90 units of modular, affordable housing coming to NW Fresno

Valley Teen Ranch’s “Welcome Home” project will be the first of its kind in Fresno.

The City of Fresno partnered with Valley Teen Ranch with grant funding of more than $21 million by the California Department of Housing and Community Development to fund the new affordable housing initiative. This development will be in northwest Fresno and will provide 96 Modular units manufactured and transported to the site.

This permanent affordable housing is meant to serve clients of Valley Teen Ranch — the unhoused and those have aged out of the foster care system — ages 18-24. Over 95 youth, individuals and families who do not have safe, alternative housing options will be eligible for residency.

“Valley Teen Ranch’s mission has always been to provide safe and healthy homes for all children, youth, and families. For the last few years, our board has really been talking about what it is that we can do to provide more homes for these kids that are living on the streets and that are exiting foster care because they’re aging out,” said Valley Teen Ranch CEO Andrea Evans. “We’ve been thinking about it, we’ve been praying for it. And we’ve been talking about purchasing a small duplex or maybe four-plex to have the opportunity for our kids as they’re leaving our transitional home and being able to exit into permanent housing.”

The Welcome Home Campus will include two community buildings acting as central hubs for various support services, community activities and programs. These facilities will have an on-site manager and provide space for professional support staff to conduct education workshops, counseling services and social events to enhance the holistic well-being of the residents.

The development will be created with modular construction — a building is constructed off-site, under controlled plant conditions, using the same materials, and designed to the same codes and standards as conventionally built facilities — but in about half the time. ,

Doug Obermann, senior project manager at Quiring Construction, described this type of construction as “building Legos.”

Tenants will be able to move into their new units at the end of this year, a quick turnaround from yesterday’s groundbreaking.

“This is going to be the first modular project or modular campus in terms of affordable housing in our city. We have not had one before, and I believe this is the way of the future. Not only is it going to provide an incredible home for these youth but we’re also going to be able to build these more quickly, more affordable,” said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer.