See which Fresno area sites have been identified for potential new homeless programs
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced 286 state-owned properties this week that will be made available to local governments who could use them as solutions to the state homeless crisis, and five of them are in the Fresno area.
All five Fresno County sites consist of vacant land owned by the California Department of Transportation.
The sites can all be found along Highway 41 south of Ventura Avenue. One is south of the city of Fresno near Adams Avenue.
Newsom made the announcement during his State of the State address. “We have lease templates ready to go, and we’re ready for partnership,” Newsom said in prepared remarks.
Homelessness has surged in California as the state has seen economic growth. It increased by 17 percent in Fresno County from 2018, according to the latest tally. Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento County have seen similar rates of increase.
Newsom asked lawmakers to help him find more stable funding for homeless aid on top of the one-time $750 million he already proposed in the state budget to fund for organizations that help homeless people.
There are five other sites identified in the Central San Joaquin Valley from Porterville to Madera, including the Madera Fairgrounds.
The Fresno County sites:
- Ventura Avenue and R Street
- Broadway and Monterey street
- G Street and Highway 41
- California Avenue and F Street
- Adams Avenue and Highway 41
This story was originally published February 22, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
