Wanted: Strong policies to keep young people and their families housed in Fresno
Since 2020, Fresno’s housing market has gone from bad to worse.
Average rents have gone up 35.7% with no sign of them coming down. Meanwhile, the pandemic exacerbated economic insecurity by intensifying existing obstacles, such as low employment, unaffordable housing and inaccessible health care.
Fresno is deemed to have one of the hottest rental markets in the state, but what’s not being shared is how our longtime neighbors and friends are being displaced and losing their homes as a result.
Power California and BSP Research surveyed 1,400 Californians between the ages of 18-30 to collect data on how top issues, such as cost of living, affect their quality of life. Eighty-seven percent of respondents indicated that “The cost of living for me and my family is going up faster than my wages and income can keep up.” Twenty-nine percent of young people reported that they had to choose between paying rent or another bill, another 26% indicated they moved back home with family over the last 12 months, and 24% said they had missed a rent payment over the last year.
We need strong policies and investments that will keep young people and their families housed. And city leaders know this.
On Sept. 29, the City Council held one of its longest meetings by far where it was set to vote on eight housing policies presented by the mayor. At this meeting, many councilmembers stated concerns about adopting the policy resolutions, such as “there weren’t many details,” “no meat to the proposals,” and “the public needs to know what’s our plan, our strategy.”
We thank the council for not approving these underdeveloped policies and agree with the councilmembers who raised the need for a well-developed plan. We urge these councilmembers to listen to community residents most impacted by this housing crisis who have continually articulated a well-developed plan.
Recently Fresno renters and homeowners gathered together to demand that the city immediately fund and implement the following community-based priorities pulled from the Here to Stay Report and the One Fresno Housing Plan:
$4 million for an expanded eviction protection program.
$2 million for a homeownership opportunities program.
$2 million for a rental assistance program beyond the emergency rental assistance for individuals who faced financial hardship due to COVID-19.
$3 million for housing improvement and rehabilitation projects.
Rent stabilization policies with complementary local tenant protections.
We commend Councilmember Esmeralda Soria for continuing to champion the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and emphasizing the importance of investing in this fund for policies such as a homeownership assistance program. We agree that this tust fund has the potential to become a great tool for Fresno to alleviate our housing crisis, which is why housing advocates have been meeting with city staff to establish a community oversight committee.
Though the mayor released a One Fresno Housing Strategy, the city should instead look to the Here to Stay Report, which can truly create a stronger Fresno. The Here to Stay report contains a comprehensive plan to protect the stability and well-being of Fresno neighborhoods. Among its recommendations are the priority policies that community residents are calling on the city to implement immediately.
It is critical for our city officials to keep asking the hard questions and adopting policies that are truly comprehensive. We cannot keep repeating the mistakes of the past. Residents are feeling hopeless and discouraged, but city staff, councilmembers and the mayor can bring back the spirits of those who elected them by listening to community leaders and the Here to Stay priority policies chosen by the community.
