Rent control is an idea whose time has come in Fresno. Local leaders must adapt | Opinion

The first thing that caught my attention when I moved to Fresno more than 20 years ago was the affordable rent. Working-class families could build a good life here with its affordable cost of living, central location, diverse communities, and its place in history as the epicenter of the United Farm Workers movement.

As a labor leader, I put a premium on working 40 hours while having more than enough to pay my rent and raise my two children. Low-wage workers too, like the laundry and warehouse workers I organize with, could live a good life here in Fresno. It felt like paradise.

But over the past several years, I have seen an alarming rise in rent, making more families and young people struggle to maintain stable housing. Combined with wages that haven’t kept up, I know too many hardworking parents who are forced to take on extra jobs and borrow money just to make rent. Young people have to pack in with two-, three-, and four-generation-deep households because they can’t afford to move out to start futures and families of their own. Many have had to skip college and instead work so they can contribute to rent, especially during the height of the pandemic.

All the while, I see so much new construction for fancy apartments that sit empty that few can afford.

This is why I decided to invest in a small property. Three years ago, I became a landlord to provide respite for a family member to stay rooted in our community. I used my life savings on a down payment for a small house in central Fresno that I rent to my daughter and her partner as they build a foundation, and one that I intend to rent to families in need in the future. I made this investment not to make a profit or because I actively wanted to own property, but to do what I can to ensure the next generation isn’t forced to leave the place they’ve always called home.

But Fresno’s housing crisis cannot be solved by just me or others like me. We need our elected officials to do what’s right for their constituents: the people native to Fresno, not the greedy corporations making record profits off the backs of working Fresnans. Our mayor and council members seem to care more about what real estate developers want. These leaders failed to even bring up, let alone pass, rent control or other tenant protection measures this year, despite hundreds of community members organizing and urging them to do so.

If our own elected leaders who are supposed to represent our best interests sell us out to the highest bidder, who can we turn to to help pass common-sense solutions that most other big California cities have already approved?

We already know rent control and other tenant protections have broad support. This past spring, teams of young people and volunteers talked to more than 1,000 voters across Fresno of every party, race, and age, directly at their doors and by phone, and found that more than 92% of Fresno voters support rent control and tenant protections.

Contrary to what some local politicians say, rent control is not an extreme measure — it’s a proven solution that can keep generations of families like mine in Fresno.

Despite the disappointing choices our local leaders have made, we as proud Fresno residents can still assert our power through the vote. Elections will be held in 2024, with critical public positions coming up, including three Fresno City Council seats and a Fresno County supervisor seat. Our remarkable agricultural and labor history right here in Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley has taught us what we can accomplish by organizing.

By coming together and electing leaders who are accountable to the needs of Fresno’s working families, we can ensure a stronger future for every generation of our community.

This story was originally published September 28, 2023 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Rent control is an idea whose time has come in Fresno. Local leaders must adapt | Opinion."