center, and the city’s upcoming senior center, as signs of progress.

Grading will begin in June on the 34,000 square-foot, $42 million senior center at Blackstone and Holland avenues. The facility will have a banquet hall, classrooms for enrichment courses, billiards, and a gym.

Dyer said the center would be completed by 2028. For a bit of good news, nearby senior housing options appear back on the table, Dyer said. When developer Jake Lingo did not secure essential state housing tax credits for the project, the apartment project set to replace the adjacent strip mall stalled.

That has since moved forward and Dyer said demolition of the strip mall would take place. The city is now courting a new housing developer through a request-for-proposal process, City Manager Georgeanne White told GV Wire.

In downtown Fresno, the city will soon bring more than 1,500 parking spots that Dyer said would encourage housing.

At Fulton and Tuolomne streets, a 603-stall parking garage will be finished by the end of this year, he said. Across from Chukchansi Park, construction on a new 900-stall structure called the Carnegie Library Garage — named after the eponymous library demolished at the site in 1959 — will begin in July.

Fire Station 12 at Ashlan Avenue near Valentine Avenue, set to service west Fresno will open in July. The new 911 Communications Center will open in November with the capacity to handle 1 million calls a year.

City Honors Mary Curry

Dyer honored longtime community activist Mary Curry for her civic work, giving her the Key to the City.

Born in Alabama, Curry has long been an advocate for clean air and education. She drove a decades-long fight to relocate the Darling Rendering Plant from its former location at Church and Fruit avenues.

The plant produced noxious scents as it processed animal carcasses in southwest Fresno.

Darling in 2023 ultimately opted not to relocate, choosing to close down entirely.

Curry also played a key role in securing state funds to build the West Fresno Community College campus. At the podium for the event, she spoke about the importance of bridging the political divide locally and nationally.

“My country is in pain, and I want us to keep that in mind,” Curry said. “In my 95 years of living on this earth, I have not seen anything quite like this and I want all of us to care deeply about each other and reach out to each other. Learn something about a new person. … It’s important that we fix and not go backwards.”

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