Fresno Housing holds inaugural ‘State of Affordable Housing’

FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – In the current economic climate within the Central Valley, an affordable place to live is constantly on the top of mind for many.

An outlook on current and future affordable housing, as well as current challenges to create it in Fresno County, were top of the conversation at the inaugural State of Affordable Housing in Fresno, put on by Fresno Housing.

There, Fresno County and city officials acknowledged the big task ahead to meet expanding housing needs but added with collaboration, there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

“Local government must drive housing. If not, our unsheltered population in our community will increase dramatically,” said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer.

Dyer, among many who spoke about the current housing atmosphere and needs that continue to evolve, highlighted those needs with a recent study.

“What we found, was over a three-year period, that if we facilitated the development of 6,900 affordable housing units and 4,100 market rates we’d only hit 25% of the demand we had here in Fresno,” said Dyer.

The mayor says the city continues to attempt and chip away, as they offer incentives and help to landlords and developers as work has continued to open new units.

New units include the 600-plus market rate units at One Fresno at Manchester on Blackstone Avenue, as well as hundreds of additional affordable housing units along the major city street.

Dyer also explained the many more housing projects coming to Downtown Fresno, those which they hope to break ground on soon.

“We have ‘The Penny’ that’s going to be breaking ground. The old JCPenney’s 160 units, a student housing project at South Stadium with 412 beds that will break ground later this year,” said Dyer. “North Fulton, near the old CVS Pharmacy, partnering with Fresno Housing. 256 affordable housing units of the over 468 that will be built.”

Fresno County, reports how they’ve helped folks with over 1,100 affordable housing units in just the past half-decade, with more projects on the way.

Supervisor Nathan Magsig says building these units is just part of an extremely difficult equation to solve, as they also work to overcome rising construction and labor costs, and of course, as they work to get people off the streets and into housing, especially those who experience addiction or a mental health crisis.

“Our Department of Behavioral Health is fully involved in this, our Department of Social Services, and our Department of Public Health,” said Magsig, who represents Fresno County District 5. “It’s government’s responsibility to make sure we invest in facilities, invest in people, and provide those wraparound services.”

For more on affordable housing resources, for renters, landlords, or builders, or for more on the inaugural State of Affordable Housing visit fresnohousing.org .

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