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APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Fresno Multi-Jurisdictional 2023-2031 Housing Element

Adopted December 12, 2024

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A Regional Plan for Addressing Housing Needs

Fresno County • Coalinga • Firebaugh • Fowler • Fresno City • Huron • Kerman Kingsburg • Mendota • Orange Cove • Parlier • Reedley • San Joaquin • Sanger • Selma

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APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Table of Contents

Section 1E-0: Summary of Needs and Conditions ..................................................... 1E-0-1 Housing Needs Assessment ............................................................................................ 1E-0-1

Section 1E-1: Action Plan............................................................................................. 1E-1-1 Published by City of Fresno ........................................................................................... 1E-1-1 Published by Other Entities........................................................................................... 1E-1-1 Goals and Policies ........................................................................................................ 1E-1-2

1. New Housing Development......................................................................................... 1E-1-2
2. Affordable Housing..................................................................................................... 1E-1-3
3. Housing and Neighborhood Conservation ................................................................. 1E-1-4
4. Special Needs Housing............................................................................................... 1E-1-4
5. Fair and Equal Housing Opportunities ...................................................................... 1E-1-5
6. Energy Conservation and Sustainable Development................................................. 1E-1-6
7. Prevent Displacement and Homelessness ................................................................. 1E-1-6 Implementation Programs.......................................................................................... 1E-1-7 Goal 1: New Housing Development................................................................................1E-1-9 Program 1– Maintain Adequate Sites .......................................................................... 1E-1-9 Program 2 – Variety of Housing Opportunities in High Resource Areas..................... 1E-1-10 Program 3 – Encourage and Facilitate Accessory Dwelling Units and Small Homes ........................................................................................................... 1E-1-12 Program 4 – Streamline Development Review Process ............................................... 1E-1-13 Program 5 – Large and Small Lot Development.......................................................... 1E-1-14 Program 6 – Objective Design Standards.................................................................... 1E-1-16 Program 7 – Adaptive Reuse ....................................................................................... 1E-1-16 Program 8 – List of Local Labor Unions and Apprenticeship Programs ..................... 1E-1-17 Program 9 – Use of Sites in Previous Housing Elements ............................................ 1E-1-17 Program 10 – Annual Reporting Program.................................................................... 1E-1-18 Goal 2: Affordable Housing ........................................................................................... 1E-1-18 Program 11 – Incentives for Housing Development..................................................... 1E-1-18 Program 12 – Local Housing Trust Fund ..................................................................... 1E-1-19 Program 13 – Pursue State and Federal Funding Sources for Housing Development ............................................................................................ 1E-1-20 Program 14 – Partnerships with Affordable Housing Developers ................................ 1E-1-21 Program 15 – Land Bank ............................................................................................. 1E-1-22 Program 16 – Community Land Trust.......................................................................... 1E-1-23 Program 17 – Surplus Public Lands ............................................................................ 1E-1-23 Program 18 – Mixed Income Neighborhood Trust (MINT)........................................... 1E-1-24 Program 19 – Home Buyer Assistance ........................................................................ 1E-1-25 Program 20 – Housing Choice Voucher Incentive Program ........................................ 1E-1-26 Program 21 – Advocate for Repeal of Article 34.......................................................... 1E-1-28 Goal 3: Housing and Neighborhood Conservation......................................................... 1E-1-28 Program 22 – Housing Rehabilitation .......................................................................... 1E-1-28 Program 23 – Comprehensive Code Enforcement ...................................................... 1E-1-30

APPENDIX 1E: TABLE OF CONTENTS

Goal 4: Special Needs Housing ..................................................................................... 1E-1-31 Program 24 – Special Needs Housing ........................................................................ 1E-1-31 Program 25 – Development Code Amendments for Compliance with State Law and to Reduce Barriers to Housing Development................................................................... 1E-1-34 Goal 5: Fair and Equal Housing Opportunities............................................................... 1E-1-36 Program 26 – Fair Housing Services ........................................................................ 1E-1-36 Program 27 –Environmental Justice ......................................................................... 1E-1-37 Program 28 – Equitable Community Investments ...................................................... 1E-1-39 Program 29 – Equitable Engagement ........................................................................ 1E-1-42 Program 30 – Workforce Development...................................................................... 1E-1-42 Goal 6: Energy Conservation and Sustainable Development .......................................... 1E-1-43 Program 31 – Reduce or Waive Fees for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)...................... 1E-1-43 Goal 7: Prevent Displacement and Homelessness ......................................................... 1E-1-44 Program 32 – Opportunity to Purchase Act ............................................................... 1E-1-44 Program 33 – Mobile Home Parks ............................................................................ 1E-1-44 Program 34 – Eviction Protection Program ................................................................ 1E-1-47 Program 35 – Replacement Units ............................................................................. 1E-1-47 Program 36 – Homeless Assistance .......................................................................... 1E-1-48 Program 37 – At-Risk Housing.................................................................................. 1E-1-50 Quantified Objectives ................................................................................................ 1E-1-52

Section 1E-2: Sites Inventory ....................................................................................... 1E-2-1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1E-2-1 Regional Housing Needs Allocation........................................................................... 1E-2-1 Approved Residential Projects .................................................................................. 1E-2-2 Sites Inventory ......................................................................................................... 1E-2-11 Accessory Dwelling Units ......................................................................................... 1E-2-69 RHNA Summary........................................................................................................ 1E-2-70 Availability of Infrastructure and Services .................................................................. 1E-2-71 Environmental Constraints and Hazards..................................................................... 1E-2-74 Financial Resources.................................................................................................. 1E-2-78

Section 1E-3: Local Assessment of Fair Housing ......................................................... 1E-3-1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1E-3-1 Background .............................................................................................................. 1E-3-1 Outreach .................................................................................................................. 1E-3-2 Fair Housing Assessment ......................................................................................... 1E-3-6 Patterns of Integration and Segregation .................................................................... 1E-3-9 Concentrated Areas of Race and Income .................................................................. 1E-3-25 Access to Opportunity .............................................................................................. 1E-3-47 Housing Mobility ....................................................................................................... 1E-3-72 Disproportionate Housing Needs and Displacement Risk........................................... 1E-3-79 Other Relevant Factors and Local Knowledge............................................................ 1E-3-108 Enforcement and Outreach Capacity ........................................................................ 1E-3-126 Housing Sites Analysis.............................................................................................. 1E-3-136 Fair Housing Issues, Contributing Factors, Meaningful Actions................................... 1E-3-161

Section 1E-4: Constraints...........................................................................................1E-4-1

Land Use Controls ......................................................................................................... 1E-4-1 Site Improvements ......................................................................................................... 1E-4-16 Zoning for a Variety of Housing Types........................................................................... 1E-4-18 Density Bonus ............................................................................................................... 1E-4-35 Processing and Permit Procedures................................................................................ 1E-4-36 Building Codes and Enforcement................................................................................... 1E-4-49 Fees and Exactions........................................................................................................ 1E-4-57 Constraints on Housing for Persons with Disabilities ..................................................... 1E-4-62 At-Risk Analysis ............................................................................................................. 1E-4-65

Section 1E-5: Review of Past Accomplishments..................................................1E-5-1

Major Accomplishments ................................................................................................. 1E-5-1 Progress Toward Meeting the RHNA.............................................................................. 1E-5-2 Program Evaluation........................................................................................................ 1E-5-2

Section 1E-6: Public Outreach and Engagement ...................................................1E-6-1

Community Workshops and Meetings ........................................................................... 1E-6-1 Summary of Revisions Made During HCD Review Process ........................................... 1E-6-19 Planning Commission and City Council Study Sessions (September 2022 and July 2023)................................................................................. 1E-6-20 Regional Focus Groups (October/November 2022)........................................................ 1E-6-21 Regional and Local Stakeholder Consultations (Summer/Fall 2022)............................... 1E-6-21 Noticing ......................................................................................................................... 1E-6-27

Section 1E-7: Detailed Sites Inventory Tables.........................................................1E-7-1

Section 1E-8: Public Comments Received on the Housing Element...................1E-8-1

FIGURES

Figure 1E-2.1: Housing Capacity on Vacant and Non-Vacant Sites by Category, All Income Levels .............................................................................................................. 1E-2-38 Figure 1E-2.2: Lower-Income Site Capacity by Category............................................... 1E-2-39 Figure 1E-2.5: IIGC Sites HD8 - HD9 (Bing Kong and Peacock Sites in Chinatown) ....... 1E-2-44 Figure 1E-2.6: West Shaw Avenue Town Center Sites, Fresno 2023 ............................. 1E-2-58 Figure 1E-2.7: Sites Inventory, City of Fresno, 2024 ...................................................... 1E-2-67 Figure 1E-2.8: Environmental Constraints and Hazards, 100-year Flood Zones, Fresno 2023 ................................................................................................................. 1E-2-76 Figure 1E-2.9: Environmental Constraints and Hazards, Airport Safety Zones, Fresno 2023 ............................................................................................................................. 1E-2-77 Figure 1E-3.1: Neighborhood Map, City of Fresno ......................................................... 1E-3-8 Figure 1E-3.2: Population by Race and Hispanic Origin, Fresno, 2019 ......................... 1E-3-10 Figure 1E-3.3: Racial Segregation/Integration by Census Tract, City of Fresno ............. 1E-3-13 Figure 1E-3.4: Median Household Income by Race, Fresno, 2020 ................................. 1E-3-15 Figure 1E-3.5: Median Household Income, Fresno, 2019 ............................................... 1E-3-16 Figure 1E-3.6: Percent of Households in Poverty by Race or Hispanic Origin, Fresno, 2020 ............................................................................................................................. 1E-3-17 Figure 1E-3.7: Distribution of Poverty, Fresno, 2019...................................................... 1E-3-18 Figure 1E-3.8: Percent of Children in Married Couple Households, Fresno, 2019......... 1E-3-20

APPENDIX 1E: TABLE OF CONTENTS

Figure 1E-3.9: Percent of Children in Single-Female Headed Households, Fresno, 2019 ........................................................................................ 1E-3-21 Figure 1E-3.10: Percentage of the Population with a Disability in City of Fresno ............. 1E-3-24 Figure 1E-3.11: Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty, Fresno, 2013 ........... 1E-3-27 Figure 1E-3.12: Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Affluence, Fresno, 2019 ....... 1E-3-45 Figure 1E-3.13: TCAC Opportunity Areas - Composite Score, Region, 2022 ................... 1E-3-50 Figure 1E-3.14: TCAC Opportunity Areas - Composite Score, Fresno, 2022.................... 1E-3-51 Figure 1E-3.15: TCAC Opportunity Areas - Education Score, Fresno, 2021 .................... 1E-3-53 Figure 1E-3.16: Jobs Proximity Index, Fresno, 2017 ........................................................ 1E-3-55 Figure 1E-3.17: Labor Market Engagement Index, Fresno.............................................. 1E-3-57 Figure 1E-3.18: AllTransit Performance Score, Fresno, 2019 ......................................... 1E-3-58 Figure 1E-3.19: Fresno Area Express (FAX) System Map ............................................. 1E-3-60 Figure 1E-3.20: Handy Ride Service Area Map, 2023 .................................................... 1E-3-61 Figure 1E-3.21: Transportation Cost Index, Fresno County Region, 2017 ...................... 1E-3-63 Figure 1E-3.22: Transportation Cost Index, Fresno, 2017 ............................................... 1E-3-64 Figure 1E-3.23: TCAC Opportunity Areas - Environmental Score, Fresno, 2022 ............. 1E-3-67 Figure 1E-3.24: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Scores, Fresno ..................................................... 1E-3-68 Figure 1E-3.25: SB 535 Disadvantaged Communities ..................................................... 1E-3-71 Figure 1E-3.26: Housing Tenure by Race and Hispanic Origin ....................................... 1E-3-73 Figure 1E-3.27: Renter Households in Fresno, 2019 ....................................................... 1E-3-74 Figure 1E-3.28: Vacant Units by Type, City of Fresno, 2020............................................ 1E-3-75 Figure 1E-3.29: Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Usage, Fresno ..................................... 1E-3-78 Figure 1E-3.30: Overcrowding in Fresno, 2020 ............................................................... 1E-3-82 Figure 1E-3.31: Percent of Renters Overpaying, Fresno, 2014-2019 ............................... 1E-3-86 Figure 1E-3.32: Percent of Homeowners Overpaying, Fresno, 2014-2019 ....................... 1E-3-87 Figure 1E-3.33: Locations of Unsheltered Camping (2023) and Supportive Infrastructure .............................................................................................. 1E-3-90 Figure 1E-3.34: Communities Sensitive to Displacement, Fresno..................................... 1E-3-95 Figure 1E-3.35: Estimated Displacement Risk - 2019 ...................................................... 1E-3-98 Figure 1E-3.36: Estimated Displacement Risk - 0% - 50% AMI (2019)........................... 1E-3-99 Figure 1E-3.37: Estimated Displacement Risk - 50% - 80% AMI (2019)......................... 1E-3-100 Figure 1E-3.38: Transform Fresno Displacement Program Area....................................... 1E-3-102 Figure 1E-3.39: HOLC Maps, Fresno, 1936 .................................................................... 1E-3-112 Figure 1E-3.40: Zoning Map, City of Fresno..................................................................... 1E-3-115 Figure 1E-3.41: Priority Areas for Development Incentives, City of Fresno....................... 1E-3-120 Figure 1E-3.42: Sequencing of Development, City of Fresno General Plan...................... 1E-3-122 Figure 1E-3.43: Public Housing Buildings......................................................................... 1E-3-125 Figure 1E-3.44: Sites Inventory by Census Tract, City of Fresno, September 2024 ....... 1E-3-142 Figure 1E-3.45: Distribution of Housing Capacity by Community Plan/Specific Plan Area .................................................................................................................. 1E-3-143 Figure 1E-3.46: Sum of Total Housing Capacity by Population Majority of Census Tract .................................................................................................................. 1E-3-148 Figure 1E-3.47: Housing Capacity and Median Income by Block Group .......................... 1E-3-150 Figure 1E-3.48: Sites Inventory and Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (R/ECAP)................................................................................................. 1E-3-152 Figure 1E-3.49: Sum of Total Housing Capacity by R/ECAP or RCAA .......................... 1E-3-153 Figure 1E-3.50: Sites Inventory and Racially Concentrated Areas of Affluence (RCAA) ................................................................................................................ 1E-3-154

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Figure 1E-3.51: Sum of Total Housing Capacity and TCAC Opportunity Areas ................. 1E-3-156 Figure 1E-3.52: Sites Inventory and TCAC Opportunity Areas........................................ 1E-3-157 Figure 1E-3.53: Sum of Housing Capacity and Areas at Risk of Displacement ............... 1E-3-159 Figure 1E-3.54: Sites Inventory and Areas at Risk of Displacement .............................. 1E-3-160 Figure 1E-4.1: Assembly Bill 2097 Areas, Fresno 2023 ................................................. 1E-4-12 Figure 1E-4.2: Potential Sites For Emergency Shelters, Fresno, 2023 ........................... 1E-4-25 Figure 1E-6.1: Community Workshop For The Housing Element Update, August 31, 2022 ................................................................................................................ 1E-6-3 Figure 1E-6.2: Participant Responses “What do you think are the most critical housing issues in Fresno?........................................................................................ 1E-6-5 Figure 1E-6.3: Participant Responses to “Any suggestions for more community involvement?” ........................................................................................................ 1E-6-6 Figure 1E-6.4: One of the Five Community Workshops for the Housing Element Update....................................................................................................................... 1E-6-10 Figure 1E-6.5: One of the Six Community Workshops for the Draft Housing Element Update....................................................................................................................... 1E-6-13

TABLES

Table 1E-1.1: Summary of Quantified Objectives, 2023-2031.......................................... 1E-1-52 Table 1E-2.1: Regional Housing Needs Allocation (June 30, 2023, to December 31, 2031) ......................................................................................................................... 1E-2-1 Table 1E-2.2: Analysis of Market-Rate Rental Affordability ............................................ 1E-2-3 Table 1E-2.3: Planned or Approved Projects, City of Fresno, February 2024................... 1E-2-5 Table 1E-2.4: Vacant Land with Final Subdivision Maps Under Construction, City of Fresno, June 2023 ....................................................................................................... 1E-2-11 Table 1E-2.5: Density Assumptions for Residential Districts ........................................... 1E-2-15 Table 1E-2.6: Density Assumptions for Mixed Use Zones.............................................. 1E-2-17 Table 1E-2.7: Density Assumptions for Downtown Districts ........................................... 1E-2-20 Table 1E-2.8: Downtown Fresno Infill Infrastructure Grant Sites .................................... 1E-2-41 Table 1E-2.9: Publicly-Owned Sites ............................................................................... 1E-2-45 Table 1E-2.10: Large Sites (Excluding West Shaw Avenue Town Center) ...................... 1E-2-52 Table 1E-2.11: West Shaw Avenue Town Center Sites ................................................... 1E-2-55 Table 1E-2.12: Summary of Recent Developments on Large Sites................................. 1E-2-59 Table 1E-2.13: AB 725 Compliance............................................................................... 1E-2-66 Table 1E-2.14: ADU Building Permits, 2018-2023......................................................... 1E-2-69 Table 1E-2.15: RHNA Summary, Fresno, September 2024 ............................................ 1E-2-70 Table 1E-2.16: Housing Funding Resources, City of Fresno, 2019-2022 ....................... 1E-2-79 Table 1E-2.17: Other Financial Resources and Programs .............................................. 1E-2-80 Table 1E-3.1: Population by Race and Hispanic Origin, Fresno, 2000-2020 ................... 1E-3-9 Table 1E-3.2: Dissimilarity Index Scores for City of Fresno and Fresno County, 2020 ..... 1E-3-11 Table 1E-3.3: Families with Children, Fresno, 1990-2020 .............................................. 1E-3-19 Table 1E-3.4: Domains and List of Indicators for Opportunity Maps ............................... 1E-3-48 Table 1E-3.5: Housing Tenure by Number of Bedrooms (2020) .................................... 1E-3-76 Table 1E-3.6: Demographics of Disproportionate Housing Needs, 2017 ........................ 1E-3-79 Table 1E-3.7: Tenure and Occupants per Room, Fresno, 2020...................................... 1E-3-81 Table 1E-3.8: Overview of Cost Burden in Fresno, 2019 ............................................... 1E-3-83 Table 1E-3.9: Cost Burden in Fresno, 2010-2019 ......................................................... 1E-3-84 Table 1E-3.10: Demographic Characteristics of the Homeless Population, Fresno-Madera COC, 2023 ................................................................................................... 1E-3-92

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-v

APPENDIX 1E: TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table 1E-3.11: City and County of Fresno Services to Address Homelessness ................. 1E-3-92 Table 1E-3.12: Hired Farm Labor (Countywide), 2017 ..................................................... 1E-3-105 Table 1E-3.13: Migrant Student Enrollment ....................................................................... 1E-3-106 Table 1E-3.14: Residential Development Built Between July 2013 and July 2020 ........... 1E-3-114 Table 1E-3.15: Public Housing Units by Fresno Housing, 2023 ....................................... 1E-3-124 Table 1E-3.16: City of Fresno Compliance with Fair Housing Laws .................................. 1E-3-128 Table 1E-3.17: Fair Housing Advocacy Organizations, Fresno County .............................. 1E-3-130 Table 1E-3.18: Housing Discrimination Complaints Filed with HUD, Fresno County, 2006-2020 .......................................................................................................... 1E-3-131 Table 1E-3.19: Housing Discrimination Complaints Filed with HUD, City of Fresno, 2015-2019 .......................................................................................................... 1E-3-131 Table 1E-3.20: Fair Housing Cases Opened by FHCCC, City of Fresno, 2017-2020 ..... 1E-3-132 Table 1E-3.21: Discrimination Complaints, City of Fresno (March 1 – August 30, 2021) .................................................................................................................. 1E-3-133 Table 1E-3.22: Housing Capacity by Census Tract, City of Fresno, 2023-2031 ............. 1E-3-137 Table 1E-3.23: Housing Capacity by Community Plan/Specific Plan Area ....................... 1E-3-145 Table 1E-3.24: Housing Capacity and Median Income of Census Tract ........................... 1E-3-149 Table 1E-3.25: TCAC Opportunity Areas by Census Tract, City of Fresno ...................... 1E-3-155 Table 1E-3.26: Housing Capacity by Percent of Renter Overpayment .............................. 1E-3-158 Table 1E-3.27: Housing Capacity by Percent of Homeowner Overpayment ...................... 1E-3-159 Table 1E-3.28: Summary of Fair Housing Issues, Contributing Factors, and Meaningful Actions to AFFH, City of Fresno ..................................................... 1E-3-161 Table 1E-4.1: Fresno General Plan Land Use Designations .............................................. 1E-4-1 Table 1E-4.2: City of Fresno Development Standards by Zoning District .......................... 1E-4-6 Table 1E-4.3: Summary of Mixed-Use Density Increases ................................................... 1E-4-8 Table 1E-4.4: Residential Parking Requirements ............................................................... 1E-4-11 Table 1E-4.5: Minimum On-Site Open Space Requirements, City of Fresno ..................... 1E-4-13 Table 1E-4.6: Analysis of Multifamily Zone Requirements for Prototype Site Development ........................................................................................................ 1E-4-15 Table 1E-4.7: Summary of Potential Sites for Emergency Shelters, Fresno, 2023 ............ 1E-4-23 Table 1E-4.8: Potential Sites for Emergency Shelters, Fresno, 2023 ................................ 1E-4-27 Table 1E-4.9: Variety of Housing Types – Land Use Regulations ..................................... 1E-4-33 Table 1E-4.10: Planning Permits and Actions* .................................................................. 1E-4-37 Table 1E-4.11: Timelines for Permit Procedures ................................................................ 1E-4-43 Table 1E-4.12: Approvals and Processing Times for Typical Developments ..................... 1E-4-44 Table 1E-4.13: Fees for Residential Development as of July 1, 2022 ................................ 1E-4-58 Table 1E-4.14: Fees for Sample Residential Developments .............................................. 1E-4-61 Table 1E-4.15: Assisted Housing Developments At-Risk of Conversion by 2033, City of Fresno ............................................................................................................. 1E-4-66 Table 1E-4.16: Estimated Cost to Subsidize Rents, Fresno, 2022 ..................................... 1E-4-68 Table 1E-5.1: Building Permits Issued During Fifth Cycle RHNA Period ......................... 1E-5-2 Table 1E-5.2: Evaluation of Fresno 2015-2023 Housing Element Implementation Measures ............................................................................................................. 1E-5-11 Table 1E-6.1: Community Workshops and Meetings on the Fresno Housing Element to Date ................................................................................................................. 1E-6-2 Table 1E-7.1 Capacity on Vacant Sites, City of Fresno, July 2024 .................................. 1E-7-1 Table 1E-7.2 Capacity on Underutilized Non-vacant Sites, City of Fresno, July 2024 ...... 1E-7-41

SECTION 1E-0: SUMMARY OF NEEDS AND CONDITIONS

Housing Needs Assessment

The following is a summary of major findings from the Housing Needs Assessment (Section 2) for the City of Fresno that informed the goals, policies, and programs of the updated Housing Element:

• The City’s population increased by 1.2 percent on average between 2000 and 2022, which was lower than the countywide average annual growth rate of 2.0 percent. However, the number of households in Fresno increased by 0.7 percent between 2010 and 2020, a rate equal to the rate of growth countywide.

• The largest group of residents in Fresno by age were young adults (25 to 44 years, 29.3 percent of residents). A similar percentage were school-age students (5 to 17 years, 28.3 percent of residents), and a slightly smaller percentage were middle-aged adults (45 to 64 years, 20.3 percent of residents). The city’s median age was 31.4 years. Typically, younger adult residents need multifamily options, homes with three or more-bedroom units, and ownership opportunities. A large proportion of school age students indicates that there may be a need for more affordable homes with adequate sizes for families. Younger adults and middle-aged adults, which make up the workforce, may need homes near employment or transit.

• Just over half of the residents of Fresno, 50.5 percent, identified as Hispanic or Latino of any race. This is slightly lower than the countywide rate of 53.4 percent of residents.

• The median household income in Fresno in 2020 was $53,568, slightly lower than the countywide median income of $57,109. In comparison, the California statewide median household income was $78,672 in 2022.

• In 2020, the most common industry for employment in Fresno was educational services, and health care and social assistance, with 25.3 percent of employed residents working in this field. In 2022, 4.6 percent of Fresno residents were unemployed.

• Over half of all households in Fresno (53.2 percent) were renters as of 2020. The rate of homeownership in Fresno was 46.8 percent, which was lower than the countywide average of 53.7 percent.

• Fresno’s vacancy rate in 2022 was 3.8 percent across all housing units, regardless of tenure. This was a notable decrease from its 2010 vacancy rate of 7.6 percent.

• Between 2021 and 2022, the average sale price of a home in Fresno increased by 19.8 percent. Average sale prices rose 15.4 percent in the county as a whole during the same period. Lower-income households typically require assistance through City, County, State, or federal homebuyers’ programs to purchase a home. For example, a down payment assistance loan program can help a household that can afford monthly mortgage payments and other housing-related costs but due to their limited income, has difficulty saving enough money for a down payment. In response to this need, the City has included Program 19 to continue the Llaves de tu Casa Iniciativa, which provides home buyer assistance to Fresno residents, as well as promote the availability of Fresno County’s Homebuyer Assistance Program.

SECTION 1E-0: SUMMARY OF NEEDS AND CONDITIONS

• The age of a community’s housing stock can provide a general indicator of overall housing conditions. In general, housing units over 30 years old are likely to exhibit signs of rehabilitation needs, such as new roofing, foundation work, and new plumbing. Over half of all housing units in Fresno (56.7 percent) were built more than 30 years ago, and 34.5 percent were built more than 50 years ago. Countywide, rates of housing stock in similar age brackets were 64.5 and 32.9 percent, respectively. If not already rehabilitated, these homes will likely need repair.

  • In response to this need, the City has included Program 22, which aims to connect lower-income households with rehabilitation resources during the planning period and complete a third of these in areas of concentrated poverty with older housing stock to facilitate place-based revitalization.

  • Additional resources to assist with home rehabilitation are listed in the Regional Multijurisdictional Housing Element in Section 4, Opportunities for Residential Development, in the subsection called Financial and Administrative Resources.

• Although trends of overpayment in the city of Fresno have decreased since 2010, Fresno still had a higher rate of households overpaying for housing than the county as a whole in 2018, with 41.3 percent of all households in the city overpaying for housing compared to 37.8 percent across the county. Similarly, the number of lower-income households overpaying for housing was higher in Fresno (74.8 percent in Fresno compared to 70.6 percent countywide). This shows a need for financial support, affordable units, and homeowner assistance programs. For example, a down payment assistance loan program can help a renter household achieve homeownership with a loan that enables them to afford monthly mortgage payments and other housing-related costs.

  • To address the overpayment of housing, the City will maintain adequate sites to meet the lower- and moderate-income RHNA throughout the entire planning period. The City has included Program 2 to provide for a variety of housing opportunities in high resource areas, Program 11 to provide incentives for housing development, and Program 25 to reduce barriers to housing development.

  • Federal and state resources such as the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, HOME Investment Partnership Act Funds, CalHOME, the California Housing Finance Agency, as well as local resources such as the First Time Homebuyer Assistance Program and Habitat for Humanity are available to provide financial assistance to renters and homeowners.

  • Additional resources to fund affordable housing activities are described in the Regional Multijurisdictional Housing Element in Section 4, Opportunities for Residential Development, in the subsection called Financial and Administrative Resources.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• Fresno had a lower rate of large households, those with five or more members, compared to the county as a whole (16.9 percent of households in Fresno compared to 18.1 percent countywide). Large households may experience difficulty finding housing that is affordable and has more than three bedrooms; as a result, overcrowding may occur. According to estimates from the U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS), of the 170,137 housing units in the city as of 2020, approximately 68,131 units have at least three bedrooms and an additional 29,738 units have more than four bedrooms. Among these larger units, 69.4 percent are owner occupied (67,935 units) and 30.6 percent are renter occupied (29,934 units). Based on this data, the City concludes that there is a sufficient availability of units suitable for large family households. However, large households would benefit from the additional development of affordable rental multi-family units with three or more bedrooms.

• In response to these needs, the City is including Program 24, which seeks to apply additional funding sources for a variety of housing types for special needs groups, including large households.

• In 2020, the city had a similar rate of overcrowding (6.2 percent of households) compared to the county as a whole (6.1 percent of households). There was a higher rate of severe overcrowding in Fresno (4.6 percent of households) than in the county as a whole (3.6 percent). As shown in the Assessment of Fair Housing, overcrowding is more prevalent in Southwest Fresno, Downtown, and in central core neighborhoods of the city, which correspond with the racially concentrated areas of poverty.

• To address overcrowding, the City will maintain adequate sites to meet the lower- and moderate-income RHNA throughout the entire planning period. The City has included Program 2 to provide for a variety of housing opportunities in high resource areas, Program 11 to provide incentives for housing development, and Program 25 to reduce barriers to housing development.

• In 2020, the percentage of Fresno’s population that was aged 65 or older was very similar to the percentage in the county as a whole (10.9 percent in Fresno compared to 12.0 percent of the county). Around two-thirds (66.1 percent) of Fresno’s senior households were homeowner households. Of the total number of seniors living in the city, 44.5 percent had a disability. Households headed by someone 65 or older often experience a combination of factors that can make accessing or keeping affordable housing a challenge. Seniors and persons with disabilities are especially likely to live on fixed incomes and require accessibility modifications to homes to support mobility and independent living.

• Resources including the Fresno/Madera Area Agency on Aging (FMAAA) provide seniors with connections to programs, services, and resources that defray the cost of living, which can be a lifeline for seniors with lower incomes. In addition, the Central California Food Bank includes senior hunger programs to assist those seniors with their nutritional needs.

• In response to these needs, the City has included Program 22 to provide exterior repair services to seniors and provides funds to non-profits for home rehabilitation programs for lower-income households. In addition, Program 24 seeks to apply additional funding sources for a variety of housing types for special needs groups, including seniors.

SECTION 1E-0: SUMMARY OF NEEDS AND CONDITIONS

• The percentage of Fresno households with single female heads of household was higher than the countywide rate (8.0 percent in the city compared to 7.3 percent in the county). Additionally, 36.1 percent of single-female-headed households in Fresno were living under the poverty level, which is higher than the rate in the county as a whole (34.0 percent countywide).
  • Key resources for this special-needs population include Centro La Familia, which provides support services to families and victims of domestic violence and sexual assault; California Rural Legal Assistance, which provides legal and housing counseling; Green Raiteros, which provides transportation, workforce development, and small business advancement; and Rural Mobile Health, which provides no-cost medical services. These services can be crucial for female-headed, single-parent households. In addition, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Program helps eligible needy families who have children under the age of 19 with cash assistance, Medi-Cal, and employment services.
  • In response to this need, the City has included Program 24, which seeks to apply additional funding sources for a variety of housing types for special needs groups, including single female heads of households.
• Due to proximity to services, Fresno had a higher rate of residents with disabilities than the county as a whole (13.8 percent compared to 12.9 percent across the county). Ambulatory difficulties were the most commonly reported disability.
  • Key resources for persons with disabilities include the Fair Housing Council of Central California and Resources for Independence Central Valley. Other resources such as Rural Mobile Health allows for medical services and screenings at no-cost.
  • In response to this need, the City has included Program 24, which seeks to apply additional funding sources for a variety of housing types for special needs groups, including those with disabilities.
• The 2023 Point-in-Time count estimated that 3,207 persons were experiencing homelessness in the city of Fresno at the time of the count. It is estimated that approximately 1,819 of those residents were unsheltered, representing a 7 percent increase in the unsheltered homeless population in Fresno.
  • Several services are available to homeless residents locally and in the region, including those provided by Catholic Social Services, Emergency Housing Center (Plaza Terrace), Evangel Home, Inc., United Way, Fresno Rescue Mission, and Marjaree Mason Center. A comprehensive list and description of resources is included in the Regional Multijurisdictional Housing Element in Section 2, Regional Housing Needs Assessment, in the subsection called Homeless.
  • To prevent displacement and homelessness in the City of Fresno, the City has included Programs 32, which allows for qualifying tenants and local non-profits the opportunity to purchase existing buildings to be used and/or maintained for affordable housing. Program 33 protects mobile home park residents from excessive rent increases, while Program 35 enforces the provision of replacement housing units. In addition, Program 36 invests in various housing and emergency shelters to serve people experiencing homelessness, Program 37 and preserves at-risk units from converting into market rate housing.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• Of the 58,762 year-round and seasonal farmworkers across the county in 2017, 37,819 workers (64.3 percent) worked 150 days or more each year and 35.7 percent worked less than 150 days per year. An estimated 4.3 percent of Fresno’s employed population worked in agriculture, which is lower than the countywide rate (8.8 percent) and is the second-lowest rate of employment in agriculture in the county behind the City of Clovis. Looking at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Census of Farmworkers data, the number of permanent farmworkers in Fresno County has decreased slightly from 2002 to 2017, decreasing from 18,751 to 16,876 farmworkers.

• Farmworkers face unique challenges in securing affordable housing due to a combination of having limited English language skills, very low household incomes, and difficulty qualifying for rental units or home purchase loans. Farmworkers may face added affordable housing challenges due to their immigration status. Despite the decrease of farmworkers living in Fresno County on a permanent basis, farmworkers remain essential to Fresno County’s economy as well as to local and national food supplies, and their need to have safe and affordable housing resources must be addressed.

• A list of organizations that provide resources and support to Central Valley farmworkers is included in Section 1E-3: Fair Housing. Additional resources to assist farmworkers are listed in the Regional Multijurisdictional Housing Element in Table 2-45, Resources for Farmworkers.

• Through Program 24, the City will identify development opportunities for farmworker housing and meet with farmworker housing developers and advocates on a biannual basis to discuss their needs and offer assistance in the form of letters of recommendation for grant applications and discuss incentives for constructing farmworker housing. The City will also offer incentives such as density bonuses, streamlined processing, and the minor deviation process to facilitate development of farmworker housing. Extremely low-income residents (those earning 30 percent or less of median income) made up 15.5 percent of the total households in Fresno. Of those, 84.7 percent were renter households. This indicates a greater need for rental housing to support extremely low-income households. Extremely low-income households typically consist of minimum wage workers, seniors on fixed incomes, persons with disabilities, and farmworkers. Some extremely low-income households may also have large families or include household members with mental or other disabilities and special needs and require supportive services. This income group is disproportionately likely to live in overcrowded and substandard housing conditions. A total of 82.9 percent of extremely low-income households were overpaying for housing, a higher rate than low-income households (74.8 percent). Overall, 41.3 percent of households in Fresno are overpaying for housing. Given the significantly higher rates of overpayment among extremely low-income households, there is a great need for financial support and affordable units to meet the needs of this population. Without adequate assistance this group has a high risk of homelessness. Virtually all extremely low-income households are expected to need aid, including housing cost subsidies and social services.

SECTION 1E-0: SUMMARY OF NEEDS AND CONDITIONS

• Key resources such as Section 8 rental assistance (i.e., Housing Choice Vouchers), the Central California Food Bank, Emergency Shelter Grant Program, Rural Development Loans and Grants, and Rental Rehabilitation Program can assist extremely low-income households with providing essential social services, prevent homelessness, and connect individuals with affordable housing. Additional resources to fund affordable housing activities are described in the Regional Multijurisdictional Housing Element in Section 4, Opportunities for Residential Development, in the subsection called Financial and Administrative Resources.
• While there are 26,300 extremely low-income households in the city, the total RHNA for both very low- and extremely low-income units for this Housing Element was 9,440. Therefore, there will still be an unmet need for housing extremely low-income households even if the City meets its quantified objectives for this Housing Element cycle. The City has included numerous programs to construct, rehabilitate, and conserve affordable housing for extremely low-, very low-, and low-income households. Program 11 calls for the construction of 1,200 extremely low-income units to prevent displacement and provide housing mobility opportunities, while Program 12 calls upon the City to establish a Local Housing Trust fund to develop 320 units for extremely low-, very low-, to low-income households. In addition, Program 24 seeks to apply additional funding sources for a variety of housing types for special needs groups, Program 20 seeks to increase availability of information and access to Section 8 rental assistance and units in resource-rich neighborhoods, Program 22 seeks to connect lower-income households with resources for the rehabilitation and conservation of very low- and extremely low-income units, and Program 36 calls upon the City to provide shelter, housing/rental assistance, and case management services for persons that are homeless, threatened with homelessness, or in need of housing assistance after completing a transitional living program.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

The intent of the Housing Element is to ensure that the City makes a meaningful effort and commits available resources to meeting the housing needs of all economic segments of the community. The Housing Element sets forth long-term goals and policies, as do other General Plan Elements, but also provides specific implementation programs to meet those needs, as specified in state law. The housing policies included in the City of Fresno’s Housing Element, as well as the actions (implementation programs) that the City will undertake to meet its housing needs, are informed by extensive community input and recommendations from the following reports developed by the City of Fresno and other entities:

Published by City of Fresno

• One Fresno Fiscal Year 2023–2025 Housing Strategy – Published in 2022, this local housing strategy includes recommendations consolidated from over 3,000 residents via meetings and other reports that include input from public, community, nonprofit, philanthropic, and corporate representatives to facilitate more housing production and maintain affordability.
• Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice and Annual Action Plan – Every five years, the City carries out a planning process to identify the scope of housing and community development needs in its jurisdiction and to determine how available federal funding can best be used to meet those needs. As part of the plan, a community needs survey was deployed and received input from more than 500 individuals.
• Downtown Neighborhoods Community Plan – Adopted in 2016, this Community Plan is the result of an intense public process that involved input from over 300 residents, business owners, and property owners from Fresno’s Downtown Neighborhoods in a series of public meetings and a six-day, open, participatory design workshop.

Published by Other Entities

• Street2Home Framework to Action Report – Prepared in 2018 by Barbara Poppe and Associates, the report outlines a strategic framework to end homelessness in the Fresno community. The process was guided by a steering committee and feedback sessions with community leaders and represents input from 36 agencies. It assesses Fresno’s overall strengths and opportunities and offers recommendations on proven practices that have been shown to reduce homelessness in other communities.
• DRIVE’s Permanent Affordable Housing Plan – Launched in 2019, the Fresno D.R.I.V.E. Initiative (Developing the Region’s Inclusive and Vibrant Economy) is a 10-year Community Investment Plan drafted with input from a 300-person steering committee representing over 150 organizations in the Greater Fresno Region.
• Evicted in Fresno: Facts for Housing Advocates – Published in 2019, the study by Dr. Janine Nkosi, Dr. Amber Crowell, and Karla Arana of Central California Legal Services, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, and Faith in the Valley examines the degree of eviction rates and causes across the city of Fresno.

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-1-1

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

• Here to Stay: A Policy-Based Blueprint for Displacement Avoidance in Fresno – Published in 2021 by the Thrivance Group and funded by the California Strategic Growth Council as part of the Transformative Climate Communities work, the report represents input from more than 580 individuals who participated in City and partner-led workshops, surveys, and letter writings.
• Financing Valley Infill: How to Boost Sustainable Development in the San Joaquin Valley – Published in 2021 by the Council of Infill Builders, the report recommends options to boost infill housing in San Joaquin Valley downtowns and major transit corridors based on expertise of various state and local officials, architects, real estate investors, developers, and advocates.

GOALS AND POLICIES

The Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element provides an opportunity for countywide housing issues and needs to be more effectively addressed at the regional level rather than just at the local level, and the 15 participating jurisdictions are committed to continuing the regional collaboration in the implementation of the Housing Element. By working together, the jurisdictions can share best practices, explore opportunities for further collaboration, and make the best use of limited resources.

The regional goals and policies that will be adopted by all participating jurisdictions are contained in Chapter 5: Housing Plan. These regional goals and policies are reiterated below and supplemented with local goals and policies specific to the City of Fresno to address the unique housing needs of the Fresno community.

1. New Housing Development

Regional Goal 1 Facilitate and encourage the provision of a range of housing types to meet the diverse needs of residents.

Regional Policies

Policy 1.1 Provide adequate sites for new housing development through appropriate planned land use designations, zoning, and development standards to accommodate the regional housing needs for the 2023-2031 planning period.

Policy 1.2 Facilitate development of new housing for all economic segments of the community, including extremely low, very low-, low-, moderate-, and above moderate-income households.

Policy 1.3 Continue to direct new growth to urban areas in order to protect natural resources.

Policy 1.4 Promote balanced and orderly growth to minimize unnecessary development costs adding to the cost of housing.

Policy 1.5 Encourage infill housing development on vacant, by-passed, and underutilized lots within existing developed areas where essential public infrastructure is available.

Policy 1.6 Promote development of higher-density housing, mixed-use, and transit-oriented development in areas located along major transportation corridors and transit routes and served by the necessary infrastructure.

Policy 1.7 Ensure the adequate provision of water, sewer, storm drainage, roads, public facilities, and other infrastructure necessary to serve new housing.

Policy 1.8 Approve new housing in accordance with design standards that will ensure the safety, quality, integrity, and attractiveness of each housing unit.

Policy 1.9 Encourage development around employment centers that provides the opportunity for local residents to live and work in the same community by balancing job opportunities with housing types.

2. Affordable Housing

Regional Goal 2 Encourage and facilitate the development of affordable housing.

Regional Policies

Policy 2.1 Support innovative public, private, and nonprofit efforts in the development of affordable housing, particularly for the special needs groups.

Policy 2.2 Continue to support the efforts of the Fresno Housing Authority in its administration of Housing Choice Vouchers certificates and vouchers, and the development of affordable housing throughout the County.

Policy 2.3 Encourage development of affordable housing through the use of development incentives, such as the Density Bonus Ordinance, fee waivers or deferrals, and expedited processing.

Policy 2.4 Provide technical and financial assistance, where feasible, to developers, nonprofit organizations, or other qualified private sector interests in the application and development of projects for federal and state financing.

Policy 2.5 Pursue grant funding to subsidize the development of affordable housing for low-, very low-, and extremely low- income households through new construction, acquisition, and/or rehabilitation.

Policy 2.6 Encourage the development of second dwelling units to provide additional affordable housing opportunities.

Policy 2.7 Work to ensure that local policies and standards do not act to constrain the production of affordable housing units.

Policy 2.8 Expand homeownership opportunities to lower- and moderate-income households through downpayment assistance and other homeownership programs.

Policy 2.9 Encourage sweat equity programs as a means for increasing homeownership opportunities for lower-income residents.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Local Policies

Policy 2.10 Require 55-year affordable housing covenants for all developments receiving public funds, including but not limited to CDBG, HOME, ESG, Housing Trust Fund, Land Trust Funding, Impact Fee Waivers, and General Fund Contributions.

Policy 2.11 Housing developments with at least 20 percent affordable lower-income housing units shall be permitted by-right (without discretionary action) at appropriate densities, consistent with objective development and design standards, on lower-income sites counted in previous housing element cycles, in compliance with Government Code Section 65583.2. This policy shall take effect upon adoption of the housing element and administrative procedures will be developed by March 31, 2025, as necessary.

3. Housing and Neighborhood Conservation

Regional Goal 3 Improve and maintain the quality of housing and residential neighborhoods in Fresno County.

Regional Policies

Policy 3.1 Preserve the character, scale, and quality of established residential neighborhoods by protecting them from the encroachment of incompatible or potentially disruptive land uses and/or activities.

Policy 3.2 Assist low- income homeowners and owners of affordable rental properties in maintaining and improving residential properties through a variety of housing rehabilitation assistance programs.

Policy 3.3 Continue code enforcement efforts to work with property owners to preserve the existing housing stock.

Policy 3.4 Provide for the removal of all unsafe, substandard dwellings that cannot be economically repaired.

Policy 3.5 Invest in public service facilities (streets, curb, gutter, drainage, and utilities) to encourage increased private market investment in declining or deteriorating neighborhoods.

Policy 3.6 Preserve assisted rental housing for long-term occupancy by low- and moderate-income households.

4. Special Needs Housing

Regional Goal 4 Provide a range of housing types and services to meet the needs of individuals and households with special needs.

Regional Policies

Policy 4.1 Encourage public and private entity involvement early and often through the design, construction, and rehabilitation of housing that incorporates facilities and services for households with special needs.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Policy 4.2 Assist in local and regional efforts to secure funding for development and maintenance of housing designed for special needs populations such as seniors and persons with disabilities.

Policy 4.3 Support the use of available federal, state, and local resources to provide and enhance housing opportunities for farm workers.

Policy 4.4 Encourage development of affordable housing units to accommodate large households (three and four bedroom).

Policy 4.5 Ensure equal access to housing by providing reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities.

Policy 4.6 Working in partnership with the other jurisdictions and the private/non-profit sectors in Fresno County, facilitate the provision of housing and services for persons experiencing homelessness and those at-risk of becoming homeless.

5. Fair and Equal Housing Opportunities

Regional Goal 5 Promote housing opportunities for all residents regardless of age (over 40), race, religion, sex/gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, national origin, color, disability, genetic information, or military or veteran status.

Regional Policies

Policy 5.1 Support the enforcement of fair housing laws prohibiting discrimination in lending practices and in the development, financing, sale, or rental of housing.

Policy 5.2 Ensure local ordinances and development regulations provide equal housing opportunity for persons with disabilities.

Local Policies

Policy 5.3 Amplify community voices among multi-lingual and other historically underrepresented populations by building capacity for community-based and neighborhood organizations to conduct outreach, public education, and community development activities.

Policy 5.4 Promote mixed income neighborhoods with an equitable distribution of housing types for people of all incomes throughout the city by encouraging new affordable housing in high resource areas.

Policy 5.5 Invest in historically underserved communities to transform racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity, while working to promote housing stability and provide new stable housing opportunities for current residents to stay and enjoy the neighborhood investments.

Policy 5.6 Encourage developers and contractors to support local labor through job fairs, training and apprenticeship programs.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

6. Energy Conservation and Sustainable Development

Regional Goal 6 Encourage energy efficiency in all new and existing housing.

Regional Policies

Policy 6.1 Encourage the use of energy conserving techniques in the siting and design of new housing.

Policy 6.2 Actively implement and enforce all state energy conservation requirements for new residential construction.

Policy 6.3 Promote public awareness of the need for energy conservation.

7. Prevent Displacement and Homelessness

Local Goal 7 Protect Fresno residents from displacement and prevent and reduce homelessness.

Local Policies

Policy 7.1 Implement affordable housing preservation and renter protection strategies, especially in neighborhoods with racially concentrated areas of poverty and a high risk of renter vulnerability.

Policy 7.2 Protect residents from displacement and homelessness by preserving naturally occurring affordable housing and continuing to prohibit eviction without “just cause,” enforcing the adopted limitations on rent increases, and promoting agencies and service providers offering foreclosure services.

Policy 7.3 Allow tenants and qualified non-profit organizations the right of first offer and/or the refusal to purchase eligible properties on the market to prevent tenant displacement and create long-term affordability.

Policy 7.4 Support the preservation of existing mobile home parks throughout the city as an important source of affordable housing.

Policy 7.5 Work to provide solutions that are consistent with “Housing First” principles in that stable housing is the first, critical step towards addressing human needs.

Policy 7.6 Support development of accessory dwelling units (ADU) and other innovative housing types for persons at-risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Policy 7.7 Increase capacity and sustainability of emergency shelter and service providers.

Policy 7.8 Facilitate acquisition and conversion of motels and hotels for use as emergency shelters or triage shelter transition and affordable housing conversion and support neighborhood-scale planning efforts to create complete community around the converted residences.

Policy 7.9 Ensure quality of independent living facilities meets standards developed by the Independent Living Association (ILA).

IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMS

The City is committed to implementing the programs outlined below over the eight-year planning period. These implementation programs have been developed with community input and consideration for what the City could feasibly accomplish during the planning period with current staff resources. The implementation programs, which are organized by goal, are listed below:

Goal 1: New Housing Development

• Program 1– Maintain Adequate Sites
• Program 2 – Variety of Housing Opportunities in High Resource Areas
• Program 3 – Encourage and Facilitate Accessory Dwelling Units and Small Homes
• Program 4 – Streamline Development Review Process
• Program 5 – Large and Small Lot Development
• Program 6 – Objective Design Standards
• Program 7 – Adaptive Reuse
• Program 8 – List of Local Labor Unions and Apprenticeship Programs
• Program 9 – Use of Sites in Previous Housing Elements
• Program 10 – Annual Reporting Program

Goal 2: Affordable Housing

• Program 11 – Incentives for Housing Development
• Program 12 – Local Housing Trust Fund
• Program 13 – Pursue State and Federal Funding Sources for Housing Development
• Program 14 – Partnerships with Affordable Housing Developers
• Program 15 – Land Bank
• Program 16 – Community Land Trust
• Program 17 – Surplus Public Lands
• Program 18 – Mixed Income Neighborhood Trust (MINT)
• Program 19 – Home Buyer Assistance
• Program 20 – Housing Choice Voucher Incentive Program
• Program 21 – Advocate for Repeal of Article 34

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Goal 3: Housing and Neighborhood Conservation

• Program 22 – Housing Rehabilitation
• Program 23 – Comprehensive Code Enforcement

Goal 4: Special Needs Housing

• Program 24 – Special Needs Housing
• Program 25 – Development Code Amendments for Compliance with State Law and to Reduce Barriers to Housing Development

Goal 5: Fair and Equal Housing Opportunities

• Program 26 – Fair Housing Services
• Program 27 – Environmental Justice
• Program 28 – Equitable Community Investments
• Program 29 – Equitable Engagement
• Program 30 – Workforce Development

Goal 6: Energy Conservation and Sustainable Development

• Program 31 – Reduce or Waive Fees for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)

Goal 7: Prevent Displacement and Homelessness

• Program 32 – Opportunity to Purchase Act
• Program 33 – Mobile Home Parks
• Program 34 – Eviction Protection Program
• Program 35 – Replacement Units
• Program 36 – Homeless Assistance
• Program 37 – At-Risk Housing

Goal 1: New Housing Development

Program 1– Maintain Adequate Sites

The City shall continue to maintain a current inventory of Housing Element sites to ensure that it can adequately accommodate the 2023-2031 RHNA. The City shall continue to update the inventory on an ongoing basis as projects are approved and new sites are rezoned. To assist developers in identifying land suitable for residential development throughout the planning period, the City shall continue to make this information available to the public and developers online via the City’s website.

The City shall work with applicants of pipeline projects counted in the Housing Element sites inventory to facilitate development. The City shall coordinate with applicants to expedite remaining entitlements and support funding applications, as appropriate. The City shall monitor the rent and sale prices of pipeline projects as they are built and adjust affordability assumptions in the inventory to reflect actual rents and sale prices. If the adjustment of affordability assumptions results in a deficit in capacity to meet the RHNA, the City will take action to identify capacity to meet a shortfall in accordance with “no-net-loss” zoning requirements in Government Code Section 65863. The City shall annually monitor the progress made on the pipeline projects counted in the inventory and if entitlements expire or projects are otherwise not anticipated to be completed in the planning period, the City shall remove them from the approved project list, reclassify them as vacant/non-vacant opportunity sites as appropriate unless conditions are found that will preclude development in the planning period, and recalculate the capacity on the sites according to the methodology used in the sites inventory chapter. If entitlements expire or projects are otherwise not anticipated to be completed in the planning period and conditions are found that preclude development on identified sites in the planning period, the City will evaluate whether adequate sites are maintained to accommodate the RHNA by income group. If determined that the City no longer has sufficient capacity to meet the RHNA, the City will take action to identify additional sites within 180 days, which may require rezoning another parcel to allow for increased density.

To ensure sufficient residential capacity is maintained to accommodate the RHNA need, the City shall make findings related to the potential impact on the City’s ability to meet its unmet regional housing needs allocation when approving applications to rezone sites included in the lower- and moderate-income sites inventory or when approving applications to develop a lower- or moderate-income housing element site with fewer units or at a higher income than what is assumed for the site in the Housing Element sites inventory, consistent with “no-net-loss” zoning requirements in Government Code Section 65863. If at any point it is determined that the City does not have adequate capacity to meet the unmet lower- or moderate-income RHNA, the City shall identify and make available a replacement site within 180 days. The City shall prioritize finding replacement sites in high resource areas to affirmatively further fair housing goals. The City shall work with willing property owners to rezone sites and will conduct comprehensive outreach on the process prior to making any decisions.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Program 2 – Variety of Housing Opportunities in High Resource Areas

Although the Housing Element demonstrates adequate capacity to meet the RHNA at all income levels, a larger portion of the lower-income housing sites are in areas considered low resource and concentrated areas of poverty compared to the above moderate-income housing sites. This is partially due to policies to encourage infill and higher density development in the Downtown Fresno and other centrally located neighborhoods with access to services and transit but is also reflective of the predominance of single-family zoning in new growth areas at the periphery. Many of these new growth areas, particularly in North Fresno, have higher median incomes, more positive educational outcomes, and rank higher on access to opportunity. To increase housing mobility opportunities for lower-income households and encourage racially and socially inclusive neighborhoods, the City shall expand opportunities for a variety of housing types in high resource neighborhoods that are currently dominated by single-family zoning. This includes the following actions:

• The City will present potential sites or rezoning options for land in high and relatively higher resource and income areas, including RCAAs, for Council consideration to provide opportunities for higher density development in all areas of the city and reduce concentrations of poverty. This shall include developing zoning standards to permit residential conversions in the Office Zone District, housing as a permitted use on parcels zoned Office, allow ministerial approval of office-to-residential conversions, and allow ministerial approval of housing near bus stops, including in RM zones and in zone districts that allow mixed-use. Additionally, the City will bring forward a text amendment to the development code that would increase allowable density and permitted uses (e.g., multifamily) in single-family districts within ¼ mile of a transit stop of any type. If the objective of 2,500 units cannot be met within the Office Zone District, the City will work with willing property owners to identify additional sites.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• The City will identify and pursue opportunities to promote the development of affordable and mixed-income housing in high and relatively higher resource and income, including RCAAs, areas through outreach to and engagement with affordable housing developers and by supporting the attainment of financing, such as CDBG, HOME Funds, tax credits, and state AHSC funds.
• The City shall develop zoning standards to encourage missing middle and multi-unit housing types in currently single-family dominated neighborhoods. Missing middle and multi-unit housing types include accessory dwelling units, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, bungalow courts, courtyard apartments, live/work units, and SB 9 lot splits. The City shall review and amend the Development Code to incorporate objective standards to encourage these housing types in Residential Single-Family (RS) Districts. Zoning modifications may include but are not limited to increasing allowable heights and densities, reducing minimum lot sizes, and/or reducing open space and setback requirements to facilitate more diverse housing types. The City will develop objective design standards to ensure that new missing middle and multi-unit housing is compatible with the scale of existing residential neighborhoods.
• The City will incorporate Affirmatively Further Fair Housing analysis into decisions affecting funding and land use approvals for housing projects that require consideration by Planning Commission, City Council, or other boards and commissions as appropriate.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Support the development of 400 missing middle housing types (e.g., duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, SB-9 lot splits) in RS zones during the planning period to increase the supply of affordable units throughout the city, thereby increasing access to resources and facilitating housing mobility opportunities for lower-income households and creating racially and socially inclusive neighborhoods.

Program 3 – Encourage and Facilitate Accessory Dwelling Units and Small Homes

The City will encourage the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and small homes (i.e., smaller than average primary residences) to bridge the gap between predominantly single-family neighborhoods with higher median incomes and multifamily neighborhoods. A primary objective of this program is to increase the supply of affordable units and small homes throughout the city, thereby increasing access to resources and facilitating housing mobility opportunities for lower-income households:

• Continue to provide pre-approved ADU and small home plans on the City website to facilitate lower costs and expedited reviews for applicants. Expand marketing of these pre-approved plans such that homeowners in all areas of the city are made aware of this opportunity.
• Encourage designers to create ADU ‘standard plans’ within the City’s building plan review system to allow for fast-tracking of approval.
• Continue to implement the public education program advertising the opportunity for ADUs and small homes by updating informational handouts and brochures about ADUs and small homes that are available on the City’s website and at the public counter annually, or as needed to reflect changes in state law. Publish informational materials pertaining to ADUs and small homes in multiple languages and through a combination of media, including the City’s social media accounts and direct mailing. Promote public educational programs in all parts of the city.
• Provide informational materials on ADU and small home opportunities to all discretionary residential land use applicants.
• Develop partnerships with local builders and organizations such as California Tiny Homes, Pre-Fab Innovations, and Fresno City College’s Construction Department to facilitate opportunities for ADU and small home development, workforce development, and innovative strategies to construct units for landlords that make ADUs and small homes affordable housing for low- or very low-income households.
• Promote inclusion of ADUs as multi-generational housing in new development.
• Continue to work with partner agencies and funding entities to remove barriers to ADU development.
• Subsidize inspections fees for landlords that make ADUs as affordable housing for low- or very low-income households.
• Explore a subsidy for utility hook-ups such as water, sewer, and electricity for landlords that make ADUs affordable housing for low- or very low-income households.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• Encourage the use of the City’s free ADU and small home standard plans for farmworker dwelling units and cottage communities.
• Continue to provide ADU and small home resources on the City website, hotline, and email to answer questions on the program.
• Monitor the production and affordability of ADUs every two years and the progress made according to the assumptions in the inventory. Take alternative actions (e.g., additional incentives) within six months of finding if not meeting the assumptions in the sites inventory.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Program 4 – Streamline Development Review Process

The City will develop a preliminary application form and procedure or will adopt the Preliminary Application Form developed by HCD, pursuant to SB 330. The City will also establish a written policy and/or procedure, and other guidance as appropriate, to specify the SB 35 streamlining approval process and standards for eligible projects under Government Code Section 65913.4. The applications and guidance documents will be available on the City’s website for developers interested in pursuing the streamlined process or vesting rights.

The City shall conduct a review of local entitlement and permit processing procedures and identify ways to further streamline the development review process, including establishing a non-discretionary process to approve housing for qualifying developments based on size, type, affordability level, and location. The City will also amend the Development Code to remove appeal provisions for Development Permits or convert certain housing application types to ministerial if the project is consistent with the objective General Plan, zoning, subdivision, and design standards and criteria. Finally, the City will continue its commitment to providing navigation and concierge services to assist applicants with entitlement and permit processing for affordable housing projects.

Program 5 – Large and Small Lot Development

Small sites present the opportunity for development on existing sites or lot consolidation into larger projects. There are many opportunities for lot consolidation surrounding identified sites, given the underutilized nature of surrounding properties. The Voluntary Parcel Merger program, in effect since 2016, permits the combining of parcels without going through the Parcel Map or Lot Line Adjustment process. The City adopted a reduced application fee, currently (2023) $696.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

The Sites Inventory includes vacant and underutilized lower-income sites that are over 10 acres in size. To encourage a strategic approach to the development of large sites and to facilitate the development of housing, the City will encourage the development of large sites through an allowance of phasing of development and off-site improvements as allowed pursuant to Section 66456.1 of the Subdivision Map Act, and, where applicable, through a Master Plan. In addition, the City will provide incentives for the development of large sites with a variety of housing types, including affordable housing, such as site planning and design, including preliminary feasibility analysis, and providing funding through the annual Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). The City will provide the site planning and feasibility analysis and partner with the property owners to market the large sites to the developers, including developers of affordable housing.

The City will routinely coordinate with interested developers/property owners in identifying opportunities for lot consolidation or lot splitting. The City will continue to streamline the processing of requests for lot consolidation and lot splitting concurrent with other development reviews, and subdivision maps that include affordable housing units. Currently, the City utilizes tools such as ministerial processing and other streamlining tools, as appropriate, to facilitate lot merging and parcelization. Additionally, the City will consider incentives for development of low-income high-density residential on large sites, such as concessions to development standards beyond state density bonus law, assistance with on and off-site improvement, parking reductions, funding, and fee deferrals or reductions. The City will conduct a biennial review of the development on large and small lots, and seek input from developers and property owners on the regulatory barriers to lower-income residential development of these lots.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Program 6 – Objective Design Standards

The City will review and amend site development standards and façade design standards in the Development Code for residential and mixed use zones to ensure standards are clear and objective.

Program 7 – Adaptive Reuse

The City shall encourage adaptive reuse of commercial and office buildings to housing. The City shall evaluate, and if appropriate, amend the Development Code to remove potential constraints for adaptive reuse, including review or approval processes. The City shall consider regulatory incentives or waivers related to parking, open space, trash, and landscaping requirements and standards.

Program 8 – List of Local Labor Unions and Apprenticeship Programs

Provide a list of local labor unions and apprenticeship programs to developers, contractors, and community members to use and to encourage developers and contractors to hire local labor.

Program 9 – Use of Sites in Previous Housing Elements

Pursuant to Government Code Section 65583.2(c), any vacant sites included in the prior two Housing Elements (4th and 5th Cycle RHNA planning periods) and any non-vacant sites included in at least one prior Housing Element shall be provided by-right development when at least 20 percent of the units in the proposed development are affordable to lower-income households. This means that the City cannot require any form of discretionary review or approval for such projects. The City will develop an SB 330 preliminary application and SB 330 streamline approval process.

The City will implement a text amendment to the Development Code to permit developments with at least 20 percent affordable lower-income units without appeal on any vacant and non-vacant sites identified in the lower-income inventory of the 5th Cycle Housing Element. A proposed project would also not be subject to CEQA and would not be appealable. See Policy 2.11.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Program 10 – Annual Reporting Program

The City shall actively work toward Housing Element implementation, and reach out to the community including housing advocates, organizations, and developers annually to assess progress as part of a Housing Element Annual Report. The City shall provide multiple avenues for residents and stakeholders to provide input on the implementation of the Housing Element and submit feedback to staff. Every year, the City shall invite interested community members to discuss housing production progress at an annual public hearing. The City will provide annual information to the community on housing density and affordable housing and will develop a metric on displacement to include in the Annual Progress Report. The City will seek input on the effectiveness of housing and fair housing-related programs and policies maintained by the City. The City shall utilize multiple methods of outreach to engage all members of the Fresno community, including multilingual notices and media outlets. The City shall track and report on the location of new housing development, including affordability levels and geographic distribution in relation to areas of affluence and poverty (i.e., RE/CAPs and RCAAs). The City will consider establishing a Housing Element Public Engagement Committee that meets semiannually to garner feedback on housing conditions and housing element implementation.

Goal 2: Affordable Housing

Program 11 – Incentives for Housing Development

The City will continue to work with housing developers to expand affordable housing opportunities by doing the following:

• Work with developers of multifamily and affordable housing projects to identify site opportunities in high and relatively higher resource and income areas, including RCAAs, to reduce concentrations of poverty, improve access to resources for lower-income residents, and promote racially and socially inclusive neighborhoods.
• Continue to provide priority processing for the construction of new housing in the Downtown Planning Area by processing completed plans, consistent rezoning, and Development Permit review and Conditional Use Permit applications for permitting within an average of 75 working days.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• Continue to provide reduced application fees and priority processing for single-family and multi-family projects within the Inner City Fee Program area, as referenced in the Municipal Code, to create housing units in infill areas.
• Continue to offer impact fee waivers for qualifying infill projects in priority areas of the city pursuant to Ordinances 2013-21 (The Build Act), and Fresno Municipal Code Article 4.14 (Fee Waivers for Certain Projects in Economically Disadvantaged Areas).
• Provide flexibility in meeting off-site infrastructure requirements for affordable housing projects.
• Encourage developers to use the State Affordable Housing Density Bonus and City of Fresno Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Height and Density Bonus provisions through technical assistance and information dissemination.
• Consider and establish additional incentives for the provision of affordable housing.
• Incorporate the location of affordable housing in high and relatively higher resource and income areas, including RCAAs, as an additional priority that would qualify for incentives.
• Post and maintain a list of incentives available to developers, including density bonus and impact fee waivers, on the City’s website.

Program 12 – Local Housing Trust Fund

In 2021, the City established a Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) to address the need for decent, safe, and affordable housing within the city. The City shall leverage the LHTF to direct funds toward eligible projects that are informed by a community input process. In 2022, the City was awarded a State of California Local Housing Trust Fund matching grant to support projects involving new construction of affordable rental housing for lower-income households [i.e., households earning below 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI)]. The City shall publish a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to solicit applications for the distribution of funding from the LHTF as funds are available.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

The City shall review and update the current list of priorities for use of the funds through a community-driven process at least once during the Housing Element planning period.

Program 13 – Pursue State and Federal Funding Sources for Housing Development

The City will actively pursue funding to assist in the development, preservation, and rehabilitation of housing with a particular emphasis on the development of mixed-income neighborhoods. The City will identify these funding opportunities to both for-profit and non-profit developers by deploying multiple rounds of funding availability notices. The City will also continue to provide technical assistance regarding state and federal financing and grant applications including but not limited to Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) applications. The actions that the City will take specifically include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Identifying potential funding assistance and support applications for current state and federal assistance.
• Identifying sites available for development and infill opportunities.
• Pursuing funding to assist in the development, preservation, and rehabilitation of housing, with a particular emphasis on the development of mixed-income residential neighborhoods and the expansion of affordable housing opportunities outside of the city’s low- and moderate-income areas.
• Partnering with non-profit entities to acquire properties for rehabilitation and/or development of affordable and mixed-income housing.
• Supporting state and federal legislation that increases financial support for affordable housing.
• Strive to maintain Prohousing Designation status to increase competitiveness for state funding opportunities.
• Assessment and exploration of the potential for new funding programs to create additional local sources of funding for affordable housing.

Program 14 – Partnerships with Affordable Housing Developers

The City will continue to strengthen partnerships and relationships with affordable housing developers by doing the following:

• Identifying site opportunities for affordable housing in higher-resource areas and areas with higher median incomes to reduce concentrations of poverty and improve access to resources.
• Encouraging and assisting in funding applications to applicable federal, state, and local funding sources.
• Working with affordable housing developers to structure annual funding commitments to support multiple rounds of tax credit applications.
• Identifying opportunities to align entitlement and permit approvals for affordable housing projects with funding deadlines e.g., HOME), including post-entitlement processes like encroachment permits.
• Supporting local capacity building efforts around affordable housing finance, including convening affordable housing developers, community development leaders, lenders, advocates, lower-income and special needs households, and households and individuals in protected classes to identify housing needs as well as ongoing regulatory and funding barriers to affordable and mixed-income development.
• Attracting large investors to facilitate the construction of new affordable housing units
• Assisting nonprofits who develop self-help type single-family housing construction for extremely low-income households.
• Joint advocacy for CEQA streamlining of single-unit affordable housing.
• Supporting training programs for small-scale affordable housing developers.
• Publishing notices for funding availability for various City housing programs, projects, and activities.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

• Administering Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) funds for affordable housing projects with certified CHDOs.
• Encouraging non-profit organizations to seek funding for development of new farmworker housing projects, as well as local affordable housing and mixed-income projects in transit-oriented developments along transit corridors throughout the city.
• Pursue partnerships with developers and businesses which build and produce affordable pre-fabricated housing to facilitate the increased production of these cost efficient alternative housing types.

Program 15 – Land Bank

The City shall research viable land banking models with the goal of establishing a local land bank that could acquire parcels of land for the development of affordable housing. Once established, the City shall identify and maintain an inventory of underutilized land and vacant properties and work to acquire properties and remove blight while returning them to productive use.

Program 16 – Community Land Trust

The City shall support the establishment of local Community Land Trusts to acquire and/or build affordable housing that remains so in perpetuity within the city of Fresno. The City shall support the Community Land Trusts in acquiring affordable housing units in areas at risk of displacement and acquiring land in high resource areas for the construction of new affordable housing, as well as collaborating to maintain vacant sites once acquired. Additionally, the City will provide support to land trusts for staff, stakeholder and community education on the land trust model.

Program 17 - Surplus Public Lands

The City will continue to release land designated as surplus for development of affordable housing and other uses consistent with the California Surplus Lands Act (SLA). The City will continue to release sites as available for affordable housing development projects. All surplus sites disposed of pursuant to the SLA will include a minimum of 15 percent affordable units and in many cases will include up to 100 percent affordable units. Current City policy directs that property sale receipts are to be credited to originating funding sources utilized for purchase of property. The City will consider depositing a portion up to 100 percent of net proceeds from such sales or leases to the Local Housing Trust Fund.

Prior to disposition under the SLA, the City will identify opportunities to use surplus sites – as well as other City-owned or City-leased properties – for emergency housing programs and other community-serving uses.

Several City-owned sites are included in the Housing Element sites inventory, but others are not included because they are not currently zoned for residential. Some of the included sites are currently zoned for lower-density single-family development. The City will review all City-owned sites by June 2025 to determine appropriateness for affordable housing and identify if a zone change would be needed to facilitate affordable housing. If zoning amendments are needed, the City will complete rezoning of the sites within one year (June 2026). Some of the sites owned by the City and Successor Agency are small lots within existing neighborhoods that might be appropriate sites for missing middle or affordable homeownership opportunities for lower-income households. The City will review the list of publicly-owned sites and work with the Successor Agency and local non-profits and other organizations to develop a strategy for facilitating affordable housing on small, scattered sites.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Program 18 - Mixed Income Neighborhood Trust (MINT)

The City shall partner with and build capacity of the Central Fresno Neighborhood Trust (CFNT), a Mixed Income Neighborhood Trust (MINT) model, which has been identified as a tool for accelerating the development of affordable rental housing. Established in 2023, CFNT will develop, own, and manage a scattered site income-restricted rental portfolio, governed by community stakeholders, and legally mandated to preserve affordability and belonging for today's renters. The CFNT and Central California Land Trust would complement one another in purpose.

Program 19 – Home Buyer Assistance

In order to expand housing opportunities across Fresno, the City will commit to offering financial and technical assistance, as well as encourage counseling services to assist low-income residents in purchasing a home. The City will continue to pursue state and federal funds annually to support local first-time homebuyer programs to assist low-income first-time homebuyers to purchase a home in the city of Fresno. The City shall also maintain a partnership with NAHREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals) Fresno, Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) of San Francisco’s WISH Program, Self-Help Enterprises, and Union Bank to administer the Llaves de tu Casa Iniciativa to provide down payment and closing cost assistance, home buyer grants, comprehensive home buyer education and counseling including first-time home buyer workshops and flexible mortgage products and programs available to all residents, with a focus on increasing Latino homeownership rates.

The City’s Housing and Community Development Division will offer the following support and assistance in the variety of languages representative of Fresno including, but not limited to, Spanish, Hmong, and Punjabi:

• Technical assistance - Guide applicants through the application process, offer technical support throughout the length of the program
• Financial assistance - Offer up to $100,000 in loans, cover down payments and closing costs, zero interest fees, loan fees, or monthly payment fees, loan forgiveness after 15 years, and flexible payment plans calculated according to income at the time of application and adjusted based on changes in grantees income. Applicants will be required to participate in financial counseling services for support in becoming strong financial candidates, adapting to the challenges of becoming homeowners, and increase the beneficial impact of the program.
• Financial counseling services - Intended to increase the beneficial impact of the program by preparing applicants to become strong financial candidates and offer support as grantees to help them adapt to the financial challenges of becoming homeowners.

The City will promote all available homebuyer resources on the City’s website, at public counters, viand through City media outlets, community outreach, informative workshops, partnerships with local media outlets, neighborhood/homeowners’ associations, realtors’ associations, homebuilders, lenders, Rotary, and Community Based Organizations. Targeted outreach and promotional efforts will occur in R/ECAP and extremely low and very low-income households, prioritizing individuals and households with special needs.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Program 20 – Housing Choice Voucher Incentive Program

The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is the federal government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.

The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects.

Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by Public Housing Agencies (PHAs). The PHAs receive federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the voucher program.

A family that is issued a housing voucher is responsible for finding a suitable housing unit of the family's choice where the owner agrees to rent under the program. This unit may include the family's present residence. Rental units must meet minimum standards of health and safety, as determined by the PHA.

A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the PHA on behalf of the participating family. The family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount subsidized by the program.

Fresno Housing is the PHA for the county of Fresno. The City shall collaborate with and support Fresno Housing’s administration of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program on an ongoing basis by:

• Providing information about HCVs at the planning counter, on the City website, and in other public places to increase awareness.
• Enforcing source of income protection and providing education to property owners on laws prohibiting the ability to refuse to rent to an applicant based on their source of income (e.g., Section 8 and other HCV programs, social security, disability).
• Assisting Fresno Housing in holding regular informational meetings and discussions with multifamily property owners and potential new landlords to expand the number of developments that accept HCV tenants.

Collaborating with Fresno Housing to conduct outreach to developments in high and relatively higher resource and income areas, including RCAAs, about participation in the HCV program by exploring best practices to target areas for voucher education, such as areas with high-performing schools or areas with high area median income, as well as areas near jobs and transit. The City’s role will be to assist in the geographic analysis necessary to target the outreach. The outreach will be performed on an annual and ongoing basis.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Program 21 – Advocate for Repeal of Article 34

Article XXXIV of the State of California Constitution (Article 34) prohibits the development of low-income affordable housing with state or local public financing or assistance unless there has been local voter approval. Article 34 dampens the capacity of public housing authorities to develop affordable housing locally and statewide. The City should continue to advocate for the repeal of Article 34. The City currently has sufficient voter approval for up to 1,800 units, the most recent vote being March 6, 1979. Cumulatively, up to 1,800 units have been authorized by voters. Should Article 34 not be repealed, the City may soon be required to place a measure on the ballot to seek voter approval that would grant the City general authority to support the development of additional affordable housing units which, at a minimum, would meet the lower-income RHNA. This program would request voter approval should the balance of voter authorized units be exceeded.

Goal 3: Housing and Neighborhood Conservation

Program 22 – Housing Rehabilitation

With the goal of conserving affordable housing, preventing displacement, and cultivating thriving communities, the City of Fresno will assist households who on average have below-moderate incomes by connecting them to resources and services specialized in the rehabilitation of their homes. The City shall connect homeowners with resources for eligible improvements including health and safety, hazard corrections, and accessibility modifications to reduce displacement risk and facilitate place-based revitalization. The City offers programs that provide exterior repair to seniors and provides funds to non-profits for home rehabilitation programs for lower-income households. These activities have been funded with CDBG program funds. The Senior Exterior Repair Program provides a grant to low-income seniors (62 years and older) who own and occupy their homes to make needed exterior repairs and improvements to their homes. The maximum allowable amount for a rehabilitation grant is $20,000 in 2023. The City will:

• Promote available housing rehabilitation resources, including the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission’s (EOC’s) Energy Services Program that includes weatherization, on the City’s website, at public counters, and in libraries. The program will also be promoted through City media outlets, community outreach, informative workshops, and partnerships with local media outlets, neighborhood associations, and community benefit organizations.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• Outreach and promotional efforts will occur in R/ECAPs, targeting households who on average have extremely low to very low incomes, households of undocumented residents, homes with substandard living conditions, and households with special needs. All materials will be made available in a variety of languages representative of Fresno including, but not limited to, Spanish, Hmong, and Punjabi.
• Offer the following assistance to homeowners in a variety of languages representative of Fresno:
  • Technical assistance - Guide applicants through the application process and offer technical support throughout the length of the program.
  • Referral assistance - Connect applicants to resources and services based on the level of repair needed.
  • Financial assistance - Offer rehabilitation grants to homeowners.
• Prioritize rehabilitation for households with special needs, homes with damages that pose a serious health risk, and homes with damages that are likely to be exacerbated by weather and climate change.
• Employ local licensed general and paint contractors and prioritize partnerships with contractors who predominantly employ or will employ local residents including part-time jobs for youth for the duration of their participation in the program
• Engage and consider community feedback when setting future program priorities for housing rehabilitation as part of the next Consolidated Plan update cycle.

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-1-29

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Program 23 – Comprehensive Code Enforcement

The City of Fresno, in conjunction with private businesses, developers, and community-based non-profit organizations, will continue to collectively increase neighborhood revitalization activities as follows:

• The Community Compliance Unit will continue to assertively conduct targeted neighborhood inspections of housing units for potential health and safety issues. All Area Teams, as needed, will continue to improve neighborhoods throughout Fresno and increase livability by creating safe and healthy conditions, removing blight, educating citizens and connecting residents to housing rehabilitation programs and services, promoting pride of ownership, and building collaborative relationships with the community.
• The Rental Housing Unit shall continue to operate the Rental Housing Improvement Program to address the issue of substandard rental properties, promote greater compliance with health and safety standards, and to preserve the quality of Fresno’s neighborhoods and available housing opportunities. The goal is to work with property owners to achieve compliance of health and safety code violations that are a threat to the occupant’s safety, structural integrity of the building, and have a negative impact on the surrounding neighborhoods. The City will pursue resolution of cases identified through the inspection process, including through enforcement actions against landlords if necessary, including Administrative Citations, Penalties, Abatement by Contractor, Court Appointed Receivership, Property Liens, Judicial Remedies, Referrals, etc. The City shall work to expand awareness of the Lien Waiver Program in which the City Manager may enter into an agreement to waive fines or citations if properties are brought into compliance.
• The Special Teams Unit will continue to maintain its School Area Team, designed to conduct proactive inspections in neighborhoods surrounding schools; Waste Tire Team to remove waste tires from the city, including hosting Tire Amnesty days; the Demolition Team to ensure dangerous buildings are being demolished or fully rehabilitated; the Vacant Lots team, to ensure properties are clear of tall grass and weeds; the Illegal Dumping Team, to investigate and hold accountable those who unlawfully dump garbage in neighborhoods, streets, and alleys; and the Abatement Team to remove significant health and safety hazards and other violations pursuant to warrants.

The Legal Team will continue to seek inspection/abatement warrants and petition the court for receivership of properties unable to be brought into compliance.

Goal 4: Special Needs Housing

Program 24 – Special Needs Housing

The City shall advocate for the provision of special needs housing, including disabled-accessible units and housing for persons with mental and physical disabilities. The City will provide technical support and offer incentives to housing developers, such as Fresno Housing and Self-Help Enterprises, in the application of funds for housing, including HCD (e.g., the Joe Serna grant program) and USDA Rural Development loans and grants, other programs administered by California’s Office of Migrant Service (OMS) and other funding sources that may become available to meet the needs of persons with special needs (such as seniors, farmworkers, survivors of domestic violence, and people with disabilities, including persons with developmental disabilities), including the following efforts:

• Continue to implement the Universal Design Ordinance for new construction or modification of City-subsidized housing.
• The City will support and work actively to meet the housing needs of permanent and migrant farmworkers in Fresno. The City will cooperate with public and private agencies to seek funding to identify and implement strategies leading to the rehabilitation of existing and provision of new housing for farmworkers.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

• The City will target code enforcement and other resources to the existing housing stock with the most need for rehabilitation and sanitary conditions that could be more likely to house farmworkers and work with regional or other organizations to improve living conditions for farmworkers.

• For new affordable housing projects developed with City assistance, incentives, and/or subject to City requirements, the City will require that the developer give qualified farmworker households a preference for at least 5 percent of the new units. Should demand from farmworker households be insufficient to fill the set-aside units, then the units will be made available to other qualified households. The City will annually reach out to affordable housing developers to gather interest and input on how to best implement this program and will provide information on available funding.

• The City will offer incentives such as density bonuses, streamlined processing, and the minor deviation process to facilitate development of farmworker housing. The City will identify development opportunities for farmworker housing at least every other year during the planning period.

• Meet with farmworker housing developers and advocates on a biannual basis to discuss their needs and offer assistance in the form of letters of recommendation for grant applications, assistance with site identification and grant opportunities, and discuss incentives for constructing farmworker housing.

• The City will annually monitor the status of farmworker housing as part of their annual report to HCD on Housing Element progress and evaluate if City efforts are effective in facilitating the provision of farmworker housing. If appropriate, the City will make necessary changes to enhance opportunities and incentives for farmworker housing development.

• Seek and apply to funding sources and partner with local and statewide organizations to facilitate the construction of units for extremely low-, very low-, and low-income income seniors (typically age 65 years and over; may vary by funding source or program).

• Use funding programs such as the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS (HOPWA) to provide financial support to organizations that provide counseling, information, education, support, housing services/referrals, and/or legal advice to extremely low-income households, to mitigate risk of displacement and support housing stability for extremely low-income households, persons with disabilities, farmworkers, and persons experiencing homelessness.

• Support needed social services and review applications annually.

• Continue to utilize available funds and/or seek funding to support the Fresno-Madera Continuum of Care, a local collaborative of homeless service providers, to construct transitional and supportive housing units.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• Provide technical assistance to developers with proposed Single Room Occupancy (SRO) facilities, transitional and supportive housing, and other special housing types to create units during the planning period.
• Provide incentives to builders to provide housing with multiple bedrooms affordable to lower- and moderate-income households to meet the needs of female-headed, single-parent, and large-family households of all income levels (possible incentives will include reduced setbacks, reduced parking requirements, and technical assistance with applications for funding).
• Encourage the provision of affordable housing for young adults, particularly former foster youth and young mothers, through planning consultations, streamlined permit processing, and funding assistance.
• The Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs will assist in engaging all residents of the community including youth, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indian, and LGBTQ on their housing needs.

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-1-33

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Program 25 – Development Code Amendments for Compliance with State Law and to Reduce Barriers to Housing Development

The City will amend the Development Code to address the following development standards and barriers to housing opportunities:

• Density Bonus: Amend the Development Code to include provisions allowing 80 percent density bonus and up to four concessions for 100 percent affordable developments consistent with the current requirements of State Density Bonus Law outlined in Government Code Section 65915. Monitor State Density Bonus Law annually for legislative changes and modify ordinance as needed during the planning period.

• Accessory Dwelling Units: Amend the Development Code to be consistent with the latest state legislation related to development standards for ADUs and ensuring that the construction of a junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU) on each lot is clearly permitted in addition to an ADU, in accordance with California Government Code Section 65852.2.

• Parking Requirements: Amend parking requirements for ADUs and supportive housing units within a half mile of transit and amend the development code to remove parking minimums within a half mile of transit consistent with AB 2097, outlined in Government Code Section 65863.2.

• Emergency Shelters: Adopt the updated State definition of emergency shelters and modify the parking requirement for emergency shelters to require sufficient parking to accommodate all staff working in the emergency shelter, provided that the standards do not require more parking for emergency shelters than other residential or commercial uses within the same zone, in compliance with Government Code Section 65583(a)(4). Amend the hours of operation to cover nighttime hours, and review and confirm the standards for toilets is not excessive relative to similar other uses, and overall ensure that standards for emergency shelters comply with state law (Government Code Section 65583(a)(4).

• Low-Barrier Navigation Centers: Permit low-barrier navigation centers, defined as low-barrier, temporary service-enriched shelters to help homeless individuals and families to quickly obtain permanent housing as a permitted use subject only to ministerial approval in zones where mixed uses are allowed or in nonresidential zones that permit multifamily housing (Government Code Section 65662; AB 101).

• Residential Care Facilities: Review requirements for unlicensed and licensed group homes and larger group homes and permit them in all residential zones in a similar manner to other residential uses to comply with the City’s obligation to affirmatively further fair housing pursuant to Government Code Section 8899.50 (b)(1) and Government Code Section 65583 (c )(10). The City will also review CUP findings for residential care facilities to ensure they are objective and do not serve as a barrier to development. If determined to be a barrier or subjective then the City will amend CUP findings for residential care facilities.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• Single-Room Occupancy Units: Amend the Development Code to comply with Government Code Section 65583 (c)(1) and remove the current limit of 15 guests in SRO units, change SRO to permitted use in RM-1, RM-2, RM-3, NMX, CMX, and RMX, and evaluate objective design standards for SROs to ensure that units are maintained and safe for all residents long term.
• Farmworker and Employee Housing: Amend the Development Code to comply with Government Code Section 65583 (c)(1) and permit employee housing for six or fewer as a residential use and permit agricultural labor housing in all zoning districts where agricultural uses are permitted.
• Supportive Housing: Allow for the approval of 100 percent affordable developments that include a percentage of supportive housing units, either 25 percent or 12 units, whichever is greater, to be allowed without a conditional use permit or other discretionary review in all zoning districts where multifamily and mixed-use development is permitted, consistent with Government Code Section 65651(a).
• Definition of “Family”: Amend the Development Code to add an inclusive definition of family and consistently replace the terms “single family” and multi-family” with “single-unit” and multi-unit” to ensure internal consistency.
• Definition of “Tiny Home”: Amend the Development Code to expand the definition of tiny homes to allow for modular homeownership on leased parcels.

The City will consider amending the Development Code to address the following development standards and barriers to housing opportunities:

• Overlay Zone in Transit Rich and Urban Infill Sites: Assess benefits of implementing SB 10 (2021) and if it is found to be beneficial then amend the Development Code to add an overlay zone which would allow up to 10 residential units in certain “transit rich” and “urban infill sites.”
• Overlay Zone for Workforce Housing: Assess benefits of implementing workforce housing and if it is found to be beneficial then amend the Development Code to add an overlay zone which would allow workforce housing in certain Commercial, Business Park, and Public Facilities zone districts.
• Reduce Parking Requirements for Residential Care, General: Amend the Development Code to reduce parking requirements to 1 space per employee and 1 space for every 7 residents. Parking stalls within residential garages count towards required parking spaces.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Goal 5: Fair and Equal Housing Opportunities

Program 26 – Fair Housing Services

The City will continue to contract with a fair housing service provider to support enforcement of state and federal Fair Housing Laws and provide fair housing services that include, but are not limited to, the following with an emphasis on providing targeted outreach and support to disproportionately burdened groups and areas of the city:

• Continue analyzing and addressing fair housing issues through the five-year review and update of the regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, in alignment with HUD's updated guidelines. The City shall take meaningful actions to overcome patterns of segregation, promote fair housing choice, eliminate disparities in opportunities, and foster inclusive communities free from discrimination throughout the city by implementing the solutions developed in the Regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI).

• Referring inquiries and landlord/tenant complaints concerning housing discrimination to the applicable regulatory body (State Department of Fair Employment and Housing, HUD, or private counsel) for processing.

• Disseminating fair housing information citywide by sponsoring workshops, housing information fairs, monitoring of affirmative marketing, and working closely with fair housing service providers to target outreach and programming to Black, Latino, and other disproportionately impacted groups, as well as neighborhoods experiencing high levels of housing issues.

• Disseminating fair housing information through radio, television, and other media in multiple languages and targeted neighborhoods to reach disproportionately impacted residents.

• Geographic coverage of the outreach should be targeted to the most vulnerable populations as depicted in Figure 1E-3.3 – Racial Segregation by Census Tract, Figure 1E-3.7-Distribution of Poverty, and Figure 1E-3.10 – Percentage of Population with a Disability.

• Advertising fair housing laws and complaint procedures through literature displays at the City. The City will provide displays to non-profit organizations such as Central California Legal Services, Lao Family Organization, Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries, Fresno Center for New Americans, property management organizations, lenders, and other such organizations to help reach disproportionately impacted populations. Literature will be provided in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Punjabi.

• Improve Fair Housing complaint tracking and response; allow trusted nonprofit counselors to be added to tracking systems to aid their clients in receiving and understanding notifications on the complaint process.

As most housing discrimination complaints in Fresno are related to a disability bias, the City will work with fair housing providers to provide additional educational resources in a variety of languages to both tenants and landlords related to disability rights in housing. The City will publicize fair housing services on its website, in City Hall, and in all housing-related programming.

Program 27 – Environmental Justice

The City has initiated the preparation of an Environmental Justice (EJ) Element that will include policies and actions to lessen pollution burden on disproportionately-impacted neighborhoods through urban greening, lessening impacts of industrial uses on residential areas, reducing impacts of extreme heat, and other actions to reduce pollution exposure, and promote equitable access to public facilities, healthy food, safe and sanitary homes, and recreation and physical activity. The EJ Element will include:

1. Objectives, policies, and implementation strategies to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities by means that include but are not limited to: a. Reducing pollution exposure, including improving air quality b. Promoting public facilities access

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

c. Promoting food access

d. Promoting safe and sanitary homes

e. Promoting physical activity

2. Objectives, policies, and implementation strategies to promote civic engagement in the public decision making process

3. Objectives, policies, and implementation strategies that prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities

The EJ Element is expected to be complete and incorporated into the General Plan by June of 2026.

The City will monitor the impact of the EJ Element policies in the General Plan by developing a data tracking program to assess program outcomes in disadvantaged communities. Every five years, the City will collect data to assess its performance against a minimum of five of the following types of measures using 2024 as the base year. The City will adjust policies, actions, or the approach to improve performance as needed:

• Health outcomes of residents in disadvantaged communities
• Number and percentage of homes that are within a half-mile of a grocery store of other entity that offers fresh food
• Number of homes that are within a half-mile of a park or open space as defined in the Parks Master Plan
• Tree canopy within disadvantaged areas
• Number of homes that are within a half-mile of community facilities such as community centers, libraries, and hospitals or clinics
• Number of homes that are within a half mile of high quality transit routes
• Number of jobs created or people employed in disadvantaged communities
• Amount of support (defined as technical assistance or financial support) for small businesses in disadvantaged communities through the City’s and County’s economic development departments.
• Number of residents that participated in a city outreach event, City Council, Commission or City meeting, or completed a City-sponsored survey.

Program 28 – Equitable Community Investments

The City will continue to prioritize investment in underserved neighborhoods, which includes racially and concentrated areas of poverty, with strategic projects in the areas of parks and community centers, water and sewer infrastructure, pedestrian and bicycle safety, road improvements, transit electrification, youth programs, public safety, small business investment, and urban greening and beautification. In order to build upon past work and expand future investment for equitable community investments, the City will pursue a variety of activities including increasing investment, partnership, outreach, and transparency, which will include but not be limited to the following:

• New and improved community centers in West and Central Fresno. (Timeframe/Objective: 5 new/improved community centers during 2023-2031 planning period)
• Transform Fresno Greening Projects, which includes investment in new and improved parks, plazas and open space in Southwest Fresno, Chinatown, and Downtown. (Timeframe/Objective: 7-8 improvements during 2023-2031 planning period)
• Pedestrian, bicycle, and streetscape improvements, including streetlights, planting trees, new and improved crosswalks, filling sidewalk gaps, pedestrian and bicycle bridges. (Timeframe/Objective: 5-6 projects during 2023-2031 planning period)
• Purchase of over $68 million in new zero-emission buses and expansion of transit service, including paratransit for persons with disabilities. (Timeframe/Objective: Over 130 new vehicles by 2031)
• Water, sewer, stormwater, and other infrastructure improvements to accelerate mixed-income infill housing development Downtown, Chinatown, and Southwest Fresno. (Timeframe/Objective: $293 million by 2031)

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

• The investments listed above facilitate ongoing implementation and investment in the Southwest Fresno Specific Plan (SWFSP) area, including bicycle, pedestrian and trail facilities, Fresno Greening Projects, and construction of new parks. Specifically, the Southwest Fresno Trail, the Southwest Urban Forest Project, and the MLK Park are all under construction and expected to be completed during the 2023-2031 planning period. At least annually and on an ongoing basis implement and monitor the Southwest Specific Plan and make adjustments as appropriate to ensure meeting objectives.

• The investments listed above facilitate ongoing implementation and investment in the Downtown Neighborhoods Community Plan area, including Chinatown and Downtown urban greening, pedestrian, bicycle and streetscape improvements and infrastructure improvements. Specifically, the Chinatown Urban Greening project, Chinatown Streetscape Improvements and water and sewer main replacements are expected to be completed during the 2023 – 2031 planning period. Progress the Downtown Neighborhoods Community Plan implementation will be monitored on an annual basis and adjustments made as appropriate to ensure meeting objectives.

In addition to General Funds, major sources of funding for these programs include but are not limited to:

• An estimated $40 million per year through Measure P to build new parks and improve existing parks and expand cultural programming opportunities prioritizing areas of greatest need.

• Measure C funds for bicycle, pedestrian, and other road infrastructure projects.

• $293 million from the State of California for infrastructure improvements in Downtown Fresno. This includes the Downtown Fresno Capital Improvement Project (CIP), supported by $47 million from the Infill Infrastructure Grant (IIG) program, which will include sewer main replacements across multiple streets, a water project, site preparations, surface improvements, urban greening, installation of pedestrian lighting and push buttons, and ancillary works, and construction of a centralized off-site parking structure.

• An estimated $23 million in remaining Transformative Climate Communities grant funding, which will fund investments in trails, parks, sidewalks, educational facilities, and other infrastructure improvements.

City Departments are working to transparently track investment for the public to see what and where investment is taking place and to conduct outreach and partner with the community through actions that include but are not limited to:

• Developing an online tool accessible to the public to view the location, type, value, and status of public infrastructure projects.

• Publishing a quarterly report on the planned, obligated, underway, and completed infrastructure projects as they correspond to areas of greatest need.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• Evaluating annually the distribution of infrastructure funds from all funding sources corresponding to areas of greatest need.
• Continuing to partner with local community-based organizations (CBOs) and local affordable housing developers, with a focus on building local capacity, to seek funding and implement programs in the areas of highest need in the city.

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SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Program 29 – Equitable Engagement

The Office of Community Affairs was created within the Mayor’s Office to provide greater access to historically underrepresented communities. The OCA offers services and resources for Fresno residents. It engages all members of the Fresno community by serving as the City government’s liaison to key constituent groups, associations, multicultural and immigrant populations, faith-based, civic and human service, and others including community benefit organizations. The OCA connects marginalized communities with City services and resources; these communities include the Asian/Pacific Islander community, Black Indigenous and People of Color community, Indian community, Latino community, and LGBTQ community with representation through community coordinators.

The goal of the OCA is to bring underserved communities a voice and create a network for community organizations, community members, and community businesses to feel represented, heard, and connected to city government. The OCA serves as a welcoming presence to make residents comfortable bringing questions, concerns, and comments to city hall, providing a connection with someone who can speak their language and understand their needs, and building trust. The City of Fresno leadership is committed to providing resources for underserved communities and the OCA is intended to bridge the gaps between City Hall and the residents of Fresno.

Program 30 – Workforce Development

The City will work collaboratively with regional partners to improve job opportunities for residents in sectors that provide not only entry level employment opportunities, but paths that lead to higher paying jobs and better housing. This will include continuation of the following programs and expanding targeted job training as possible:

• Through the One Fresno Youth Jobs Corps Program, the City hires youth ages 16-30 years old, pays them a livable wage, provides training and wrap-around services and puts them on a career pathway for future City or outside organization employment in that field. The program focuses on hiring youth that face barriers, including but not limited to youth who are low-income, justice-involved, transitioning from foster care, and/or unhoused or at-risk of becoming unhoused.

• Local Conservation Corps (LCC) LCC provides young adults (ages 18-26) with paid job training and educational opportunities. Corps members (participants) provide service to the community through paid vocational training while advancing their education.

• Valley Apprenticeship Connections (VAC) Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Program Fresno EOC VAC program provides a 12-week pre-apprenticeship training to prepare individuals for the construction industry.

• Workforce Connection Young Adult Program is an Academic Tutorial and Career Readiness Program providing a comprehensive array of services that focus on assisting young adults with one or more barriers to employment to prepare for post-secondary education and employment opportunities, attain educational and/or skills training credentials, and secure employment with career or promotional employment opportunities. Workforce Connection focuses primarily on serving youth who live south of Shields Ave. in the Fresno metropolitan area. Additionally, the program also serves Urban East, which encompasses Urban Fresno and Clovis to the east of Highway 41.

Goal 6: Energy Conservation and Sustainable Development

Program 31 – Reduce or Waive Fees for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)

New CEQA rules on Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) require projects to mitigate the number of VMTs generated above the adopted threshold. Projects within 1/2 mile of high quality transit corridors are mostly exempt, as are projects that include a "high" amount of affordable housing. The City will determine what that percentage will be. The City is developing a VMT program which includes a VMT mitigation fee that would pay for active transportation capital improvements which reduce vehicle miles traveled.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Goal 7: Prevent Displacement and Homelessness

Program 32 – Opportunity to Purchase Act

The City shall research best practices related to Right of First Refusal and Opportunity to Purchase Act (OPA) programs in California, and based on the findings of the research, consider establishing an OPA ordinance or similar policy that would give tenants and qualifying non-profits priority to purchase a building that has entered pre-receivership with the Anti-Slum Enforcement Team (ASET) Division. The City shall seek public input, coordinate with non-profits, and collaborate with the California Apartment Association (CAA) and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) that work closely with low-income communities in racially and ethnically concentrated areas, on the potential adoption of an OPA ordinance, including targeted outreach to stakeholders such as Central California Legal Services (CCLS) and organizations representing lower-income households and special needs groups.

Program 33 – Mobile Home Parks

The City shall maintain the responsibility for enforcement of the California Mobilehome Parks Act at all mobile home parks located within the city limits. Almost 4,000 mobile home units exist in Fresno in 27 mobile home parks. Mobile home parks represent one of the few remaining sources of unsubsidized affordable housing in the city, and they also provide opportunities for homeownership to individuals and households who might not be able to afford other housing purchase options. As real estate prices rise, mobile home park owners may seek to close parks so that the land can be sold and converted to other uses. Deferred maintenance of a mobile home park can lead to substandard conditions that can also eventually lead to park closures. In an effort to preserve the city’s mobile home parks, the City shall implement the following:

• Enforce the California Mobilehome Parks Act throughout the City.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the existing Mobilehome Park Rent Review & Stabilization Ordinance and engage residents and commissioners in consideration of policy changes, including the rent review process.
• Establish regulations to protect affordable housing on property currently occupied by mobile home parks. If the property is proposed for conversion from a mobile home park, it will be required to redevelop with a number of covenanted affordable units equal to the number of mobile home units lost in the conversion, or 10 percent of new units, whichever is higher. If the underlying zone district does not allow for housing, the City shall require the project proponent of a non-residential project to find a replacement site in an area where housing is an allowed use, and provide relocation benefits to any mobile home park residents displaced by the proposed project.
• Continue to support the Mobile Home Rent Review & Stabilization Commission which serves the purpose of protecting mobile home park residents from excessive rent increases.
• Provide reactive and proactive inspections of the conditions of mobile home parks. Hold meetings at mobile home parks to explain the enforcement process.
• Provide annual notification to park owners about rent increase applications.
• Maintain a list and map of mobile home parks in Fresno.
• Compile a list of resources and provide technical assistance to mobile home residents and park owners to facilitate the maintenance and preservation of mobile home parks. Provide relevant information to interested mobile home park residents, owners, and non-profit organizations.
• Make funding available for home repairs, including weatherization, to owner-occupied mobile homes of low-income homeowners.
• Promote available housing rehabilitation and weatherization resources on the City’s website, at public counters, and in libraries. Provide relevant information to interested mobile home park residents, owners, and non-profit organizations. Offer assistance to homeowners in a variety of languages representative of Fresno including, but not limited to, Spanish, Hmong, and Punjabi.
• Conduct targeted outreach to inform park owners, mobile home owners, and other eligible applicants of rehabilitation assistance in local mobile home parks through the Mobile Home Park Repair Program, and the State’s Manufactured Housing Opportunity & Revitalization Program (MORE).
• Provide assistance with funding applications to mobile home park owners, residents, and non-profit organizations to assist in mobile home park preservation and improvement.
• Work with HCD to approve using PLHA funds to establish a mobile home repair program to provide critical repairs to owner-occupied mobile homes, including weatherization and improvements for indoor air quality.

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-1-45

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Program 34 – Eviction Protection Program

The City shall continue to seek funding for the Eviction Protection Program to fight potentially unlawful evictions in accordance with the California Tenant Protection Act. The Eviction Protection Program (EPP) defends tenants renting an apartment or house in the city of Fresno from unlawful eviction in support of enforcement of the California Tenant Protection Act. If the City determines a tenant is potentially facing unlawful eviction, the tenant may be eligible to receive a City-appointed attorney or legal services to assist in the judicial process at no charge. This program is open to any city of Fresno resident who is facing an unlawful eviction regardless of financial or documented status. Common reasons for unlawful evictions include retaliation for reporting code enforcement violations, discrimination, unlawful rent increases, and many more.

Program 35 – Replacement Units

To reduce displacement risk, the City will require replacement housing units subject to the requirements of California Government Code Sections 65915 and Housing Crisis Act (66300 et. seq.) on sites identified in the sites inventory or other areas as appropriate when any new development (residential, mixed-use, or nonresidential) occurs on a site that has been occupied by or restricted for the use of lower-income households at any time during the previous five years. This requirement applies to non-vacant sites and vacant sites with previous residential uses that have been vacated or demolished.

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SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Program 36 – Homeless Assistance

The City is committed to addressing homelessness and is working on a variety of actions in collaboration with service agencies and providers to provide shelter, housing, and case management services to those in need. The City will apply or support applications for funding for emergency shelters, transitional or supportive housing. The City will continue to use Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program funds to support needed social services and review applications annually. The City is also utilizing the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program and is contracted with Fresno Housing to implement a tenant-based rental assistance program for persons that are homeless, threatened with homelessness, or in need of housing assistance after completing a transitional living program. The City will take the following actions to provide assistance and resources to those experiencing unsheltered homelessness:

• Cooperate with neighboring cities, the County, and other agencies in completing the Point-in-Time count every other year. Reach out to local colleges and universities and local and regional homeless service providers by July 2024 to identify partnership opportunities to conduct Point-in-Time counts.

• Establish a pilot program funded by Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) to resolve the experience of unsheltered homelessness for people residing in encampments in the Downtown and Southern Blackstone Corridor areas (see Figure 1E-3.33 in Chapter 3) by establishing a Rapid Rehousing and Case Management Program for 100 persons for up to 24 months at certified Independent Living Homes (ILH) throughout the City.

• Provide available funding for emergency shelter types to accommodate the unhoused, including shelter for victims of domestic violence, facilities for LGBTQ+ community members, and facilities that serve families and households with dependent minors which may include but are not limited to pregnant parents, parenting youth, households engaged in reunification and/or child welfare services in need of funding to render said services with the goal of supporting a minimum of 500 shelter beds.

• Establish a reserve fund for operations, support services, maintenance, and repair for various types of shelters and activities (e.g., case management provided at shelters and triage centers, including sleeping cabins, and Project Homekey-funded shelters/triage centers).

• Support the temporary transition of former motels into emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing through private partnerships and the use of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC).

• Leverage the Homeless Assistance Response Team (H.A.R.T.) to provide direct services, street outreach, and case management services, including outreach to link unhoused residents with mental health and substance treatment services.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• Support the Voucher Incentive Program (established in 2023) which recruits landlords to house families experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness. The Voucher Incentive Program provides financial compensation to landlords that, for the first time, rent units to Housing Choice Voucher holders who otherwise would not be able to identify a leasable unit.
• Work with local service providers to explore the feasibility of a safe parking program which would designate parking lots for people living out of their vehicles to safely stay overnight and provide services to help navigate them toward permanent housing.
• Provide mobile showers and restrooms for unhoused individuals through the Homeless Services Division.
• Provide crisis intervention training to City staff that work with the unhoused community.
• Assess how many youth are at risk of homelessness (couch surfing, aging out of foster care) and partner with local school districts and colleges to develop targeted strategies to address the needs of at risk youth.

The City has committed to the following 7 principles, developed by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, for developing and implementing responses to encampments:

• Principle 1: Establish a Cross-Agency, Multi-Sector Response.
• Principle 2: Engage Encampment Residents to Develop Solutions.
• Principle 3: Conduct Comprehensive and Coordinated Outreach.
• Principle 4: Address Basic Needs and Provide Storage.
• Principle 5: Ensure Access to Shelter or Housing Options.
• Principle 6: Develop Pathways to Permanent Housing and Supports.
• Principle 7: Create a Plan for What Will Happen to Encampment Sites After Closure.

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

Program 37 – At-Risk Housing

The City will continue to undertake the following activities during the Housing Element planning period to guard against the loss of covenanted affordable housing units available to lower-income households. The efforts listed below represent a varied strategy to mitigate potential loss of at-risk units due to conversion to market-rate units. These local efforts use existing City and local resources and include efforts to secure additional resources from the public and private sector should they become available.

• Contact property owners of units at risk of converting to market-rate housing within three years of affordability expiration to discuss the opportunity to preserve complexes as affordable housing.
• Provide ongoing preservation technical assistance and education to affected tenants and the community at-large on the need to preserve the existing affordable housing stock.
• Monitor covenanted affordable housing projects reaching the end of their covenant timeframes on an ongoing basis, at least annually, in coordination with other public and private entities to determine their interest in selling, prepaying, terminating, or continuing participation in a subsidy program.
• Monitor at-risk projects through the use of existing databases (e.g., HUD, State HCD and California Tax Credit Allocation Committee).
• Respond to any federal and/or state notices, including Notice of Intent to Pre-Pay, owner Plans of Action, or Opt-Out Notices filed on local projects, by contacting property owners upon receipt of notices.
• Work with Fresno Housing to determine the availability of tenant-based vouchers for tenants who choose to move from at-risk units or are displaced by conversion.
• Establish contact with public and non-profit agencies interested in purchasing and/or managing units at-risk to inform them of the status of such projects. Where feasible, provide technical assistance and support to these organizations with respect to financing. The City will actively pursue affordable housing opportunities and maintain a list of interested and qualified affordable housing developers.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

In the event at-risk units are not preserved, the City shall require projects that received government funding and/or were granted a density bonus to comply with the required noticing procedures under state law, including providing at least three years notice prior to the conversion of any deed-restricted affordable rental units to market rate and providing additional notice at 12 and 6 months. The City shall also minimize displacement of current tenants by negotiating an anti-displacement policy or relocation mitigation with the owner, whenever possible, and providing support and education to tenants at least 6 months prior to conversion.

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-1-51

SECTION 1E-1: ACTION PLAN

QUANTIFIED OBJECTIVES

Table 1E-1.1 summarizes the City's quantified objectives for the 2023-2031 planning period by income group.

Table 1E-1.1: Summary of Quantified Objectives, 2023-2031

Source: City of Fresno, 2024.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Introduction

Government Code Section 65583(a) requires local governments to prepare an inventory of land suitable for residential development, including vacant sites and sites having the potential for redevelopment. The inventory of land suitable for residential development shall be used to identify sites that can be developed for housing within the planning period. Government Code Section 65583(a) also requires an analysis of the relationship between zoning and public facilities and services to those sites.

Regional Housing Needs Allocation

California General Plan law requires each city and county to have land zoned to accommodate its fair share of the regional housing need. HCD allocates a numeric regional housing goal to the Fresno Council of Governments (FCOG). FCOG is then mandated to distribute the numerical goal among the 15 cities in the region and the County. This share for the FCOG region is known as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). The major goal of the RHNA process is to ensure a fair distribution of new housing construction among cities in the region and the County so that every community may plan for a mix of housing types for all economic segments.

The housing allocation targets are not building requirements; rather, they are planning goals for each community to accommodate through appropriate planning policies and land use regulations. Allocation targets are intended to ensure that adequate sites and zoning are made available to address anticipated housing demand during the Housing Element planning period.

The RHNA for the FCOG region covers an 8.5-year projection period (June 30, 2023, to December 31, 2031)¹ and is divided into four income categories: very low, low, moderate, and above moderate. As determined by FCOG, the City of Fresno’s allocation is a total of 36,866 new housing units, divided among the four income categories as shown in Table 1E-2.1.

Table 1E-2.1: Regional Housing Needs Allocation (June 30, 2023, to December 31, 2031)

AMI = Area Median Income ¹ Extremely low-income allocation is equal to 50 percent of very-low income allocation (4,720 units). Source: FCOG Sixth Cycle RHNA Final Methodology, July 2022.

State law also requires the City to identify the projected need for extremely low-income housing. The City assumes that 50 percent of the very low-income housing need is equal to the extremely low-income housing need. As such, there is a projected need for 4,720 extremely low-income housing units.

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Approved Residential Projects

Jurisdictions may count toward the RHNA any housing units in residential development projects that are approved but have not yet been issued building permits or were issued permits after the start of the RHNA projection period (June 30, 2023). Table 1E-2.3 includes approved residential development projects that are credited toward the RHNA. Only deed-restricted affordable units are counted toward the lower-income RHNA. Market rate multi-family rental units are counted as 50 percent moderate- and 50 percent above moderate-income based on market rents of recently built multifamily housing, which tends to be affordable to moderate income households (see Table 1E.2.2 and associated analysis below). Where projects are described as luxury duplexes or gated communities, the units are all counted as above moderate-income rather than the 50/50 split. Market rate rental or ownership townhomes and other ownership housing is counted as above moderate-income housing. The Housing Element includes an implementation program to monitor the affordability of projects as they come to fruition to ensure that these assumptions remain valid. The City will adjust affordability assumptions in the inventory if rent and sale prices differ. If the adjustment of affordability assumptions results in a deficit in capacity to meet the RHNA, the City will take action to identify capacity to meet a shortfall in accordance with “no-net-loss” zoning requirements in Government Code Section 65863.

Approved residential projects also include single family residential subdivisions that are under construction. Table 1E-2.4 lists these subdivisions with the number of unbuilt lots counted toward the RHNA. These single-family lots are counted as above moderate-income housing. In total, there are 2,757 units in approved developments counted toward the RHNA. This includes 152 extremely low-, 140 very low-, and 317 low-income deed-restricted affordable units. It also includes 1,041 market rate apartment units inventoried as moderate-income and 1,107 above-moderate-income units. These approved residential developments and subdivisions are shown on Figure 1E-2.7.

Affordability of Market Rate Multi-family

Based on a review of rental listings at recently built apartments, it was determined that new market-rate apartments in Fresno are generally affordable to moderate-income households. Table 1E-2.2 below compares affordable monthly rents for moderate-income households earning 100 percent and 120 percent of the area median income (AMI) with 2024 listed rents for recently built market-rate complexes in the city. One-bedroom units are generally affordable to one- and two-person moderate income households earning 120 percent AMI. Two- and three-bedroom units are generally affordable to 2- and 3- person moderate-income households earning around 120 percent AMI. Three apartment complexes, Avalon Apartments, The Orchards Apartments at New Fig Garden, and The Villas at Fancher Creek, offer 1-bedroom units that are within reach for 2-person moderate income households earning between 100 percent and 120 percent AMI. The Villas at Fancher Creek also offer 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom units that are within reach for moderate income households earning 100 percent AMI. Only a couple of the recent developments have listed rents that slightly exceed the affordable monthly rents for moderate-income households. Based on this analysis, market rate multifamily housing in the pipeline projects (Table 1E-2.3) are assumed to be 50 percent moderate-income and 50 percent above moderate-income.

Table 1E-2.2: Analysis of Market-Rate Rental Affordability

AMI = Area Median Income

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

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APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Table 1E-2.3: Planned or Approved Projects, City of Fresno, February 2024

| ID | Project Name | APN(s) | Census Tract | Address | Tracking ID | Project Status | Units by Income Level | Total Units | Project Description | Phasing, Anticipated Build-out, and Known Barriers to Development | Projected Rents for Market Rate Projects | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | | | | | ELI | VLI | LI | M | AM | | | | | | | P-1 | Village at West Creek North | 47906013 | 9.01 | 571 E Jensen Ave | P23-04115 | This project was approved and receive entitlement on December 22, 2023. | 64 | 13 | 43 | 0 | 1 | 121 | Development of 121 affordable rental housing units as Phase 1 of the West Creek Village master planned community by Self Help Enterprises. Funded by LIHTC, NTHF, HOME, and CA Housing Accelerator with 55-year Declaration of Restrictions. It is a mixture of two and three-story buildings with 38 one-bedroom units, 51 two-bedroom units, and 32 three-bedroom units. Residential Multi-family, Medium High Density (RM-1) Zone District at 25 dwelling units/acre. | 3 phases – expect to start phase 1 by January 2025 but challenge is getting funded because it’s oversubscribed. | Will be dictated by funding source but in phase one 30 units will be for very low income. | | P-2 | Step Up on 99 | 44923201 | 20 | 1240 N Crystal Ave 102 | P21-02291, B23-05208, B23-05213, and B23-07481 | This project was entitled in June 2021 and submitted for building permits in May 2023. Building permits were issued (at risk) on June 30, 2023. Construction is underway as of February 2024. | 21 | 28 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 63 | Hotel conversion to deed-restricted affordable units and one manager’s unit and construction of one new building on APN 44923201. Fresno Housing Authority. Homekey and LIHTC funded FHA project; 21 units at 30% AMI, 8 units at 40% AMI, 20 units at 50% AMI, and 13 units at 60% AMI, and 1 manager’s unit at market rate. Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMX) Zone District at 29 dwelling units/acre. | Phasing: 1) demolition of current lobby/on-site manager building; 2) adaptive reuse of existing motel rooms; 3) additional landscaping and outdoor community spaces. Anticipated completion by Dec 2024. | N/A | | P-3 | 44923202 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Peach-Tulare Apartments | 46309011 | 29.03 | N/A | P19-06061 | This project was approved and received entitlements on August 28, 2020 and June 6, 2021. Entitlements extended through August 27, 2025. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 64 | 129 | 129 units of market rate rental two- and three-bedroom apartment units. House demolished on APN 46309057 under demolition permit B21-04991. Residential Multi-family, Urban Neighborhood (RM-2) Zone District at 30 dwelling units/acre. | Unknown | Unknown | | | 46309028 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 46309057 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 46309059 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | P-4 | Maple Luxury Living Duplexes | 47130228 | 13.04 | 2056 S Maple Ave | P20-01643 B21-02221 to B21-02232 | This project was approved and received entitlements on 10/29/2021. The entitlement will expire on 10/21/2024 unless it receives an extension. Submitted for building permits on 3/17/2021 but building permits have not yet been pulled. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 23 | 23 units of luxury market rate duplexes. Residential Single-family, Medium Density (RS-5) Zone District at 12 dwelling units/acre. | Barriers identified by applicant: price of lumber and interest rates | Unknown | | P-5 | Jensen-Maple Mix of uses on one parcel (RM-3, CC, and IL) | 48003060 | 12.02 | 4645 E Jensen Ave | P20-00636, P24-01220, P24-01186, AD23-03130, BG23-00006 | This project was approved and received entitlements on March 5, 2021. Site grading and utility improvements are underway but building permits have not yet been issued. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 75 | 150 | Mixed-use commercial, light industrial, and 150 market rate multi-family. Four-story rental residential units and a day care center. Rental studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartment units. Residential Multi-family, High Density (RM-3) Zone District at 13 dwelling units/acre (43 du/acre for RM-3 part of the parcel). Approximately 31,000 sq ft of commercial proposed on Community Commercial (CC) and Light Industrial (IL) zoned part of the parcel. | Unknown | Unknown |

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-2-5

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

| ID | Project Name | APN(s) | Census Tract | Address | Tracking ID | Project Status | Units by Income Level | Total Units | Project Description | Phasing, Anticipated Build-out, and Known Barriers to Development | Projected Rents for Market Rate Projects | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | | | | | ELI | VLI | LI | M | AM | | | | | | | P-6 | The Park | 46828205T<br><br>468282022T<br><br>468282023T | 1 | 829 Fulton St | P21-04764 | This project was approved and received entitlements on December 27, 2021. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 80 | 161 | Mixed-use with ground floor commercial and five floors of 161 rental one-bedroom apartment units. Downtown Core (DTC) Zone District at 206 dwelling units/acre. Parcels 4688205t and 22T are owned by the Redevelopment Agency of Fresno and APN 468282023T is a City-owned parking lot | Unknown | Unknown | | P-7 | Villa Di Abaldo | 40353228 | 1 | 8715 N Chestnut Ave | P21-06232, P23-01723 | This project was approved and received entitlements on May 11, 2023. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 32 | 32 unit multi-family apartment complex with two-bedroom apartment units. House demolished under demolition permit B22-00480. Residential Multi-family, Medium High Density (RM-1) Zone District at 15 dwelling units/acre. | Unknown | Unknown | | P-8 | The Palms at Alluvial | 40450029 | 55.08 | 2806 E Alluvial Ave | P2200795, B22-18089, B22-18926 to B22-189239 | This project was approved and received entitlements on December 2, 2022. Building permits were issued on September 26, 2023. Construction is underway as of February 2024. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 28 | Gated duplex community - 13 duplexes with two- and three-bedroom units and 2 single family residential detached units (T-6402), Residential Single-family, Medium Density (RS-5) Zone District at 10 dwelling units/acre. | Anticipated completion in Fall 2024 | Not sure of rents, but will be market rate – will depend on construction costs and more | | P-9 | Bath Apartments | 46202009 | 55.09 | 255 N Clovis Ave | P20-04549, B23-11359, B23-11808 to B23-11812, P22-03017 | This project was submitted for entitlement review on March 5, 2021, and approved on August 8, 2022. Then the project was submitted for building permit review on July 31, 2023. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 54 | 108 | 108 market rate rental one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment units in 6 apartment buildings. Commercial Mixed Use (CMX) Zone District at 22 dwelling units/acre. | Barrier: owner is delayed in taking the next steps. | Unknown | | P-10 | DADA Lofts | 46620528 | 30.04 | 1433 Broadway | P21-05557, B22-19096, B22-18971, P22-04143, P22-03142 | This project was approved for entitlement on August 16, 2022 and an appeal request was made on October 24, 2022. The appeal was denied on October 5, 2023, and the project was entitled on October 31, 2023. The two buildings (Front and Rear) were submitted for building permits review on December 28 and 29, 2022 respectively and as of February 2024, the application is still being processed. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 18 | 37 | Downtown apartment units with 31 studio flats, 3 lofts, and 3 two-story townhome rental units in two buildings. Downtown Core (DTC) Zone District at 82 dwelling units/acre. | No completion date set yet because more funding is needed. Barriers identified by applicant: construction costs are high; bank did not appraise high enough; grants sometimes trigger prevailing wage which can actually increase the funding gap. | No projected rents yet, but want a mix with affordable |

| ID | Project Name | APN(s) | Census Tract | Address | Tracking ID | Project Status | Units by Income Level | Total Units | Project Description | Phasing, Anticipated Build-out, and Known Barriers to Development | Projected Rents for Market Rate Projects | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | | | | | ELI | VLI | LI | M | AM | | | | | | | P-11 | Kings Canyon-Backer Mixed-Use | 47008103 47008104 47008105 | 13.01 | 4648 E Kings Canyon Rd | P21-05694, AD23-05726, AD23-04481, B22-18546, P22-02542, P21-05694 | This project was approved and received entitlements on July 1, 2022. Phase 1 Office building is under construction but building permit application for Phase 2 has not yet been submitted. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 24 | Phase 2 Mixed-use retail/commercial and multi-family. Mixed-use with commercial/retail and 4 rental apartment units on the ground floor and 20 rental apartment units on three floors above. Commercial Mixed Use (CMX) Zone District at 38 dwelling units/acre. | Unknown | Unknown | | P-12 | Mander Villa Apartment Complex | 50504018 | 42.18 | 7018 W Barstow Ave | P21-04839 | This project was submitted for entitlement on September 2, 2021, and approved on April 17, 2023. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 32 | 32 market rate rental two-bedroom apartment units | Estimated construction in 2026. | Unknown | | P-13 | Fresno Rescue Mission - RTC 2 | 44209058T | 20 | 2341 N Parkway Dr | P23-03411 | This project was approved and receive entitlement on November 3, 2023 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 49 | This Rescue the Children facility by Fresno Mission is a phased community of 49 multi-family factory-built modular homes to offer supportive affordable housing for graduates of the Rescue the Children programs and other displaced low-income individuals. Phase 1 is land, site and infrastructure development, Phase 2 is the installation of 20 modular homes, and Phase 3 is the installation of 39 modular homes and a community center. The homes vary in size from 288 square feet to 912 square feet fabricated in one, two or three unit sections and some stacked in two-floor configuration. Upon building permits being issued, it will take approximately six months for Phase 1 infrastructure to prepare the site and another six months for the completion of Phase 2. Phase 3 installation will be completed upon the funding availability for them or within one year after the completion of Phases 1 & 2, whichever is first. This is an all residential project in a Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMX) Zone District at 37 dwelling units/acre. | No planned phasing No expected start date Barriers to development identified by applicant: having difficulties with affordable housing contracts with the City | N/A | | P-14 | One Fresno at Manchester Center Mall | 43718120 | 51 | 1901 E Shields Ave Building 101 | P23-00890 | This project was approved and entitled on August 4, 2023. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 305 | 305 | 610 | Conversion of existing commercial/office space to rental dwelling units within the Manchester Mall. The project is planned for construction in three (3) phases (unit counts approximate): Phase 1 includes 165 studios and 56 one-bedroom units, totaling 221 units; Phase 2 includes 63 studios and 15 one-bedroom units, totaling 78 units; Phase 3 includes 211 studios and 71 one-bedroom units, totaling 282 units. This is adding residential to an existing mall that currently has no residential and is zoned Commercial Regional (CR) Zone District at 22 dwelling units/acre. | Unknown | Unknown |

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

| ID | Project Name | APN(s) | Census Tract | Address | Tracking ID | Project Status | Units by Income Level | Total Units | Project Description | Phasing, Anticipated Build-out, and Known Barriers to Development | Projected Rents for Market Rate Projects | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | | | | | ELI | VLI | LI | M | AM | | | | | | | P-15 | Latitudes at Armstrong | 31025013 | 58.05 | 2594 N Armstrong Ave | P22-02376 and B22-19031 to B22-19091, AD24-00894, AD24-02822 | This project was submitted for entitlement on June 20, 2022, and received approval on August 15, 2023. Applicant submitted construction drawings to City for building plan check review on December 23, 2022, and is making corrections in preparation to resubmit to City. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 32 | 64 | 64 market rate rental one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment units. Residential Multi-family, Medium High Density (RM-1) Zone District at 15 dwelling units/acre. | Under construction with anticipated completion of Fall 2025 | Unknown | | P-16 | Helm Tower Office and Lofts | 46621204 | 1 | 1105 Fulton St | P22-01922 | This project was submitted for entitlement on May 16, 2022, and approved for entitlement on January 8, 2024. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 49 | 99 | Conversion of an existing vacant 10-story retail building into mixed-use retail and 99 units of market rate multi-unit residential. Mixed-use with retail on ground floor and floors 2 through 10 converted into rental studio apartment units. Downtown Core (DTC) Zone District at 341 dwelling units/acre. | Unknown | Unknown | | P-17 | Green Valley Apartments | 47216201 | 14.07 | 717 S Adler Ave | P22-02697 | This project was submitted for entitlement review on July 15, 2022, and approved on April 12, 2023. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 units market rate multi-family rental three-bedroom apartment units. Commercial Mixed Use (CMX) Zone District at 31 dwelling units/acre. | Anticipate building permits may take 2 months, but no other issues at this time | Unknown | | P-18 | Ashlan Inn | 51010047S | 38.09 | 4278 W Ashlan Ave | P22-00797 and B22-12673 | This project was approved and entitled on August 15, 2022. Then received building permits on August 15, 2023, and construction is underway as of February 2024. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 63 | 125 | Hotel to dwelling unit conversion to 125 housing units. This is an all-residential project and the development will occur within one two-story building and all of the units are studios including 7 units that are accessible to persons with disabilities. Commercial General (CG) Zone District at 32 dwelling units/acre. | Unknown | Unknown | | P-19 | Majestic Palms Apartments | 51203108 | 42.18 | 4879 N Bryan Ave | P22-03852 B23-09554, B23-09692 to B23-09702, B23-10443, and B23-09554 | This project was submitted for entitlement review on October 4, 2022, and received approval on January 8, 2024. The project was submitted for building plan check review on August 7, 2023, and as of June 2024, is still under review. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 70 | 141 | 141 market rate rental one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment units and one manager’s unit. Regional Mixed Use (RMX) Zone District at 18 dwelling units/acre. | Completion: Summer 2026 Barriers identified by applicant: Accela more challenging than previous in-person processing | $2,000-$3,500 | | P-20 | Avalon Commons Buildings 1 thru 5 | 40407150T | 55.09 | 7521 N Chestnut Ave | P21-02506, B22-18206, B22-18342 to B22-18345 | This project was approved and entitled on June 25, 2022. Then received building permits on October 18, 2023, and construction is underway as of February 2024. | 0 | 34 | 25 | 46 | 0 | 105 | This is an affordable multi-family housing project by Fresno Housing utilizing LIHTC and NPLH funding and exercising an affordable density bonus to get a 33% increase in total allowable unit. This project includes twelve one- and two-story buildings with 105 total units and a unit breakdown of 16 one-bedroom, 53 two-bedroom, and 36 three-bedroom units. This project was entitled in June 2021 under application P21-02506 and 60 of the units are currently under construction. The other 45 units have not been submitted for building permit plan review yet. Residential Single-family, Medium Density (RS-5) Zone District at 15 dwelling units/acre. | Completion: Fall 2024 | 7521 N Chestnut Ave |

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

| ID | Project Name | APN(s) | Census Tract | Address | Tracking ID | Project Status | Units by Income Level | Total Units | Project Description | Phasing, Anticipated Build-out, and Known Barriers to Development | Projected Rents for Market Rate Projects | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | | | | | ELI | VLI | LI | M | AM | | | | | | P-21 | Parkside Inn | 44927056T | 20 | 1429 W Olive Ave | P22-04444 | This project was submitted for entitlement review on November 17, 2022, and approved on June 7, 2023. | 15 | 6 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 39 | Deed-restricted lower -income housing development by the Fresno Housing Authority. Hotel Conversion (27 units) and 12 new multi-family units. Specific levels of affordability are undetermined at the moment but will be affordable to lower-income. Rental studio, one-, two-, three-bedroom, and special needs apartment units and one manager's unit. Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMX) Zone District at 22 dwelling units/acre. | Completion: Spring 2026 Phase 1: 27 units, hope to start next spring Phase 2 16+units, hope to apply next year Barriers identified by applicant: Competitive funding; Accela more challenging than previous in-person processing | N/A | | P-22 | Self-Help Enterprises 6 SFRs | 47716201T | 9.02 | 2304 S Walnut Ave | P22-00670, B24-01581, B24-01583, B24-01584, B24-01586, B24-01590, and B24-01591 | This project was approved and received entitlements on July 8, 2022. Then submitted for building plan check review on February 8, 2024, and is still under review. | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | Custom affordable deed-restricted single family residential (6 units) by Self Help Enterprises. Deed-restricted at 50% to 80% AMI, HOME and PLHA 30-year Declaration of Restrictions. Residential Single-family, Medium Density (RS-5) Zone District at 8 dwelling units/acre. | No planned phasing Expected completion date mid Jan 2025 Barriers, coordination with utilities, and some problems with private owner | This property will not have rents, it will be homeownership | | P-23 | San Joaquin Hotel | 42504139 | 46.02 | 1309 W Shaw Ave | N/A | This project was submitted for entitlement review on December 20, 2022. | 0 | 59 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | Hotel conversion to dwelling units (69 units total, 24 units for chronic homelessness and 35 for youth). Funded by Project Homekey. Phase 1 - 10 ground floor units have been entitled and completed. Remaining 59 units have not yet been completed. Commercial Mixed Use (CMX) Zone District at 40 dwelling units/acre. | Unknown | N/A | | P-24 | Self-Help Enterprises 11 SFRs | 47714530T 47714531T 47714532T 47714533T 47714542T 47714544T 47714545T | 9.02 | 84 E Geary St | P22-00671, B23-13767, B23-13774, B23-13775, B23-13777, B23-13779 to B23-13781, and B23-13783 to B23-13786 | This project was approved and received entitlements on June 20, 2022. Then submitted for building plan check review on September 7, 2023.. | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | Custom affordable deed-restricted single family residential (11 units) by Self Help Enterprises. Deed-restricted at 50% to 80% AMI, HOME and PLHA 30-year Declaration of Restrictions. Residential Single-family, Medium Density (RS-5) Zone District at 2.5 dwelling units/acre. | No phasing Expected completion date is Sept 2024 Barriers, coordination with utilities, and some problems with private owner | This property will not have rents, it will be homeownership | | P-25 | Audubon Park Apartments | 40257008 40257009 | 44.11 | 555 W Audubon Dr | P19-04137 | This project was approved and received entitlements on February 12, 2020. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 63 | Expansion of existing Audubon Park Apartments to add an additional 63 units of market rate rental studio, one-, two-bedroom apartment units with underground parking garage. Residential Multi-family, High Density (RM-3) Zone District at 19 dwelling units/acre. | Completion: Summer 2026 Barriers identified by applicant: Accela more challenging than previous in-person processing | $2,500-3,500; luxury multifamily, above moderate-income | | P-26 | Sarah's Court | 31310124 | 14.11 | 200 N Salma Ave | B22-09529 P21-00561 | This two-phase 240 affordable unit project was approved and received entitlements on August 30, 2022. Building Permits were issued on January 5, 2023, for 120 units under Phase 1 and construction is underway. The 120 units for Phase 2 have not been submitted for building permit plan check review. | 0 | 0 | 120 | 0 | 0 | 120 | Part of Fancher Creek Town Center. 240 multi-family deed-restricted affordable units, with Phase 1 (120 units being built by June 2024) and Phase 2 (120 units). Funded by LIHTC and HOME funds. Commercial Regional (CR) Zone District at 46 dwelling units/acre. | Phase 1 anticipated opening in Fall 2024 Phase 2: potential barrier is being able to receive LIHTC | N/A |

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 | 1E-2-9

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

| ID | Project Name | APN(s) | Census Tract | Address | Tracking ID | Project Status | Units by Income Level | Total Units | Project Description | Phasing, Anticipated Build-out, and Known Barriers to Development | Projected Rents for Market Rate Projects | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | | | | | ELI | VLI | LI | M | AM | | | | | | | P-27 | Ambassador Hotel | 44923111 | 20 | 1804 W Olive Ave | B22-12938 | Under the Emergency Housing Program this project was not required to be entitled. This project did receive building permits on August 16, 2023, and completed construction on October 12, 2023. | 52 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | Conversion of two-story hotel into 52 affordable housing units including 8 accessible to persons with disabilities. All the units are studios. The project is Homekey funded with a 55-year Declaration of Restrictions. Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMX) Zone District at 50 dwelling units/acre. | Project is completed and occupied | N/A | | P-28 | Willow Apartments | 40409046 and 40409047 | 55.09 | 7345 and 7355 N Willow Ave | B20-01446 to B20-01461 | This three-phase multi-family residential project was approved for entitlement on May 19, 2008. The first two phases of this project received building permits on August 3, 2023, and construction is underway. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 132 | 133 | 265 | This is a 265 unit multi-family residential apartment complex with 24 two-story apartment buildings consisting of a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom. The three-story community center includes one manager's unit. This is a three phase project and the 176 units currently under construction represent 16 buildings and a clubhouse in the first two phases. Phase 3 has not been issued building permits. Residential Multi-family, Medium High Density (RM-1) zoning at 16 du/acre. | Multiple phases with phase 1 under construction and estimated to be complete in 14 months; phase 2 estimated to be complete in about 3 years; third phase is unknown at this time. | Unknown | | P-29 | Heritage Estates | 47706004T | 9.02 | 123 -139 E Pitt Ave, 122 - 141 E Belgravia, 121 - 148 E Tower Ave, 2305 - 2389 S Modoc St | P23-02692 | All residential building templates were approved in May 2024. All 33 SFRs have been submitted for plan check in June 2024. All 33 SFRs have received at-risk foundation only permits in July 2024, which means they can begin laying underground utilities and concrete foundations prior to receiving building permits. | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 33 | This is an affordable homeownership development project by Fresno Housing. The project will consist of 33 single family homes, with the first homes estimated to be available by August 2025. | Groundbreaking happened September 2024. | This property will not have rents, it will be homeownership | | Total | | | | | | | 152 | 140 | 317 | 1,041 | 1,107 | 2,757 | | | | |

APN = Assessor's Parcel Number, N/A = Not Available, DU = Dwelling Units, ELI = Extremely-low Income, VLI = Very-low Income, LI = Low-income, M = Moderate-income, AM = Above-moderate Income Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, September 2024.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Table 1E-2.4: Vacant Land with Final Subdivision Maps Under Construction, City of Fresno, June 2023

Source: City of Fresno, June 2023.

Sites Inventory

State law requires that jurisdictions demonstrate in the Housing Element that the land inventory is adequate to accommodate that jurisdiction’s share of the region’s projected growth (RHNA).

Fresno has many vacant residential development opportunities along with underutilized non-vacant sites with redevelopment potential with sufficient capacity to meet and exceed the identified housing need for 2023-2031. The detailed sites inventory is contained in Section 1E-7 (Detailed Sites Inventory Tables), Table 1E-7.1 and Table 1E-7.2. The opportunities shown in this inventory consist of vacant and non-vacant land in residential, mixed-use sites, and commercial districts that allow residential development. No identified constraints on these sites would prevent development or reuse during the Housing Element period.

Methodology

The following is a description of the methodology used to estimate housing unit capacity on vacant and non-vacant sites within Fresno and to classify sites by income level.

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Income Assumptions

Density can be a critical factor in the development of affordable lower-income housing. Higher density development can lower per-unit land cost and facilitate construction in an economy of scale. The following describes the assumptions used to determine the inventoried income categories and the realistic buildout capacity for each site.

Lower-Income Sites

State law (Government Code Section 65583.2(c)(3)) establishes a “default density standard” of 30 units per acre for Fresno, which is categorized as a metropolitan jurisdiction because the population exceeds 100,000. This is the density that is “deemed appropriate” in State law to accommodate the City’s lower-income RHNA. Most zoning districts in Fresno allow for this density; however, many of these zones use height to regulate the maximum building envelope rather than a residential density standard.

To accelerate housing production in infill areas the City adopted amendments to remove maximum density limitations in the Mixed Use Districts, to modify the restriction that prohibits ground floor residential uses in mixed-use, and to allow ministerial approval of multi-family residential uses within the Priority Areas for Development. The City performed an analysis to determine the following maximum achievable densities under the height, setback, and other development standards for the mixed use zoning districts:

• CMS (Commercial Main Street): 48 units per acre
• CMX (Corridor/Center Mixed Use): 75 units per acre
• CR (Commercial – Regional): 80 units per acre
• NMX (Neighborhood Mixed Use): 64 units per acre
• RMX (Regional Mixed Use): 90 units per acre

The Downtown Development Code establishes unlimited densities for the three Downtown Districts (Downtown Core (DTC), Downtown General (DTG), and Downtown Neighborhood (DTN)) as well as the Apartment House (AH) Overlay zone. To determine achievable densities in the Downtown, the City analyzed development trends of residential projects since 2008. The average number of units per floor for projects in Downtown Fresno was 18.9 units per floor. Multiplying that average by the allowed number of stories for Downtown Districts and the AH overlay, the City determined the following potential densities for these zones:

• DTC (Downtown Core): 283 units per acre (15 stories)
• DTG (Downtown General): 189 units per acre (10 stories)
• DTN (Downtown Neighborhood): 113 units per acre (6 stories)
• DTN-AH (Apartment House) Overlay: 57 units per acre (3 stories)

Based on the density analysis of mixed use and Downtown Districts, it was determined that the following zoning districts in Fresno allow at least 30 units per acre:

• RM-2 (Residential Multi-Family, Urban Neighborhood): 16-30 units per acre
• RM-3 (Residential Multi-Family, High Density): 30-45 units per acre
• DTC (Downtown Core): No density or Floor Area Ratio (FAR) limits, 190 foot height limit
• DTG (Downtown General): No density or FAR limits, 140 foot height limit
• DTN (Downtown Neighborhood): No density or FAR limits, 90 foot height limit
• AH (Apartment House) Overlay: No density or FAR limits, 35 foot height limit
• NMX (Neighborhood Mixed Use): min. density 12 units/acre, no max. density
• CMX (Corridor/Center Mixed Use): min. density 16 units/acre, no max. density (note: General Plan requires a minimum 40 percent residential use)
• RMX (Regional Mixed Use): min. density 30 units/acre, no max. density (note: General Plan requires a minimum 30 percent residential use)
• CMS (Commercial - Main Street): no density limit
• CR (Commercial – Regional): no density limit

Sites larger than 0.5 acres and within a zoning district listed above were included in the inventory as meeting the lower-income RHNA, except as described below.

Moderate-Income Sites

Zoning districts that allow multi-family residential at densities less than 30 units per acre are assumed to accommodate the moderate-income RHNA. In Fresno, this includes two zoning districts:

• RM-1 (Residential Multi-family, Medium High Density), which allows for multi-family at a density of 12-16 units per acre; and
• RM-MH (Mobile Home Park), which allows for the development of mobile home parks at a density of 12-16 units per acre.

Above Moderate-Income Sites

Zoning districts that allow primarily single-family housing are counted in the above moderate-income inventory. This includes the following zoning districts:

• RE (Residential Estate): up to 0.15 units/acre
• RS-1 (Residential Single-family, Extremely Low Density): up to 1.0 unit/acre
• RS-2 (Residential Single-family, Very Low Density): up to 2.5 units/acre

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

• RS-3 (Residential Single-family, Low Density): up to 3.5 units/acre
• RS-4 (Residential Single-family, Medium Low Density): 3.5-6.0 units/acre
• RS-5 (Residential Single-family, Medium Density): 5.0-12.0 units/acre

In addition, sites smaller than 0.5 acres with the zoning districts listed above as meeting the “default density” for lower-income sites are counted in the above moderate-income sites inventory, assuming that these sites are too small to accommodate subsidized lower-income developments.

While the inventory assumes single family homes on these sites, it is important to note that many of these zones allow a broader variety of housing types including duplexes, Senate Bill (SB) 9 lot splits, and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).

Realistic Capacity

Government Code Section 65583.2(c) requires, as part of the analysis of available sites, a local government to calculate the projected residential development capacity of the sites identified in the housing element that can realistically be achieved. The housing element must describe the methodology used to make this calculation. Jurisdictions have two options to make this calculation: 1) use the minimum densities, or 2) use a realistic density based on typical densities of other residential developments at similar affordability levels and other adjustment factors to account for land use controls and infrastructure availability.

Capacity Assumptions on Residential Districts

In order to develop assumptions of realistic density for each of the zones where housing is an allowed use, City staff reviewed the density of recently approved and built residential projects from 2018 to 2023. Table 1E-2.5 outlines density assumptions by zone. A separate methodology, which is described below, was used to determine realistic density assumptions for the mixed use zones to reflect the recent (2022) amendments to remove maximum density limitations.

The realistic residential development potential of vacant and non-vacant sites has been assumed to be between 60 to 95 percent of the maximum permitted density, depending on the zone, for Residential Single Family (RS) and Residential Multi Family (RM) Districts. As shown below in Table 1E-2.5, project examples from 2018-2023 in the RS and RM Districts varied in range, sometimes exceeding the maximum allowed densities and other times not meeting the minimum. There is one site in the vacant inventory that is zoned Mobile Home Park (RM-MH). Because there are not any recent examples of mobile home park developments, the realistic density of 8.5 units per acre was set based on the average density of surrounding mobile home parks.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Table 1E-2.5: Density Assumptions for Residential Districts

| Zone District | Min. Density DU/ Acre | Max Density DU/ Acre | Project Examples (2018-2023) | Density Assumptions | | | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | Number | DU/Acre Average | Actual Percent of Max | DU/Acre Range | Assumed Percent of Max | Realistic Density DU/Acre | Affordability Level | | Residential Single Family (RS) Districts | | | | | | | | | | | RE | N/A | 0.2 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 80% | 0.1 | Above Moderate | | RS-1 | N/A | 1.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 80% | 0.8 | Above Moderate | | RS-2 | N/A | 2.5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 80% | 2 | Above Moderate | | RS-3 | N/A | 3.5 | 16 | 3.3 | 95% | 2-7 | 95% | 3.3 | Above Moderate | | RS-4 | N/A | 6.0 | 39 | 5.0 | 80% | 3-9 | 80% | 4.8 | Above Moderate | | RS-5 | N/A | 12.0 | 99 | 8.3 | 68% | 3-26 | 70% | 8.4 | Above Moderate | | Residential Multi-Family (RM) Districts | | | | | | | | | | | RM-1 | 12 | 16.0 | 25 | 13.9 | 87% | 4-21 | 85% | 13.6 | Moderate | | RM-2 | 16 | 30.0 | 16 | 17.8 | 59% | 14-30 | 60% | 18 | Very Low/Low (> 0.5 acre), Moderate (< 0.5 acre) | | RM-3 | 30 | 45.0 | 2 | 34.5 | 77% | 25-44 | 75% | 33.8 | Very Low/Low (> 0.5 acre), Moderate (< 0.5 acre) | | Other | | | | | | | | | | | RM-MH | 12 | 16.0 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8.5 | Moderate |

N/A = Not Applicable, RE = Residential Estate, RS-1 = Residential Single-Family, Extremely Low Density, RS-2 = Residential Single-family, Very Low Density, RS-3 = Residential Single-family, Low Density, RS-4 = Residential Single-family, Medium Low Density, RS-5 = Residential Single-family, Medium Density, RM-1 = Residential Multi-family, Medium High Density, RM-2 = Residential Multi-Family, Urban Neighborhood, RM-3 = Residential Multi-Family, High Density, RM-MH = Mobile Home Park Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, June 2023.

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Capacity Assumptions on Mixed Use Sites

To accelerate housing production in infill areas, the City adopted zoning amendments to remove maximum density limitations in the Mixed Use Districts, modify the restriction that prohibits ground floor residential uses in mixed-use, and allow ministerial approval of multi-family residential uses within the Priority Areas for Development. The City performed an analysis to determine the following maximum achievable densities under the height, setback, and other development standards for the mixed use zoning districts.

Commercial and Mixed Use Zones

Table 1E-2.6 identifies the five mixed-use and commercial zones included in the inventory that allow residential development. The three mixed use zones (NMX, CMX, RMX) require residential development and do not allow 100 percent non-residential developments except on lots smaller than 20,000 square feet or more than 1,000 feet from a planned or existing bus rapid transit (BRT) route. The CMS and CR zones allow but do not require residential to be included in all developments. These zones allow both standalone residential and standalone commercial developments.

However, all five zones have some level of restrictions on ground floor residential uses in order to activate the sidewalk. In the MX zones, residential is not allowed on the ground floor within 200 feet of an intersection of two or more major streets with the exception of main building entrances and active community spaces. In the CMS and CR zones, ground floor residential is not permitted along arterials or collectors. In addition, there are requirements for active ground floor uses for developments close to transit stations in all five zones. Within 100 feet in each direction of an existing or planned BRT station, no less than 60 percent of the building frontage along public streets must be occupied by food and beverage sales, entertainment and recreation, general personal services, artist's studios, eating and drinking establishments, personal services, general retail, or convenience retail uses. Other high-activity uses that typically operate at night and on weekends may be approved at the discretion of the Review Authority.

As described above, in 2022 the City modified standards in the commercial and mixed use zones to facilitate higher residential densities. One of the key changes was to remove the maximum residential density and instead rely on height. As part of this effort, the City created conceptual sites plans to determine reasonable densities under the Citywide Development Code. The Citywide Development Code Section 15-309 defines FAR as the measure of intensity of non-residential development, so it was not applied to Mixed Use Development. The conceptual plans reflected required commercial components. The anticipated densities were significantly higher than what had been previously allowed in the commercial and mixed use zones. Because the zoning amendment is so recent, there are only a few projects that have been submitted or approved under the new standards. However, given the significant increase in allowed density and the minimum residential requirements for several of the mixed use zones (described above), it is realistic to assume development in these mixed use zones will be at much higher densities.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Looking at development trends on mixed use zoned sites over the past five years (i.e., since 2018), 48 percent of developments have been commercial (including 100 percent commercial developments and commercial that is part of a mixed use project) and 52 percent have been residential. The sites inventory applies an assumption of 50 percent of the identified reasonable density in commercial and mixed use zones to account for commercial development in mixed use zones, as shown in Table 1E-2.6. Mixed-use sites account for 29 percent of all residential capacity identified, including 52 percent of lower-income housing capacity.

Table 1E-2.6: Density Assumptions for Mixed Use Zones

Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, June 2023.

Recent Project Examples in Mixed Use Zones

Recent development trends in Fresno reflect a high demand for residential development, which has resulted in developments that emphasize residential development over exclusively non-residential developments. Most mixed-use projects that have been approved or are in the development process are primarily residential, with just enough ground-floor retail to occupy the ground floor. Even with the provision of ground-floor commercial space, most of these developments were able to achieve or exceed the previously established maximum allowable residential densities, further demonstrating the strength of residential development over commercial development in Fresno. Staff anticipates that this trend will continue, and land zoned for mixed use will achieve residential densities at or above the previously maximum allowed.

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

The following are examples of recent projects in mixed use zones that are at various stages.

Hageman Apartments The Hageman Apartments is zoned CMS with a density of 42 dwelling units per acre. This project is located at 1010 E Home Avenue (APN 451-122-24), which is a 0.24 acre site in the Tower District near Fresno City College. It will be a three-story vertical mixed-use development with 10 units of affordable housing; 91 percent residential and 6 percent retail/office. The project received approval for entitlement in 2018 and is in building permit review as of September 2024.

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The Hardison The Hardison is zoned NMX with a density of 106 dwelling units per acre. It is located at 2049 Broadway Street (APN 459-296-03), which is 0.17 acres and located in Downtown Fresno. It will be a four-story vertical mixed-use site with 26 units of market-rate housing; 75 percent residential and 25 percent retail/office. The project received entitlement approval in 2020 and is in building permit review as of September 2024.

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APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Brandhaven Senior Apartments The Brandhaven Hageman Apartments are zoned CR with a density of 118 dwelling units per acre. They are located at 150 N Salma Avenue (APNs 313-920-03, 05, 06, and 07), which is a 1.52-acre site in southeast Fresno. It is a three story 100 percent residential development with 178 affordable units and two manager units. The project received approval for entitlement in 2020 and completed construction in 2023.

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FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-2-19

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Downtown Zoning Districts

Downtown sites account for 11 percent of all residential capacity identified, including 16 percent of the lower-income housing capacity. As described above, the Zoning Code establishes unlimited densities for the three Downtown Districts (Downtown Core (DTC), Downtown General (DTG), and Downtown Neighborhood (DTN)) as well as the Apartment House (-AH) Overlay zone. To determine achievable densities in the Downtown, the City analyzed development trends of residential projects since 2008. The average number of units per floor for projects in Downtown Fresno was 18.9 units per floor. Multiplying that average by the allowed number of stories for Downtown Districts, the City determined the following potential densities for these zones:

• DTC (Downtown Core): 283 units per acre (Maximum 15 stories)
• DTG (Downtown General): 189 units per acre (Maximum 10 stories)
• DTN (Downtown Neighborhood): 113 units per acre (Maximum 6 stories)
• DTN-AH (Apartment House) Overlay: 57 units per acre (Maximum 3 stories)

However, recent development projects have not been built at the maximum heights allowed in the downtown zones. Instead, developments in the DTC zone ranged from 4-11 stories; developments in the DTN zone ranged from 2-4 stories; and developments in the DTN-AH zone were typically 2 stories. Looking at actual built and approved projects in the downtown zones during the 2018-2023 timeframe shows densities within the range of 65-247 units per acre, depending on the zone. The realistic densities used in the sites inventory analysis are based on median densities for projects approved in 2018-2023 unless otherwise noted in Table 1E-2.7.

Table 1E-2.7: Density Assumptions for Downtown Districts

| Zone District | Zone District Name | Maximum Number of Stories | Project Examples (2018-2023) | Realistic Density DU/Acre | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | Number | DU/Acre Average | DU/Acre Median | DU/Acre Range | | | Downtown Districts | | | | | | | | | DTC | Downtown Core | 15 | 5 | 136 | 90 | 81-247 | 90 | | DTG* | Downtown General | 10 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 83 | | DTN | Downtown Neighborhood | 6 | 6 | 72 | 76 | 36-94 | 76 | | DTN-AH** | Apartment House Overlay | 3 | 3 | 32 | N/A | 17-47 | 32 |

*There were no projects in the DTG zone. The realistic density is calculated as an average between the DTC and DTN realistic densities since the DTG zone allows 10 stories of development, which is halfway between the 15 allowed in the DTC and the 6 allowed in the DNT zone. **There were no projects in the DTN-AH zone during the 2018-2020 timeframe. The density analysis is based on development projects from 2008-2013 as described in the previous housing element. Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, June 2024.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Recent Project Examples in Downtown Zones

The following are examples of recent developments in the Downtown zones. Both of these projects are at densities that greatly exceed the realistic densities used in the sites inventory calculations.

The Monarch @ Chinatown

The Monarch @ Chinatown is zoned DTN with a density of 106 dwelling units per acre. It is located at 1101 F Street (APN 467-065-15), which is 0.60 acres. It is a four-story vertical mixed-use project with 52 affordable housing units; 93 percent residential and 7 percent retail. The project received approval for entitlement in 2020 and completed construction in 2023.

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SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

The Park

The Park is zoned DTC with a density of 206 dwelling units to the acre. It is located at 829 Fulton Street, APN 468-282-05T, which is 0.78 acres and located in Downtown Fresno. It will be a six-story vertical mixed-use project with 161 housing units; 83% residential and 17% retail/office. The project received approval for entitlement in August 2024 and has not submitted for building permits yet.

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APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Non-Vacant Sites

State law allows jurisdictions to rely on non-vacant and underutilized sites to accommodate the RHNA. However, non-vacant sites can present challenges for residential redevelopment and must therefore be analyzed closely to determine suitability. Jurisdictions must consider the extent to which existing uses may constitute an impediment to additional residential development, past experiences converting existing uses to higher density residential development, lease or contract requirements limiting residential redevelopment, development trends, market conditions, and regulatory or other incentives.

Jurisdictions that rely on non-vacant sites to accommodate more than 50 percent of the lower-income RHNA must include substantial evidence that the existing use on each non-vacant site in the inventory will not create an impediment to development during the planning period (Government Code Section 65583.2(g)(2)). After accounting for capacity in approved projects, on vacant sites, and projected accessory dwelling units (ADUs), the sites inventory relies on non-vacant sites to meet only 22 percent of the lower-income RHNA. The non-vacant sites included in this Housing Element sites inventory have been vetted through a site-by-site analysis to only include sites deemed to have a great potential for redevelopment during the planning period. The sites generally fall into five categories, which are described in more detail below.

A. Agricultural Uses Planned for Residential

There are several hundred acres of agricultural land, mostly on the periphery of city limits, that have been annexed into the city and zoned for residential development. Many of these sites have approved tentative subdivision maps and are planned for residential development in the short-term. Several of the sites are fallowed farm fields that are no longer actively farmed, and several are immediately adjacent to recently built residential subdivisions. The City reviewed the initial list of non-vacant sites with agricultural uses and removed sites with active agricultural uses, such as vineyards or orchards, or farms owned and operated by active farmers that seemed likely to continue operations during the planning period. Examples of non-vacant sites with agricultural uses are shown below (see Site Examples A1 and A2).

Site Example A1: Agricultural use with residential subdivision map

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SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Site Example A2: Fallowed agricultural field

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The following are five examples of residential development projects built in recent years on agricultural sites that are similar to the types of sites included in the sites inventory. Project Example A1 is a 240-unit affordable housing development called Sarah’s Court that is being built as part of a multi-phase residential and commercial mixed use development, Fancher Creek Town Center. Project Example A2, The Row, is a market rate apartment project within a residential and commercial mixed use development built on agricultural land. Project Examples A3-A5 are examples of single family residential subdivisions built on agricultural land.

Project Example A1: Sarah’s Court Affordable Housing on Agricultural Land

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Project Example A2: Market Rate Apartments on Agricultural Land

Project Example A3: Single Family Residential on Agricultural Land

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-2-25

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Project Example A4: Single Family Residential on Agricultural Land

Project Example A5: Single Family Residential on Agricultural Land

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

B. Largely Vacant Residential Land

A few of the non-vacant sites are large and mostly vacant parcels with a single house that are planned for development at much higher densities. Many of these sites have a tentative subdivision map and are adjacent to other existing subdivisions. It is common in Fresno for the existing home to be demolished to make way for new residential subdivision development. The City estimated that about 25 percent of the time an existing home will remain and be identified as a remainder lot in the tract map. Examples of non-vacant sites in this category are shown below (see Site Examples B1 and B2).

Site Example B1: Largely vacant residential land with tentative subdivision map

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Site Example B2: Largely vacant residential land adjacent to other residential

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SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

The following are three examples of residential development projects built in recent years on rural residential sites that are similar to the types of sites included in the sites inventory. Project Example B1 is a 66-lot single family residential tentative subdivision map approved on a 15.60-acre rural residential parcel. Project Example B2, Avalon Commons, is a 105-unit mixed-income apartment project currently (2024) under construction on a 7.11-acre parcel that was previously used as a rural residence with a landscaping business. Project Example B3 is a 28-unit market rate apartment project called the Palms at Alluvial built on a 4.67-acre rural residential site. In all these examples the original residence was demolished (or will be demolished) and replaced by new single family or multifamily development.

Project Example B1: Single Family Residential Tentative Map

Project Example B2: Avalon Commons Mixed Income Housing

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Project Example B3: The Palms at Alluvial Market Rate Apartments

C. Mostly Vacant Land With Paving or Minor Improvements

Several sites would be considered vacant land by most standards, but because there are minor improvements or remnant paving from prior uses, they are considered non-vacant by HCD standards. Examples of non-vacant sites in this category are shown below (see Site Examples C1 and C2).

Site Example C1: Mostly vacant land with paving and vehicle access

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SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Site Example C2: Mostly vacant City-owned land with minor improvements

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The following are three examples of residential development projects built in recent years on sites that were mostly vacant but had paving or other minor site improvements. Project Example C1, Iron Bird Lofts, is a 80-unit market rate apartment project built on a 2.17-acre site that had previously been two retail buildings which were demolished around 1994. Project Example C2, Las Palmas de Sal Gonzales is a 135-unit affordable housing development built on a 4.50-acre site that used to have an office facility that was demolished around 1997. Project Example C3 is a 5-unit single family project built on a 0.60-acre site that had previously been an office building.

Project Example C1: Iron Bird Lofts

Project Example C2: Las Palmas de Sal Gonzales

Project Example C3: Single Family Infill Development

D. Existing Non-Residential Uses on Large Lots With Infill Potential

There are several non-vacant sites with existing non-residential uses that only cover a small portion of the site. In many cases the parcels are large enough for the existing uses to remain and the undeveloped portion of the site to be developed with housing at high densities allowed under the mixed use or downtown zoning districts (see Site Example D1 below). In other cases, the existing non-residential use is marginal and would likely be demolished and replaced with residential or mixed use (see Site Example D2 below).

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Site Example D1: Commercial strip center on large lot with infill potential

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Site Example D2: Commercial building on corner lot with infill potential

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The following are four examples of affordable housing developments built in recent years on underutilized infill sites. All of these developments are on sites that had existing commercial uses with large surface parking lots, similar to many of the nonvacant sites in the sites inventory. Project Example D1 is a planned senior affordable housing development that is proposed on a 6.22-acre City-owned site that used to be occupied by a commercial building. The existing building has been demolished to make way for the new housing development. Project Example D2, Clinton Family Apartments, is a 77-unit affordable housing development within a horizonal mixed use project that is currently (2024) under construction. The mixed-use project will replace an existing commercial strip center and several adjacent residences. The parcels were consolidated and the existing buildings were demolished. Project Example D3, The Link, is an 88-unit vertical mixed use affordable housing development constructed on a 2.91-acre site that had previously been occupied by a commercial business. The existing buildings were demolished. Project Example D4, The Arthur at Blackstone, is an also an affordable housing development that replaced an existing commercial building and surface parking lot on five adjacent parcels with 41 units of affordable housing and new commercial in a mixed-use development.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Project Example D1: Planned Senior Affordable Housing

Project Example D2: Clinton Family Affordable Apartments

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Project Example D3: The Link Affordable Apartments

Project Example D4: The Arthur at Blackstone Affordable Housing

E. Parking lots

The initial list of non-vacant sites included several dozen parking lots, mostly in the downtown area that were associated with existing commercial or office uses, places of assembly, or were standalone paid parking areas. While all of these parking lots provide opportunity for infill development downtown, the City was selective with which parking lots were included in the Housing Element inventory given the continued reliance on parking in the short-term. Only about half of the initial list of parking lots are included in the inventory. Parking lots that were significantly underutilized, deteriorating, or abandoned were included, as well as parking lots owned or leased by state or local jurisdictions that were not in heavy use. The City reviewed the publicly owned parking lots carefully for appropriateness and removed those not deemed available during the housing element planning period. Site Examples E1 and E2 below demonstrate typical sites that fit within this category.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Site Example E1: Overflow parking lot for adjacent church

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Site Example E2: Parking lot, not in use

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The following are three examples of affordable and market rate housing developments built in recent years on parking lots. Project Example E1, Brio on Broadway, is a vertical mixed use, market rate housing development built on a 1.34 acre commercial site that was mostly used as surface parking. Project Example E2, Renaissance at Santa Clara, is a 70-unit affordable housing development built on two adjacent parcels totaling 0.74 acres, one of which was an overflow parking lot for an adjacent commercial use. Project Example E3 is a 30-unit market rate apartment development on a 1.01 acre parking lot that was regularly used for a farmers market. Similar to most of the parking lot sites included in the sites inventory, all of these project examples are in Downtown Fresno. The sites are similar in size and location to the other parking lot sites included in the inventory.

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-2-35

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Project Example E1: Brio on Broadway

Project Example E2: Renaissance at Santa Clara

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Project Example E3: 2: 1612 Fulton Street

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-2-37

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Summary of Non-Vacant Site Categories

Figure 1E-2.1 shows unit capacity by income level by type of site, including vacant and the five types of non-vacant sites: A) agricultural uses planned for residential, B) largely vacant residential land, C) mostly vacant land with paving or minor improvements, D) existing non-residential uses on large lots with infill potential, and E) parking lots. In all income levels, a majority of the housing capacity on sites in the inventory (not including pipeline project or ADUs) is on vacant sites (51 percent).

Figure 1E-2.1: Housing Capacity on Vacant and Non-Vacant Sites by Category, All Income Levels

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Source: Ascent, September 2024.

Figure 1E-2.2 shows unit capacity of lower-income sites by type of site. A majority of the lower-income capacity is on vacant sites (59 percent). Of the non-vacant site categories, sites categorized as existing agriculture have the highest capacity of 2,234 lower-income units, and sites categorized as parking lots have the second highest capacity at 2,017 lower-income units.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Figure 1E-2.2: Lower-Income Site Capacity by Category

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Source: Ascent, September 2024.

Publicly Owned Sites

There are about 50 sites in the sites inventory that are owned by various public agencies, including the City of Fresno, Fresno Housing Authority, Redevelopment Agency (now the Successor Agency), and the State of California. City staff has reviewed the list of publicly-owned sites carefully to understand ownership, whether the sites are already planned for housing development, any known barriers to development, and whether or not existing uses would need to be relocated. City staff removed more than 100 sites that are unlikely to develop for a variety of reasons, including site location within airport safety zones; sites planned for local or state infrastructure; sites with existing uses; awkwardly shaped and landlocked sites; and sites located adjacent to industrial uses. The remaining sites included in Table 1E-2.9 represent publicly-owned and generally barrier-free sites with information about ownership and steps to development. This includes 8 sites that are non-vacant, including 3 lower-income sites located in the Downtown with total capacity for 1,146 units; and 3 above moderate income sites, also mostly smaller high-density zoned sites in the Downtown with total capacity for 72 units. All sites in the inventory are zoned to allow for residential development, and most are vacant, including 9 vacant lower-income sites with capacity for 896 units, 2 moderate-income sites with capacity for 59 units, and 31 above moderate-income sites with capacity for 267 units. This is in addition to the public sites identified in Table 1E-2.8 that will be supported by improvements through the Downtown Fresno CIP.

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Downtown Fresno Housing Projects Supported by Infill Infrastructure Grant

Several sites in the inventory have been identified as catalyst infill sites through the Infill Infrastructure Grant program. The City of Fresno was awarded $49 million through the State’s Infill Infrastructure Grant Program – Catalytic Qualifying Infill Area (IIGC) in the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The primary goal of IIGC is to promote infill housing development by providing financial assistance for Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs) that are an integral part of, or necessary to facilitate the development of, Catalytic Qualifying Infill Areas. Under the program, grants are available as gap funding for infrastructure and other capital improvements necessary for specific residential or mixed-use infill development proposals.

The Downtown Fresno CIP supported by the IIGC grant includes sewer main replacements across multiple streets, a water project, site preparations, surface improvements, urban greening, installation of pedestrian lighting and push buttons, and ancillary works, and construction of a centralized off-site parking structure.

These improvements will allow for development of nine housing projects in Downtown Fresno, shown in Table 1E-2.8 and Figures 1E-2.3-1E-2.5. These projects encompass multiple sites that are under the ownership of the City of Fresno, the Fresno Housing Authority, and private entities. Of 863 total units anticipated to be developed, 457 are planned to be restricted to lower-income households, including 86 units for extremely low-income households, and the remaining 405 units are anticipated to be market rate, which are assumed to provide a 50/50 mix of moderate- and above moderate-income housing.

The grant does not provide funding for the housing developments themselves. However, each planned housing development has a plan to assure financial feasibility in time to meet required IIGC program milestones. These projects are currently in the design phase, and entitlements are expected to be requested by May 2025.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Table 1E-2.8: Downtown Fresno Infill Infrastructure Grant Sites

| City Project ID | Site ID | APN | Ownership | Calculated Project Acres | Units by Income Level | Total Units | Site Description | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | | | ELI | VLI | LI | M | AM | | | | HD1 | 1617 | 46615314 | Private Owner | 0.55 | | 75 | | | | 75 | The Business Journal parking lot and right of way. HD1 is planned for student housing. | | HD2 | 2473 | 46620656T | Housing Authority (HACF) | 0.47 | | 62 | | | | 62 | Parking lot for IRS building. Housing Authority owned site. Assumed that IRS building will remain. HD2 is planned for student housing. | | HD3 | 1617 | 46615318 | Private Owner | 0.85 | 16 | 48 | | | | 64 | The Business Journal parking lot and right of way. HD3 is planned to receive Low Income Housing Tax Credits. | | | | ROW | City of Fresno | | | | | | | | | | HD4 | 2473 | 46620656T | Housing Authority (HACF) | 0.47 | 15 | 40 | | | | 55 | Parking lot for IRS building. Housing Authority owned site. Assumed that IRS building will remain. HD4 is planned to receive Low Income Housing Tax Credits. | | HD 5 | 1615 | 46620650T | City of Fresno | 0.95 | | | | 56 | 56 | 112 | Parking lot across from IRS building in Downtown Fresno. On this site is proposed Market 1 by Fresno Housing with 112 market rate units. No development project submitted in Accela. There is currently a lease agreement in place for Fresno County. The most recent extension dated September 16, 2022 allowed a five-year extension expires December 31, 2027 | | | | 46620651T | | | | | | | | | |

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-2-41

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

| City Project ID | Site ID | APN | Ownership | Calculated Project Acres | Units by Income Level | Total Units | Site Description | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | | | ELI | VLI | LI | M | AM | | | | HD 6 | 1618 | 46615315 | Private Owner | 0.91 | | | | 50 | 50 | 100 | Closed CVS parking lot and right of way. On this site is proposed Market 2. | | | | ROW | City of Fresno | | | | | | | | | | HD 7 | 2484 | 46704023ST | City of Fresno | 2.32 | 26 | 74 | | 97 | 97 | 294 | Recently demolished building on the parcel owned by the City. The other parcel is privately-owned owned by Fresno Sports and Events Partners Inc | | | | 46704020S | Private Owner | | | | | | | | | | HD 8 | 1525 | 46707115 | Private Owner | 0.78 | 21 | 50 | | | | 71 | Abandoned building | | | | 46707120 | Private Owner | | | | | | | | | | HD 9 | 2485 | 46707402 | Private Owner | 0.33 | 8 | 22 | | | | 30 | Existing commercial buildings | | TOTAL | | | | 7.63 | 86 | 371 | 0 | 203 | 203 | 863 | |

Source: City of Fresno, September 2024.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Figure 1E-2.3: IIGC Sites HD1 - HD6 (Fulton Street)

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Figure 1E-2.4: IIGC Site HD7 (H Street Site in the South Stadium District)

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FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-2-43

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Figure 1E-2.5: IIGC Sites HD8 - HD9 (Bing Kong and Peacock Sites in Chinatown)

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APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Table 1E-2.9: Publicly-Owned Sites

| Site ID | APN | Address | Zoning Code | Acres | Capacity (Units) | Ownership | Existing Use | Status and Remaining Steps | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | | | Lower | Moderate | Above Moderate | | | | | 287 | 45603034T | 5471 E Belmont Ave | RM-1 | 4.17 | | 57 | | City of Fresno | Vacant; potential brownfield remediation | In September 2024, the City of Fresno will release a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the development of a vibrant community featuring 24 ARPA funded tiny homes on wheels and 26 ERF funded prefabricated micro homes, totaling 50 homes, all provided by the City. The development will include a community center, trail, or park. The submission deadline will be November 2024. Construction is anticipated to start in October 2025 and be completed in August 2026 | | 304 | 31332107T | | RS-4 | 0.45 | | | 2 | City of Fresno | Vacant; near future retail center and BRT | | | 535 | 47005201T | 3702 E Ventura St | NMX | 3.40 | 109 | | | City of Fresno | Vacant | | | 47005202T | 3754 E Ventura St | NMX | | | | | | | | | 47005203T | 3745 E El Monte Way | RS-5 | | | | | | | | | 660 | 45205308 | 1556 E Olive Ave | CMS | 0.17 | | | 4 | Fresno Irrigation District | Vacant | | | 708 | 45021106T | 929 N Fruit Ave | RS-5 | 0.21 | | | 2 | City of Fresno | Vacant | As of September 2024, this property has not been declared a surplus site. | | 714 | 45015401T | 761 W Hammond Ave | RM-1 | 0.16 | | 2 | | State of California | Vacant | | | 987 | 51135201ST | | RS-4 | 0.26 | | | 1 | City of Fresno | Vacant | As of September 2024, this property has not been declared a surplus site. | | 1096 | 46404059T | | RS-4 | 0.98 | | | 5 | State of California | Vacant | City surplus site | | 1097 | 46404073T | | RS-4 | 2.32 | | | 11 | State of California | Vacant | City surplus site | | 1098 | 46431210T | 1108 S Roeding Dr | RS-4 | 0.18 | | | 1 | State of California | Vacant | City surplus site | | 1099 | 46431211T | 1122 S Roeding Dr | RS-4 | 0.23 | | | 1 | City of Fresno | Vacant | City surplus site | | 1100 | 46431212T | 1136 S Roeding Dr | RS-4 | 0.24 | | | 1 | City of Fresno | Vacant | City surplus site | | 1101 | 46431213T | 1150 S West Ave | RS-4 | 0.46 | | | 2 | City of Fresno | Vacant | City surplus site | | 1102 | 46431214T | 1164 S West Ave | RS-4 | 0.39 | | | 2 | City of Fresno | Vacant | City surplus site | | 1103 | 46427237T | 1212 S West Ave | RS-4 | 1.05 | | | 5 | City of Fresno | Vacant | City surplus site | | 1124 | 46410208T | 2022 S West Ave | CMX | 0.27 | | | 10 | City of Fresno | Vacant | No known barriers to development. As of September 2024, this property has not been declared a surplus site. | | 1129 | 47704075ST | 901 W Atchison Ct | RM-2 | 1.19 | 21 | | | Housing Authority (HACF) | Vacant | Though the Housing Authority does not have development plans in place for these properties at this time. Lot acres have been reduced to usable portion of the site. | | 1130 | 47704075ST | 901 W Atchison Ct | RM-2 | 4.91 | 88 | | | Housing Authority (HACF) | Mostly vacant. Community garden on portion of site. | | | 1131 | 47704073T | 555 W California Ave | CMX | 8.06 | 302 | | | Housing Authority (HACF) | Vacant | | | 1151 | 47712113T | 33 E Atchison St | RS-5 | 0.21 | | | 2 | Redevelopment Agency (RACF) | Vacant | | | 1153 | 47712105T | | NMX | 0.37 | | | 12 | Redevelopment Agency (RACF) | Vacant; adjacent sites. | City surplus site adjacent to privately owned site 1152. Could be consolidated with nearby parcels to become a larger development opportunity. | | 47712106T | | | | | | | | | |

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 | 1E-2-45

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

| Site ID | APN | Address | Zoning Code | Acres | Capacity (Units) | Ownership | Existing Use | Status and Remaining Steps | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | | | Lower | Moderate | Above Moderate | | | | | 1562 | 46705013ST | 555 H St | DTN | 1.41 | 107 | | | State of California | Vacant | Part of the property is abandoned for widening of Caesar Chavez underpass. | | 1573 | 46822212T | 550 M St | DTG | 0.30 | | | 25 | Redevelopment Agency (RACF) | Vacant | As of September 2024, this property has not been declared a surplus site. The RACF is preparing to take this to the Fresno City Council for surplus site declaration consideration in 2025. | | 1574 | 46822215T | 525 N St | DTG | 0.60 | 50 | | | Redevelopment Agency (RACF) | Vacant | As of September 2024, this property has not been declared a surplus site. The RACF is preparing to take this to the Fresno City Council for surplus site declaration consideration in 2025. | | | 46822216T | 505 N St | | | | | | | | | | 1576 | 46822301T | 461 N St | DTG | 0.43 | | | 36 | Redevelopment Agency (RACF) | Vacant | As of September 2024, this property has not been declared a surplus site. The RACF is preparing to take this to the Fresno City Council for surplus site declaration consideration in 2025. | | | 46822302T | 453 N St | | | | | | | | | | | 46822319T | 461 N St | | | | | | | | | | 1579 | 46819534T | 2402 Ventura St | DTG | 0.73 | 61 | | | Redevelopment Agency (RACF) | Only counting vacant part of parcel | As of September 2024, this property has not been declared a surplus site. The RACF is preparing to take this to the Fresno City Council for surplus site declaration consideration in 2025. | | 1580 | 46819213T | 2504 Ventura St | DTG | 0.95 | 79 | | | Redevelopment Agency (RACF) owns two parcels four parcels are privately-owned as of September 2024 | Vacant | As of September 2024, this property has not been declared a surplus site. The RACF is preparing to take this to the Fresno City Council for surplus site declaration consideration in 2025. | | | 46819214T | 2518 Ventura St | | | | | | | | | | | 46819236 | 530 O St | | | | | | | | | | | 46819237 | 534 O St | | | | | | | | | | | 46819222 | 2526 Ventura St | | | | | | | | | | | 46819227 | 2534 Ventura St | | | | | | | | | | 1606 | 46621522T | 1822 Fresno St | DTC | 2.78 | 250 | | | State of California | Parking lot | State-owned site within the Station Master Plan Area (“Merchant’s Lot). City will work with State to pursue development. | | 1607 | 46621426T | | DTC | 0.78 | 70 | | | City of Fresno | Parking lot | Will serve as temporary parking until parking garage behind Hotel Fresno is built. Hotel Fresno has recently been converted to affordable housing. Permits are not being sold for this lot and parking is being deferred to this lot. As of September 2024, this property has not been declared a surplus site. These parcels are RDAF parcels to be disposed of going to the Hotel Fresno group | | | 46621427T | | | | | | | | | | | 1610 | 46703039ST | 1705 Fresno St | DTC | 2.25 | 202 | | | State of California | Dairy Semi-truck parking | Will serve as temporary parking until parking garage behind Hotel Fresno is built. Hotel Fresno has recently been converted to affordable housing. Permits are not being sold for this lot and parking is being deferred to this lot. | | 1612 | 46504038ST | 1301 H St | DTC | 2.98 | 268 | | | City of Fresno | Small building on site | This is a brownfield site acquired by the City in 2002. In 2023, the City was awarded $3,122,648 in ECRG grant funding from DTSC to remediate the hazardous site for future Affordable housing. Our team is currently working with DTSC to complete the remediation by 2026. The proposed reuse consists of developing a micro home community of 26 prefabricated units of 100% Affordable rental housing. The units will be reserved for households at or below 30% AMI and will see unhoused individuals transition to permanent housing. | | 1613 | 46620518T | 1408 H St | DTC | 0.29 | | | 26 | State of California | Vacant | | | 1811 | 44405116T | | RS-5 | 0.12 | | | 1 | City of Fresno | Vacant | As of September 2024, this property has not been declared a surplus site. |

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-47

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Source: City of Fresno, September 2024.

Suitability of Large Sites

There are 10 vacant sites and 12 non-vacant sites included in the lower-income inventory that are larger than 10 acres. While the allowable density on these sites exceeds the default density of 30 units per acre, qualifying them as lower-income sites, the size and sheer number of units allowed make it more likely that they would be further subdivided and/or built with a mix of housing types at various income levels. Several assumptions are applied to large sites to reflect more realistic assumptions for the mix of incomes that could be accommodated on the sites.

Most of these large sites are in the West Area Neighborhood Specific Plan (WANSP) boundary, west of Highway 99. The City is in the process of developing a Specific Plan for the future growth and development in this area. The Specific Plan is scheduled to be considered for adoption in the first quarter of 2025. The Draft Specific Plan calls for land use changes; however, because it is not yet adopted, the Draft Housing Element reflects the currently adopted land use designations. Once the Specific Plan has been adopted, the Draft Housing Element will be updated to reflect the new designations. There is a significant amount of developable land in the area, so many of the sites in the inventory are within the plan area boundary. Because the area has been and continues to transition from agriculture to urban development, many of the sites are larger in size than sites in other parts of the city.

Most of the large sites in the WANSP area are located along the Shaw Avenue Corridor, in an area referred to as the West Shaw Avenue Town Center. Assumptions for the Town Center parcels are described in more detail in the following section below.

Based on recent examples of large site developments (refer to Table 1E-2.12), large scale 100 percent affordable projects with more than 150 units have successfully been built in Fresno. For example, Parc Grove Commons is an affordable development with 215 units. Given this trend, the Housing Element assumes that if a site’s total capacity is 250 units or fewer, it is feasible to develop the site as 100 percent affordable housing. For larger sites where the total capacity exceeds 250 units, it is assumed that the project would be subdivided to create a mixed-income development, with 20 percent lower-income units, 60 percent moderate-income units, and 20 percent above moderate-income units. This is similar to how Fancher Creek and West Creek Village were developed (see Table 1E-2.11).

Two of the four large vacant sites outside of the West Shaw Avenue Town Center boundary are owned by the Fresno Housing Authority (Sites 988 and 1129/1130). Site 988 is a 14.57-acre parcel zoned RM-2, while Site 1129/1130 is an 11.3-acre split zoned parcel, with a 6.10-acre portion of the site zoned RM-2. It is realistic to assume that these RM-2 sites will be developed with 100 percent affordable housing given ownership by the Housing Authority (see Table 1E-2.10 below).

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Of the non-vacant sites, there are four large RM-2 sites outside of the Town Center (Sites 808, 979, 1076, and 1223). The non-vacant RM-2 sites include an 18.8-acre parcel currently in agricultural use on South Walnut Avenue (Site 1223), an 18.4-acre parcel on West Whites Bridge Avenue also currently in agricultural use (Site 1076), and a 28.37-acre parcel split-zoned parcel of which 22.57 acres is zoned RM-2 (Site 979). There is also one large non-vacant site zoned RM-3 (Site 853) at 6277 W Shaw Ave that is currently in agricultural use. The sites inventory applies an assumption of 20 percent lower-income, 60 percent moderate-income, and 20 percent above moderate-income housing on these parcels (see Table 1E-2.10 below).

The last parcel in Table 1E.2-10 is a 10.6-acre parcel zoned RMX (APN 417-34-223) on the corner of West Shaw Avenue and Blackstone Avenue. There are two small retail uses on the site, including a restaurant and an eyeglass store, as well as a residence that collectively cover about half of the site. The sites inventory assumes only 60 percent of the site is developed with residential infill housing and the remaining 40 percent remains occupied by existing uses.

In total, the inventory assumes 3,279 units on the eleven large sites shown in Table 1E-2.10, including 1,480 lower-income units, 1,329 moderate income-units, and 470 above moderate-income units.

West Shaw Avenue Town Center

One of the areas with the greatest amount of future housing potential is the West Shaw Avenue Town Center, which is envisioned in the General Plan to be developed as a high-density, urban mixed-use corridor supported by enhanced transit service. There are 29 sites in the West Shaw Avenue Town Center mostly designated for mixed use development; 11 sites are larger than 10 acres and are considered “large sites.” Because all of the sites are concentrated in one area, the assumptions described below are applied to all sites within the Town Center, not just large sites.

While the Draft Specific Plan does not call for any specific phasing of the Town Center, given the scale of the Town Center, it is expected that it will develop over a longer timeframe than the 8-year housing element planning period. Also, given the large size of the mixed use sites and the lack of existing retail in the area, it is anticipated that there will be a greater percentage of commercial uses compared to the smaller, infill parcels located on mixed use corridors where there is already a significant amount of existing retail. To reflect this, the sites inventory applies the following assumptions to both small and large sites in the West Shaw Avenue Town Center:

• Mix of uses. Sites designated mixed-use in the Town Center are assumed to have 60 percent residential and 40 percent commercial. This is slightly higher than the 30-40 percent residential that is required in the mixed use designations. This assumption for the mix of uses is layered on top of the 50 percent likelihood assumptions applied to the site, which already accounted for a portion of the site developing as commercial.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• Mix of incomes. Sites in the Town Center that allow 30 units per acre, qualify as “lower-income,” and have a capacity of 250 units or fewer are counted as 100 percent affordable. The remaining sites are counted as 20 percent lower-income, 60 percent moderate-income, and 20 percent above moderate-income to reflect a vision of a variety of housing types and to avoid a concentration of lower-income units on large sites. This applies to sites designated CMX, RMX, and RM-2. The parcel designated RM-1 is assumed to be moderate-income.

• Development phasing. Only 50 percent of the capacity of the sites in the Town Center is counted in the sites inventory to reflect an assumption that about half of the area could build out during the Housing Element planning period. Rather than selecting which parcels to include and which to exclude, the 50 percent capacity assumption is applied to all sites in the Town Center. This is shown in the table as “50% Likelihood.” This means that what is shown as the total capacity for each individual site is significantly less than the actual realistic capacity for the site.

Figure 1E-2.6 shows the sites within the West Shaw Avenue Town Center and Table 1E-2.11 summarizes the inventoried capacity by land use designation. In total, there are 3,227 units counted in the sites inventory in this area, including 1,177 lower-income, 1,585 moderate-income, and 395 above moderate-income units.

To help achieve the assumptions used in the sites inventory, the Housing Element includes an implementation program to help facilitate the subdivision of large sites into parcels that are more appropriately sized for affordable housing.

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Table 1E-2.10: Large Sites (Excluding West Shaw Avenue Town Center)

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, September 2024.

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

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APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Table 1E-2.11: West Shaw Avenue Town Center Sites

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 | 1E-2-55

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

| Site ID | APN | Total Parcel Size (Acres) | Zoning | Location/Site Description | Max Density | Total Capacity at Max Density | Inventoried Capacity | Assumptions | Existing Use | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | | | | | | | Lower-Income Units | Moderate-Income Units | Above-Moderate Units | Total Units | | | | 2435 | 505-06-038 | 2.30 | RMX | East of 6972 W Shaw Ave | 90 | 207 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 50% Likelihood 60% Res, 40% Com 100% Lower | Agriculture | | 2436 | 505-06-034 | 2.30 | CMX | North of W Shaw Ave & N Bryan Ave intersection | 75 | 173 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 50% Likelihood 60% Res, 40% Com 100% Lower | Agriculture | | 2437 | 505-06-017 | 20.31 | CMX | 6392 W Shaw Ave | 75 | 1,523 | 46 | 137 | 46 | 229 | 50% Likelihood 60% Res, 40% Com 20% Lower, 60% Mod, 20% Above-Mod | Agriculture | | 2438 | 505-06-039 | 0.85 | CMX | West of 6150 W Shaw Ave | 75 | 64 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 50% Likelihood 60% Res, 40% Com 100% Lower | Agriculture | | 2439 | 505-06-040 | 14.31 | CMX | 6150 W Shaw Ave | 75 | 1,073 | 32 | 97 | 32 | 161 | 50% Likelihood 60% Res, 40% Com 20% Lower, 60% Mod, 20% Above-Mod | Agriculture | | TOTAL | | | | | | | 1,177 | 1,585 | 395 | 3,227 | | |

Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, September 2024.

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-2-57

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Figure 1E-2.6: West Shaw Avenue Town Center Sites, Fresno 2023

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Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, June 2023

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024

Large Site Examples

The sites inventory assumes that larger parcels could be further subdivided to create smaller developable sites for housing at a range of income levels. There are several recent developments that serve as examples that this is possible. Table 1E-2.12 depicts recent examples which include below market rate units and the following section provides more detail for each project.

Table 1E-2.12: Summary of Recent Developments on Large Sites

Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, July 2024.

Fancher Creek Town Center

The Fancher Creek Town Center is a recent example of a large-scale, mixed-use project that provides a mix of affordable and market rate housing integrated into a shopping and employment district, with well over one million square feet of commercial, office, civic, hotel, theater, plaza, recreation, and park uses. The Fancher Creek Town Center encompasses three 2015-2023 Fresno Housing Element Sites (APNs 31302101 at 46.84 acres, 31310124 at 40.08 acres, and 31310122 at 4.14 acres) for a total of 91 acres. The project includes 660 multi-family residential units across three projects: the constructed Brandhaven Senior Affordable Housing with 180 units, the Sarah’s Court Family Affordable Housing with 120 units in Phase 1 (under construction) and an additional 120 units planned, and a planned four-story 240-unit market rate multifamily residential building. This project is an example of a large site that was developed with 63 percent lower-income housing (i.e., 420 affordable units) and 36 percent market rate (240 units).

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

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Fancher Creek Town Center Site Plan

Source: City of Fresno, 2024.

The Vineyards California Armenian Home Community – Senior Housing

California Armenian Home, a not-for-profit corporation, donated 40-acres of land to develop The Vineyards, a continuing care retirement community. The Vineyards opened for residency in January 2018 and includes a total of 158 units featuring 12 resort-style independent living villas with two car garages, 60 independent living apartments, and 50 assisted living and 36 memory care apartments. The Vineyards was developed on a prior 2015-2023 Fresno Housing Element Site (APN 31328043) at 22.22 acres. The Vineyards also offers outdoor amenities such as gardens, courtyards, patios, sheltered walkways, open park space, fountains, and large outdoor pavilions.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

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Image of The Vineyard

Source: Life at the Vineyards.

West Creek Village

The West Creek Village Project is a 120-acre multi-phase mixed-use project consisting of single-family homes, multi-family mixed-income housing, a new community park and approximately 323,000 square feet of medical, business, and retail. All three phases of the West Creek Villages are planned on an 18-acre site. All properties were annexed into the city after the 2015-2023 Housing Element. The overall project was conceived from the Southwest Fresno Specific Plan adopted in 2017.

The West Creek Village project includes the built West Fresno Center – Fresno City College (600 E Church Avenue), entitled/permits issued City of Fresno community park, proposed commercial, approved tract map for Emerald Creek single family residential (134 units) subdivision, and entitled Phase 1 of the Villages at West Creek by Self Help Enterprises with 121 supportive multi-family housing units (120 affordable units and 1 market rate manager’s unit) consisting of 38 one bedroom, 51 two bedrooms and 32 three bedrooms. The Villages at West Creek assumes 53 percent of the restricted units will serve households with incomes less than 30 percent of AMI; 11 percent for households with incomes less than 50 percent of AMI; and 36 percent for households earning less than 60 percent of AMI; and 1 percent will be a manager’s unit. Additionally, the project will set aside a minimum number of units for farmworkers and those impacted by homelessness.

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

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West Creek Village Site Plan

Source: City of Fresno, 2024. Blue Ocean Development, 2021.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Parc Grove Commons

Parc Grove Commons, a two- and three-story affordable housing community consisting of 215 units in 32 buildings, was developed in two-phases in 2011 and 2014 by the Fresno Housing Authority. This development is all residential on a 24-acre site made up of four parcels (10.63, 7.73, 4.51, and 1.74 acres respectively). Parc Grove Commons has 67 extremely and very low-income units, 146 low-income units, and 2 manager’s units.

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Parc Grove Commons Site Plan

Source: City of Fresno, 2024.

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-2-63

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Campus Pointe

Campus Pointe is a 48.18-acre horizontal mixed-use development containing senior and student housing owned by Fresno State University and a local developer. The 550 units of residential was built in four phases. Phase one residential was the Palazzo at Campus Pointe apartments built in 2009 on 11.18 acres (244 units). Phase two residential was the Palmilla at Campus Pointe apartments built in 2012 is on 5.74 acres (144 units). Phase three residential was the Maravillosa-Luxury Senior Living apartments built in 2021 on a 3.66-acre site (142 units). Phase 4 residential, on a 6.56-acre site, is under construction is an extended stay Hyatt House with 138 rooms offering condo-like living and is scheduled for completion in 2025. The retail portion of the development was built in 2015 and includes 20.73 acres plus parking.

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Campus Pointe Site Plan

Source: City of Fresno, 2024.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Avalon Commons

Avalon Commons is a 105-unit affordable multi-family housing project by Fresno Housing utilizing Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and No Place Like Home (NPLH) funding. The project is located at Chestnut and Alluvial Avenue in northeast Fresno. The original site was approximately 18 acres and was subdivided into two parcels, an 11.5-acre parcel for Rocky Ranch luxury apartments and a 7.1-acre site for Avalon Commons. Avalon Commons was approved and entitled on June 25, 2022. Construction is underway with a slated completion date of July 1, 2025. There will be two phases of this development. Phase I contains 60 units, including 59 affordable units. Phase II will include 45 affordable units.

AB 725 Compliance

Assembly Bill 725 (2021) – which requires that at least 25 percent of the remaining above moderate-income RHNA be accommodated on sites that have a density standard that allows at least four units of housing, and that at least 25 percent of the remaining moderate-income RHNA be accommodated on sites that allow at least four units of housing but a density of no more than 100 units per acre. After counting the units in planned and approved projects and final subdivision maps, the remaining RHNA is 13,830 above moderate-income units and 4,597 moderate-income units. In order to comply with AB 725, the sites inventory must include 3,458 above moderate-income units and 1,149 moderate-income units on sites meeting the above mentioned criteria.

The Housing Element sites inventory meets the requirements of AB 725 through the following:

• Sites smaller than 0.5 acres that are zoned as high density residential (RM-2, RM-3), mixed use and commercial (NMX, CMX, RMX, CR, CMS), and Downtown districts (DTN, DTC, DTG, DTG-AH) are counted toward the above moderate-income inventory. All of these sites have zoning that allows at least four units of housing.
• Sites larger than 10 acres and all sites within the West Shaw Avenue Town Center that meet the default density standard for lower-income RHNA (i.e., 30 units per acre) are counted in the sites inventory with a mix of incomes, generally 20 percent lower-income, 60 percent moderate-income, and 20 percent above moderate-income. This assumption helps to ensure the inventory complies with AB 725.
• The moderate-income RHNA is met on sites within the RM-2 and RM-MH zones, both of which allow at least four units of housing per site but are well below the 100 units per acre maximum identified in AB 725.

Table 1E-2.12 below summarizes how the Housing Element complies with AB 725. The sites inventory includes capacity for 3,483 above moderate-income units on sites complying with AB 725 criteria, which exceeds the target of 3,458 above moderate-income units; and the inventory includes capacity for 4,756 moderate-income units on sites complying with AB 725 criteria, which also exceeds the target of 1,149 moderate-income units.

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Table 1E-2.13: AB 725 Compliance

Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, 2024.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Figure 1E-2.7: Sites Inventory, City of Fresno, 2024

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Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, September 2024.

FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024 1E-67

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

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Sites Identified in Previous Housing Elements

Per statute (Government Code Section 65583.2I), a non-vacant site identified in the previous planning period and a vacant site that has been included in two or more previous consecutive planning periods can only be used to accommodate the lower income RHNA if the site is subject to a program in the housing element allowing residential development by right for housing developments in which at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower-income households.

Several sites included in the inventory for lower-income housing have been included in previous housing element planning periods. However, the City cannot easily distinguish which vacant sites were included in the Fourth Cycle Housing Element lower-income sites inventory. The sites inventory identifies all sites – vacant and non-vacant – that were included in the Fifth Cycle Housing Element and applies the by-right policy to all the identified lower-income sites. These sites are identified in Table 1E-7.1 and Table 1E-7.2 in Section 1E-7 (Detailed Sites Inventory Tables). The Housing Element includes a policy that commits the City to allowing residential use by right on these sites when at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower income households.

Accessory Dwelling Units

Per state law, a projection of the number of ADUs expected to be built within the eight-year planning period can also be considered as part of the inventory. The City has seen an increase in ADU production in recent years, particularly since 2018 when the state passed several bills to facilitate ADUs statewide. Table 1E-2.14 shows the total number of ADU building permits issued by year since 2018, which equates to an average of 11 ADUs per year. For the purpose of the Housing Element, it is assumed that ADU production will continue at the same pace experienced since 2018, resulting in 94 ADUs counted toward the 2023-2031 RHNA (8.5 year planning period). The City has included a program to monitor compliance with State law and facilitate construction of ADUs.

Table 1E-2.14: ADU Building Permits, 2018-2023

Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, 2023.

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Because regional affordability analysis of ADUs was not available for Fresno County, the City applied rental rates for one- and two-bedroom units as a proxy for ADU rental rate. According to 2017-2021 ACS 5-year estimates, the median gross rent for one-bedroom units in Fresno is $873 per month, and $941 per month for two-bedroom units. Low-income households in Fresno County can afford between $1,091 (one-person households) and $1,558 (four-person households) in monthly housing costs without being cost burdened (see Table 2-24). Comparing rental rates with the affordability of low-income households demonstrates that ADUs are appropriate to credit toward the City’s lower-income RHNA, based on the median price of one- and two-bedroom units. However, the City has decided to take a conservative approach and assume that 30 percent of ADUs will be affordable to lower-income households, 40 percent affordable to moderate-income households, and 30 percent affordable to above moderate-income households. Based on this methodology, the sites inventory includes a projection of 94 ADUs, including 28 affordable to lower-income households, 38 affordable to moderate-income households, and 28 affordable to above moderate-income households.

RHNA Summary

Table 1E-2.15 provides a summary of Fresno’s ability to meet the 2023-2031 RHNA of 36,866 housing units. Within the city limits, available vacant and underutilized sites are adequate to accommodate the RHNA for all income categories. The city has capacity for 18,783 lower-income units, which is 3,459 lower-income units in excess of the lower-income RHNA.

Table 1E-2.15: RHNA Summary, Fresno, September 2024

VLI = Very-low Income, LI = Low-income, M = Moderate-income, AM = Above-moderate Income

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Availability of Infrastructure and Services

Realistic site development potential indicated in the sites inventory is consistent with the development capacity reported in the Fresno General Plan Urban Form, Land Use, and Design Element. Full urban-level services are available throughout the city and specifically to each site in the inventory. Such services are more than adequate for the potential unit yield on each site. Specifically, water and sewer services are available or are programmed to be made available for all the sites included in the inventory, indicating the capacity to accommodate the City’s total share of the RHNA.

Infrastructure Current Availability

The City of Fresno Department of Public Utilities (DPU) provides potable water to the majority of the city and non-potable water to a small portion of the city for irrigation. The city currently receives water from four water supply sources:

1. Surface water that is delivered to the city by two separate sources: a. Fresno Irrigation District (FID) Agreement for Kings River water. b. United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) Central Valley Project (CVP) Friant Division Contract for San Joaquin River water.
2. Groundwater that is pumped from wells located within the city.
3. Recycled water that is treated at the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility (RWRF) and North Fresno Wastewater Reclamation Facility (NFWRF). This water may be used for non-potable uses.

The City’s 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) demonstrates that under normal water year, single dry water year, and five-year consecutive drought, the City’s water supplies are adequate to meet projected demands. The UWMP analysis includes current water demands within the city as well as anticipated water demands associated with future development projects and planning areas within the Fresno General Plan Sphere of Influence (SOI) through 2045. The City has always met system water demand and regardless of regional hydrology is projected to meet existing and future water demands.

The City has adopted long-range capital and strategic programs through the City of Fresno Metro Plan, City of Fresno Recycled Water Master Plan, and City of Fresno Wastewater Master Plan. The City has also adopted the State’s 2013 CalGreen Building Code, Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, and Graywater Standards, which combine for a 10- to 20-percent reduction in water use in most new construction. General Plan Policy RC-6-b directs the City to adopt and implement ordinances, standards, and policies to achieve the intent of the City of Fresno Urban Water Management Plan, Fresno-Area Regional Groundwater Management Plan, and City of Fresno Metropolitan Water Resources Management Plan to ensure a dependable supply of water. General Plan Policy RC-6-c directs land use and development projects to adhere to the objective of the Fresno Metropolitan Water Resources Management Plan to provide sustainable and reliable water supplies to meet the demand of existing and future customers through 2045.

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SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

The City completed construction on the 80-mgd Southeast Surface Water Treatment Facility (SESWTF) in 2018, while the City’s Northeast Surface Water Treatment Facility (NESWTF) currently has a 30-mgd capacity and the capability to expand up to 60 mgd. The City is also planning to develop additional groundwater recharge facilities that would optimize use of available surface water supplies in normal and wet years. The timing for the NESWTF expansion and the development of additional groundwater recharge facilities will be examined as part of the City’s future Metro Plan update and determined based on need as the city grows and demands increase. The City also plans to continue expanding its recycled water distribution system to offset potable water demands.

A substantial reduction in water demand followed the completion of residential meter installation in 2013 combined with drought restrictions and water conservation messaging. As a result, demand has averaged roughly 120,000 acre-feet per year (afy) for 2018 to 2020 instead of growing to roughly 170,000 afy by 2020 as projected in the 2014 Metro Plan. The increase in use of surface water supplies combined with decrease in demands through conservation is allowing the groundwater basin to recover. These developments positioned the City to participate in development of the North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) and to meet the requirements of the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

The City of Fresno is the regional sewer agency for the Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Area. The City owns and maintains the wastewater collection system that serves the city and the other participating agencies. The City also owns and operates the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility (RWRF), located southwest of the city, and the North Fresno Water Reclamation Facility.

The City of Fresno Department of Public Utilities (DPU) manages the sewer system through the implementation of the sewer maintenance program provided in its Sewer System Management Plan and the construction of sewer development projects recommended in its Wastewater Collection System Master Plan (Master Plan). The Master Plan evaluates sewer system capacity under existing and anticipated future conditions based on the buildout of development to the City’s SOI as represented in the Fresno General Plan. The 2015 Master Plan incorporated all of the recommended sewer projects into a Capital Improvement Program for implementation to 2025. The City of Fresno has been regularly implementing various elements of the Capital Improvement Program since the adoption of the Master Plan.

The capacity analysis conducted in the 2015 Master Plan determined that the collection system has sufficient capacity to convey Base Water Flow, Peak Dry Weather Flow, and Peak Wet Weather Flow. However, there were a few areas where deficiencies were found in the existing and future sewer collection system capacity and improvement projects were recommended. Most improvements identified were driven by future development, which consist of new sewers that serve future growth or improvements to existing facilities that are needed to serve future growth. The City’s first priority is to upgrade existing facilities and then build new trunks to serve future users. Improvement projects in the Master Plan were organized into four phases spanning from 2014 through 2030.

General Plan Objective PU-4 directs the City to ensure provision of adequate trunk sewer and collector main capacities to serve existing and planned urban development, consistent with the Wastewater Master Plan. Supporting polices include continued coordination and consultation with the City of Clovis, to plan and construct sewer collection facilities, pursuing construction of new or replacement sewer trunk facilities or other alternatives consistent with the Wastewater Master Plan, and pursuing enlargement or extension of the sewage collection system to serve planned urban development.

The permitted wastewater treatment capacity of the RWRF is currently 91.5 million gallons per day (mgd) as an annual monthly average flow, and 101 mgd as a maximum monthly average flow. The 2015 Master Plan determined the existing annual monthly average flow at the RWRF to be about 64.7 mgd. Therefore, the RWRF has sufficient capacity for existing influent flows and to accommodate growth for several years to come. Nonetheless, the City is required by State statutes to begin planning for increased capacity when flows reach 75 percent of the current design capacity.

Additionally, in 2017, Phase I of a tertiary treatment system was completed at the RWRF. The current design flow for the tertiary treatment system is 5.0 mgd but can be expanded in two subsequent phases to 15 mgd (Phase II) and ultimately 30 mgd (Phase III). The City of Clovis maintains the rights and capacity to discharge 9.3 mgd to the facility. The City of Fresno maintains the rights to the remaining capacity.

Infrastructure Future Availability

The Fresno General Plan Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR), adopted July 2021, identified the need for the expansion of existing and development of new water supply and wastewater collection infrastructure and treatment facilities. These improvements are based on build out of the General Plan. While the sites inventory represents a fraction of General Plan build out, infrastructure improvements will ensure adequate level of water and wastewater services to future development on identified sites.

To address water supply capacity for the General Plan 2035 horizon, the City, by approximately 2025, will construct an approximately 30-mgd expansion of the existing northeast surface water treatment facility, an approximately 20-mgd surface water treatment facility in the southwest portion of the city, a 25,000 acre-feet/year tertiary recycled water expansion to the RWRF, 65 new groundwater wells, a 2.0 million gallon potable water reservoir (Water Storage Tank T2) near the intersection of Clovis and California Avenues, a 4.0 million gallon potable water reservoir (Water Storage Tank T5) near the intersection of Ashlan and Chestnut Avenues, a 4.0 million gallon potable water reservoir (Water Storage Tank T6) near the intersection of Ashlan Avenue and Highway 99, 50.3 miles of regional water transmission mains ranging in size from 24-inch to 48-inch, and 95.9 miles of 16-inch transmission grid mains.

To address wastewater capacity, for the General Plan 2035 horizon, the City, by approximately 2025, will construct an approximately 70 million gallons per day (mgd) expansion of the RWRF and approximately 0.49-mgd expansion of the North Facility and a 24 mgd wastewater treatment facility within the Southeast Development Area, and a 9.6 mgd expansion at the RWRF. By approximately after the year 2025, the City will construct a 24 mgd wastewater treatment facility within the Southeast Development Area, and a 9.6 mgd expansion at the RWRF. The City will also construct capacity improvements along sewer trunk lines.

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

The Housing Element is consistent with adopted General Plan land use policy. As determined in the PEIR for the General Plan, planned infrastructure improvements will ensure sufficient future water and sewer capacity to accommodate the planned development, including the identified housing need (RHNA).

Environmental Constraints and Hazards

Below is a description of potential environmental constraints and hazards pertinent to the city of Fresno and how they relate to the sites in the inventory.

Flooding

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) develops flood maps that identify areas with the highest risk of flooding. Figure 1E-2.8 shows the locations of the existing FEMA 100-year flood zones in the city of Fresno with the Housing Element sites. While the majority of the sites in the inventory are not within a 100-year flood zone, 28 sites are within this zone (see Table 1E-7.1 and Table 1E-7.2). Siting a development in a 100-year flood zone is not an impediment to construction because a minimal amount of fill can be added to the site to mitigate the potential flood risk. Construction can occur as long as the completed floor level is one foot above flood elevation. These sites must also comply with the City’s Flood Plain Ordinance, which protects against risk to new and existing development by requiring any building proposed within a special flood hazard area to obtain a building permit and provide information specifically related to flood risk. The permit is reviewed by the Building Official, who has been designated as the Flood Plain Administrator, to ensure that the project will be reasonably safe from flooding and will not adversely increase flood risk elsewhere. Therefore, the presence of a 100-year flood zone will not preclude development on any of the sites in the inventory or expose future residents to potential harm.

Airport Safety Zones

There are two public airports in the city, Fresno-Yosemite International Airport and Fresno Chandler Executive Airport, and one private airport open to public use, Sierra Sky Park. The Fresno County Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) provides guidance to local jurisdictions on determining appropriate and compatible adjacent land uses through an Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP). The ALUCP establishes six airport safety zones to identify the areas surrounding an airport that could be impacted by an airport accident (see Figure 1E-2.9). Each of the six zones have land use compatibility standards that restrict the development of land uses that could pose particular hazards to the public or to vulnerable populations in case of an aircraft accident. The accident risk level is highest within Zone 1 (Runway Protection Zone) and diminishes with each subsequent zone, with Zone 6 (Traffic Pattern Zone) having the lowest accident risk level. Structures of any kind (except for ones set by aeronautical function) are prohibited in Zone 1. Residential development is limited to very low density residential in Zones 2, 3, 4 and 5. There are no limits on residential in Zone 6 areas.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

There are a number of sites in the inventory that are within zones that prohibit or severely limit residential development (i.e., Zones 1, 2, 3. and 4), making development on these sites infeasible or not possible and should be removed from the inventory (see Figure 1E-2.9). The ALUC recently (October 2, 2023) approved the adoption of an amended Airport Influence Area (AIA) for the Fresno-Chandler Executive Airport that changed the boundaries of the airport safety zones. Upon receiving this new data, the sites inventory was updated to remove sites within Zones 1-4 of the new AIA for Fresno-Chandler Executive Airport.

Other Constraints and Hazards

In terms of other potential constraints, a small portion of the city north of Cooper Avenue is within a Military Training Flight Route, where there are a few above moderate and lower-income sites in the inventory. The City is required to send development applications under training routes to the military for review and comment. The military then reviews the development application for compatibility with surrounding military activities and submits any comments to the City. This process would not preclude development on these sites and the referral process has not resulted in delays or other barriers to development.

Wildfire threats are minimal in the city, as the city lacks steep topographies and is largely urbanized or made up of working agricultural land. The city is not located within a very high fire hazard severity zone and therefore no sites in the Housing Element are at risk.

Williamson Act contracts, which allow local governments to enter into contracts with private landowners for the purpose of restricting specific parcels of land to agricultural or related open space use is another potential constraint to residential development. However, none of the sites in the inventory have Williamson Act contracts.

There are no other known environmental constraints or conditions within the city that could preclude development on identified sites within the planning period, including hazards, and related land use controls, shape, access, property conditions, contamination, easements, or overlays. However, there are some areas with existing industrial uses, specifically in Southwest Fresno, that are transitioning to facilitate more residential and mixed use development. Based on public comments, the City closely reviewed sites in this area and removed sites that would be most impacted by existing industrial uses during the Housing Element planning period.

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Figure 1E-2.8: Environmental Constraints and Hazards, 100-year Flood Zones, Fresno 2023

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*Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, October 2023.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Figure 1E-2.9: Environmental Constraints and Hazards, Airport Safety Zones, Fresno 2023

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Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, October 2023.

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SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Financial Resources

The City utilizes several sources of funding to assist in the provision of quality housing to lower-income residents (see Table 1E-2.16 and Table 1E-2.17 for a list of available funding mechanisms in Fresno). Several funding programs from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allow the City to fund community development and housing activities. The City of Fresno receives federal funding as an entitlement jurisdiction for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) program, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing for Persons with HIV/AIDS (HOPWA) funds from HUD. Table 1E-2.16 shows funds received through these programs for the years 2019 through 2022. On average the City received about $7 million in CDBG, $3.3 million in HOME, $600,000 in ESG, and nearly $700,000 in HOPWA funds during this timeframe.

The City also received Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) in 2020 and 2021 and Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) in 2020 through 2022. Other one-time sources of funding in recent years included CARES Act, American Rescue Plan funds, and Encampment Resolution funds to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic; prevent eviction; and address homeless encampments and emergency shelter.

Affordable housing developers are eligible for several federal and state funding programs. Three of the most significant programs include the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program, and Project Homekey.

Created by the 1986 Tax Reform Act, the LIHTC program has been used in combination with City and other resources to encourage new construction and rehabilitation of rental housing for lower-income households. The program provides investors an annual tax credit over a 10-year period, provided that the housing meets the following minimum low-income occupancy requirements: 20 percent of the units must be affordable to households at 50 percent of AMI or 40 percent of the units must be affordable to those at 60 percent of AMI. The total credit over the 10-year period has a present value equal to 70 percent of the qualified construction and rehabilitation expenditure. The tax credit is typically sold to large investors at a syndication value.

The AHSC program, funded through the State’s Cap and Trade program, provides an additional source of funding for affordable housing. This program awards funding to both public and private entities to build transit-oriented affordable housing and supporting transportation infrastructure, such as pedestrian improvements and bike lanes. The program awards are determined with a points formula; 0.25 points are awarded to projects which directly implement a policy in a long-range planning document (e.g., General Plan, Specific Plan), including new development on sites contained within the housing element’s sites inventory.

Project Homekey leverages a combination of federal and state funding streams to provide grant funding to projects that will provide interim or permanent housing options for people experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19. This program awards funding to public entities for the acquisition and rehabilitation of a variety of housing types – including hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings, and residential care facilities. Funding is allocated by region based on the region’s proportionate shares of people experiencing homelessness (indicated by 2021 Homeless Point-in-Time Counts) and severely cost-burdened extremely low-income households.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Table 1E-2.16: Housing Funding Resources, City of Fresno, 2019-2022

Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, 2022

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

Table 1E-2.17: Other Financial Resources and Programs

SECTION 1E-2: SITES INVENTORY

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Source: City of Fresno and Ascent, June 2023.

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APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

Introduction

Land use policies and planning directly impact the ability of individuals and families to live in neighborhoods that offer high levels of opportunity. This includes access to high-performing schools, availability of jobs, and safe convenient access to transit and services. Despite the long-standing federal mandate established by the Fair Housing Act (FHA)¹ – which prohibits discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability status – people within protected classes continue to encounter limits in housing choice and mobility.

Background

Government Code Chapter 15 Section 8899.50, signed into law in 2018 under Assembly Bill (AB) 686, requires all public agencies in California to “administer its programs and activities relating to housing and community development in a manner to affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH), and take no action that is materially inconsistent with its obligation to affirmatively further fair housing.” Under California law, AFFH means “taking meaningful actions, in addition to combating discrimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics.”²

This means cities and counties are required to take deliberate actions to address disparities in housing needs, access to opportunity, and settlement patterns for protected populations. Consistent with Government Code Section 65583, housing elements are required to address the following components:

• Inclusive and Equitable Outreach: Local jurisdictions must make a diligent effort to equitably include all community stakeholders in the housing element participation process.
• Assessment of Fair Housing: All housing elements must include an assessment of integration and segregation patterns and trends, racially or ethnically concentrated areas of poverty, disparities in access to opportunity, and disproportionate housing needs, including displacement risk.
• Analysis of Sites Inventory: Local jurisdictions must evaluate and address how particular sites available for housing development will meet the needs of households at all income levels. The housing element must analyze and conclude whether the identified sites improve or exacerbate conditions for fair housing.

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SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

• Identification of Contributing Factors: Based on findings from the previous steps, housing elements must identify, evaluate, and prioritize the contributing factors related to fair housing issues.
• Policies and Actions to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing: Local jurisdictions must adopt fair housing goals and actions that are significant, meaningful, and sufficient to overcome identified patterns of segregation and affirmatively further fair housing. The housing element should include metrics and milestones for evaluating progress and fair housing results.

Outreach

As part of the Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element update process, the City hosted and participated in a variety of outreach efforts. The purpose of outreach was to solicit feedback from local stakeholders and members of the community to inform the assessment of housing needs and program development. This Assessment of Fair Housing includes a summary of outreach activities conducted through the process. A full summary of outreach efforts for the Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element update can be found in Chapter 2, Public Outreach and Engagement.

Study Sessions

A study session was held with the City Council on September 15, 2022, to discuss the Housing Element Update and process. The study session was open to the public and held in person, with a livestream option to reach members of the public who could not attend in person. Commentary was limited and no public comment related to fair housing was received at the meeting; instead, commissioners and council members expressed concern regarding the implications of new and changing housing legislation on small cities with limited financial resources.

Community Workshops and Meetings

The City held a number of community workshops and meetings to solicit feedback from the community and stakeholders on the Housing Element update. In addition to the workshops and consultations facilitated with California Coalition of Rural Housing (CCRH) and Fresno Council of Governments (FCOG), the City worked with a local nonprofit with roots in the community, Every Neighborhood Partnership (ENP), to conduct supplemental outreach to solicit as much input as feasible to inform the update to the Housing Element. Workshops and meetings were conducted throughout the span of the project, starting in August of 2022. A series of joint community meetings were then held by the City of Fresno Long Range Planning and Housing Divisions between October 27 and November 28, 2022. Several additional meetings were held in February and March of 2023. More information about the City’s diligent efforts to engage with the public, and summaries of the feedback received, are described in more detail in Section 1E-6: Public Outreach and Engagement.

The City notified the community with flyers distributed in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Punjabi through the FCOG listserv of regional stakeholders and community based organizations (CBOs) and through Fresno Housing. Linguistica interpreters were available for Spanish, Hmong, and Punjabi monolingual speakers. Materials in Spanish, Hmong and Punjabi were available in-person at several workshops and then online at the project website, accessible via link or QR code.

More than 250 community participants attended the City’s workshops and meetings for the Housing Element update. The following describes some of the most relevant themes and feedback received.

• Critical Housing Issues. Community members expressed that some of the most critical issues in Fresno are related to lack of affordability and frequently changing housing costs, infrastructure needs, lack of information and education, and lack of community amenities.
• Most Impacted Groups. Participants identified a number of special needs groups that are most impacted by housing needs such as residents with low- and extremely low- incomes, undocumented residents, people experiencing homelessness, seniors, single-parent households, people with disabilities and mental disabilities, and college students/youth.
• Fair Housing Needs. When asked about Fresno’s most significant fair housing issues, participants noted historical disinvestment in southwest and west Fresno, inability to access credit, housing costs, and access to opportunities. Some of the suggestions for programs to include in the Housing Element include: more landlord education and incentives for Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs), regular roundtable meeting with community leaders, and better promotion of ongoing/current information via social media.
• Suggestions and Solutions. Participants expressed support for building more affordable housing and suggested the City develop more programs to provide financial assistance to low-income families, funding to rehabilitate homes, rent control, and more housing near amenities like grocery stores. Participants also made suggestions for increasing community involvement in the Housing Element update.

Following the workshops, the City posted copies of the workshop presentations on the Fresno County Multijurisdictional Housing Element Update website in multiple languages for residents to access at their convenience. Feedback received during the workshops was used to inform this assessment as well as associated programs. For a full summary of the workshops, see Section 1E-6, Public Outreach and Engagement.

Regional Focus Groups

As described in Chapter 2 of the Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element, two regional focus groups were held as part of the Housing Element development process. Stakeholders included representatives from FCOG member jurisdictions including County of Fresno, City of Fresno, City of Clovis, City of Fowler, City of Parlier, City of Sanger, and City of Selma. Other organizations and stakeholder represented at the focus groups include California Apartment Association (CAA), California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA), Envision Realty, Northern California Carpenters Council (NCCRC), Building Industry Association (BIA), Fresno Housing, The Fresno Center, and We Plan Cities.

SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

Participant groups were presented with information about the Housing Element process, particularly sections regarding community needs and fair housing, and were given the opportunity to weigh in on community needs. Some key topics that came up as regional housing issues include: corporate acquisition of mobile home parks, lack of reliable access to water and other infrastructure such as internet access and cell phone reception, over-reliance on commercially zoned property to accommodate RHNA (not much higher density zoning in the County relative to commercial), outdated community plans hindering development, and difficulties securing funding for new housing in low resource areas. There was also a fair amount of discussion on the need for more outreach and education to increase awareness/accessibility of existing assistance programs, and financial literacy to help low-income residents better compete for affordable housing/home ownership opportunities. Attendees highlighted the gap between program eligibility and the ability to afford available housing, as some applicants to affordable housing programs make too much money to qualify but still can’t afford housing without the program’s assistance. At a recent workshop for community members interested in participating in a down payment assistance program, none of the attendees qualified because their incomes were higher than 80 percent of the area median income. For other community members, being able to show an income level of at least twice the rent of an apartment in the area is impossible.

During one of the focus group meetings, a participant referenced the Llaves de tu Casa Inciativa which is a financial education program open to all County of Fresno residents but with a focus on increasing Latino homeownership rates. The partners driving the initiative are NAHREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals) Fresno, the City of Fresno, Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) of San Francisco, Self-Help Enterprises, and Union Bank. The Llaves De Tu Casa Iniciativa program consists of down payment and closing cost assistance, home buyer grants, comprehensive home buyer education and counseling including first-time home buyer workshops and flexible mortgage products and programs for Fresno neighborhoods. As a follow-up to the regionwide stakeholder focus groups, a group of initiative members representing various organizations and companies met to discuss housing needs and programs for the regional Housing Element effort.

Regional and Local Stakeholder Consultations

To ensure that the City solicits feedback from all segments of the community, consultations were conducted with service providers and other stakeholders who represent different socioeconomic groups. Throughout the summer and fall of 2022, several interviews were conducted with stakeholders who work in areas such as housing, homelessness, and other social services in Fresno and throughout the Fresno County area.

The following organizations and stakeholders provided one-on-one input or written feedback on housing needs and programs in Fresno. Note, this is not an extensive list of all of the organizations and stakeholders that participated in the process of the Housing Element update.

• Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability
• Central Valley Urban Institute
• Resources for Independence Central Valley
• Law Office of Patience Milrod – Civil Rights Attorney

• BIA of Fresno/Madera Counties
• Fair Housing Council of Central California (FHCCC)
• Fresno Housing
• Fresno-Madera Continuum of Care
• Llaves De Tu Casa Inciativa
• Nor Cal Carpenter’s Union

In each consultation, stakeholders were asked about: opportunities and concerns for housing in the region, housing needs by type, barriers and unmet needs, constraints, and housing conditions. Stakeholders were also asked about equity and fair housing such as “What factors limit or deny civil rights, fair housing choice, or equitable access to opportunity? What actions can be taken to transform racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity (without displacement)? What actions can be taken to make living patterns more integrated and balanced?”

Common themes in stakeholder responses were concerns about affordability, including the location of affordable housing in undesirable areas and the gap between housing affordability and program income limits. Limited capacity and resources include funding, time, staff, infrastructure, labor supply etc. The opportunities and suggestions for future housing in the region that stakeholders proposed are local rent controls to manage affordability and reduce displacement risk, code enforcement to ensure a safe and habitable housing stock, taking advantage of State incentives to build more housing in high opportunity areas, funding fair housing groups such as FHCC to enforce fair housing laws, establishing a land trust, acknowledging a labor shortage in residential construction, and adjusting regulations or encouraging development of a variety of unit types and sizes throughout the jurisdiction to promote mobility and integration.

Stakeholders also highlighted the unique needs of community members who are undocumented including how it is impossible to achieve homeownership and challenging to have the required proof of income for rental housing. Several stakeholders identified lack of credit and low incomes as a barrier to many residents in accessing stable housing. The following describes some of the themes and feedback from the consultations.

• Opportunities and Concerns. Stakeholders described the rising cost of housing, the shortage of affordable housing available in the city, increasing rates of homelessness, sprawl in the city, infrastructure, the need for multifamily or single-family unit types, not enough accessible units for people with disabilities, substandard housing conditions, and insufficient code enforcement as concerns. Stakeholders noted that some opportunities include: availability of vacant land, repurposing old buildings into housing, tools for process streamlining, more incentives, proactive code enforcement, and requirements for inclusionary development.

• Housing Barriers/Needs. Stakeholders described housing costs, inaccessibility of listings, and credit checks as barriers for residents to get into housing. Stakeholders also expressed that there has been insufficient progress toward meeting the lower-income Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) referring to units for low-, very low-, and extremely low-income households (i.e., not enough affordable housing being built). Most of the stakeholders encouraged the City to provide more funding for home repairs and maintenance. Stakeholders noted the economic disadvantages to market rate developers to build affordable housing and identified processing times and general costs as significant constraints.

SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

• Equity and Fair Housing. Stakeholders encouraged the City to proactively AFFH and incorporate fair housing into Housing Element programs. In terms of factors that limit or deny civil rights, fair housing choice, and/or equitable access to opportunities, stakeholders noted access to credit, deposit and income requirements, language barriers, lack of inclusionary housing requirements, and poor financial education. Someone also noted that previous evictions and criminal records create barriers to equity. Lastly, stakeholders described how fringe/sprawl development patterns have resulted in disproportionate resources and opportunities.

• Other Topics and Suggestions. Some of the other key topics that came up were the increased costs and competition for housing due to COVID, the need for long term rental assistance in Fresno, infrastructure costs and water accessibility, inclusionary housing, code enforcement, community land trusts, mobile home park protections, and capacity building for lower income residents and nonprofits/community-based organizations. Stakeholders encouraged the City to include specific programs and timelines with designated responsible parties.

Fair Housing Assessment

This section serves as an assessment of fair housing practices in the city of Fresno and has been prepared pursuant to Government Code Section 65583 (c)(10). It examines existing conditions and demographic patterns including patterns of integration and segregation within the city, concentrated areas of low- and moderate-income housing, and areas of low and high opportunity. Information on Fresno is also compared to regional trends, describing settlement patterns across the Central Valley. The analysis is primarily based on data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS), the HCD AFFH Tool, and the City’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (Draft – February 2020). A regional assessment of Fair Housing in Fresno County is provided in Chapter 3: Regional Assessment of Fair Housing.

This section is organized by fair housing topics. For each topic, the regional assessment is first, followed by the local assessment. Strategies to address the identified issues are included throughout the section. This section also includes an analysis of the Housing Element sites inventory as compared with fair housing factors. Through discussions with housing service providers, fair housing advocates, and this assessment of fair housing issues, the City of Fresno identified factors that contribute to fair housing issues. These contributing factors along with associated actions are included in Table 1E-3.28, Summary of Fair Housing Issues, Contributing Factors, and Meaningful Actions to AFFH. Additional programs to affirmatively further fair housing are included in Section 1E-1: Action Plan.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Notes on Geospatial Analysis

In this report, “neighborhoods” are approximated by an aggregation of census tracts. Census tracts are statistical geographic units defined by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of disseminating data. Throughout this report, neighborhood level segregation measures are calculated using census tract data. However, some data is reported at the census block or census block group (block groups) level. Fresno County is used as the primary point of comparison for regional trends. References to the “Central Valley” refer to the San Joaquin basin within Fresno County.

Figure 1E-3.1 displays a neighborhood map for the city of Fresno. Throughout this document, the following neighborhood names will be used to generally categorize census tract or block group data. This report uses an expansive definition of Downtown. The General Plan directed that the Downtown Planning Area be further refined through specific and community plans which include the plan areas for the Downtown Neighborhood Community Plan and the Southwest Fresno Specific Plan. While these areas are functionally similar, these neighborhoods vary culturally, rich with strong communities such as the city’s historic Chinatown.

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SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

Figure 1E-3.1: Neighborhood Map, City of Fresno

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Source: City of Fresno, 2022.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Patterns of Integration and Segregation

Race and Ethnicity

As described in the Regional Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element (Chapter 3), the racial and ethnic representation of residents in the County set the baseline, and closely correspond to those in the city of Fresno. Countywide, the majority of the population in most jurisdictions is Hispanic (of any race). Similarly, the city of Fresno’s Hispanic population constitutes nearly half of all residents (49.7 percent). Countywide and within the city, Hispanic representation has grown significantly since the 2000 Census. In real numbers, the Hispanic population increased from 170,520 people to 261,751 over the 20-year timeframe, a 53.5 percent increase (see Table 1E-3.1).

Table 1E-3.1: Population by Race and Hispanic Origin, Fresno, 2000-2020

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS16-20 and ACS05-10 (5-year Estimates), Table B03002. U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census Table H007.

Residents identifying as White are the second largest population segment in the city of Fresno, comprising a quarter of the city’s total population. Since 2000, the percentage of the city’s White population has decreased, from 159,473 people (37.3 percent of the city) in 2000 to 137,216 (26.1 percent) in 2020. Asian or Pacific Islanders comprise Fresno’s third largest population segment, making up 14.0 percent of the city, roughly similar to their 2000 population share of 11.0 percent. From 2000 to 2020, Fresno gained an additional 26,700 Asian or Pacific Islander residents. During this 20-year timeframe, the city also experienced a decrease in Black or African American residents and Native American residents.

Figure 1E-3.2 displays the distribution of households in Fresno by race and Hispanic origin. While Fresno’s population is relatively evenly distributed throughout the city, the spatial distribution of the population indicates considerable levels of segregation by race and ethnicity. As shown in the figure, Hispanic residents are more concentrated in the southern half of the city, specifically in the Downtown, while neighborhoods in the northern half of the city have a greater predominance of White residents.

SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

Figure 1E-3.2: Population by Race and Hispanic Origin, Fresno, 2019

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Source: Data downloaded from HCD AFFH Data and Mapping Tool in 2021, based on 2015-2019 American Community Survey data.

1E-3-10 FRESNO MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT | DECEMBER 2024

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

The dissimilarity index provides another measure of the magnitude of segregation within a city or county. The dissimilarity index measures the degree to which two specific groups are distributed across a geographic area. The score varies between 0 and 100 and measures the percentage of one group that would have to move across neighborhoods to be distributed the same way as the second group. A dissimilarity index of 0 indicates conditions of total integration under which both groups are distributed in the same proportions across all neighborhoods. A dissimilarity index of 100 indicates conditions of total segregation such that the members of one group are located in completely different neighborhoods than the second group. For example, if an index score is above 60, more than 60 percent of people in the specified area would need to move to eliminate segregation. The following can be used to interpret the index:

• Less than 40: Low Segregation
• Between 40 and 54: Moderate Segregation
• Greater than 55: High Segregation

Table 1E-3.2 displays the dissimilarity index scores in the city compared to the county. It is important to note that the dissimilarity index uses White residents as the primary comparison group. That is, all dissimilarity index values compare racial and ethnic groups against the distribution of White residents and do not directly measure segregation between two minority groups (e.g., Black or African American, and Hispanic/Latino segregation). The dissimilarity index scores are intended to contextualize the level of segregation between racial and ethnic groups city- and countywide. As shown below, the dissimilarity index for Black or African American residents is 0.49 in this city. This would mean that nearly half of Black or African American (or White) residents would need to move to a different neighborhood to achieve balance in the demographics.

Table 1E-3.2: Dissimilarity Index Scores for City of Fresno and Fresno County, 2020

Source: U.S Census ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2020, Table B03002.

SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

As discussed previously, White, and Hispanic/Latino groups comprise the majority of the population in the city (77.2 percent). The dissimilarity index shows that there is a low magnitude of segregation between these respective groups (0.39). This is comparable, but lower, than patterns countywide (0.45). The dissimilarity index also shows that the highest levels of segregation within the city are between Pacific Islander (0.79), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.66) and other racial/ethnic groups not listed (0.73). However, when calculating and analyzing the dissimilarity index, it is important to note that dissimilarity index values are less reliable for a population group if that group represents less than 5 percent of the jurisdiction’s total population, approximately. Scores are innately higher because there is a smaller population size relative to the total.

Asian residents on the other hand account for 14 percent of the city’s total population and the dissimilarity index score between Asian and White residents is 0.39 which is the same as the score between White and Hispanic/Latino groups. These scores are below the threshold of 0.40 which would indicate lower levels of segregation amongst the city’s census tracts based on numerical statistics. The dissimilarity index scores for the total Non-White population indicate that the county as a whole has moderate and higher levels of racial/ethnic segregation, with dissimilarity index scores of 0.36 and 0.40, in the city and county respectively.

Figure 1E-3.3 below visualizes racial segregation/integration measures based on methodology from the Othering & Belonging Institute (OBI) and 2021 census tract boundaries. OBI’s data compares integrated neighborhoods to highly segregated White neighborhoods and highly segregated neighborhoods that are predominantly populations of color (POC). In the figure below, South Fresno stands out with the highest POC segregation. While there are more tracts in northern Fresno with highly segregated White neighborhoods (shown in green below), there are two census tracts in the Woodward Park area that are classified with high POC segregation. The central core of established neighborhoods surrounding the Shaw Avenue corridor are more racially integrated with most neighborhoods on the outskirts of those neighborhoods experiencing low to medium segregation (as indicated by the yellow cluster in the central core and lighter red color surrounding those tracts in Figure 1E-3.3). It is worth noting that several census tracts throughout the city do not have data assigned to them. This includes tracts in the Woodward Park, West, Downtown, and Roosevelt areas.

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APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Figure 1E-3.3: Racial Segregation/Integration by Census Tract, City of Fresno

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Source: Data downloaded from HCD AFFH Data and Mapping Tool 2.0 in 2023, based on 2021 census tract boundaries and data from the Othering & Belonging Institute 2020.

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SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

Income Distribution

In 2020, Fresno’s citywide median household income was $53,368 which was below the Fresno County median income of $57,109 and the statewide median income of $78,672. Median incomes by racial group, shown below in Figure 1E-3.4, vary greatly. White and Asian households had median incomes that are very close at $63,517 and $63,460 respectively. Hispanic households had a median income that was approximately $17,500 less than White and Asian households at $45,984 while Black or African American households had the lowest median household income at $34,361. These trends are also displayed for the whole of Fresno County where Hispanic households had a median income of $47,141 compared to $70,763 for White households and $68,274 for Asian households while Black or African American households had a median income of $39,621.

Figure 1E-3.5 displays the distribution of households in the city by median household incomes. North, northwest, west, and east neighborhoods of the city, including portions of the Woodward Park, Bullard, West, and Roosevelt community areas, have the highest median incomes relative to the rest of the city. Census block groups that most closely match the city’s median incomes ($50,000-$87,100) and are generally in line with the statewide average median income of $78,672, are located in between the highest and lowest median income neighborhoods. While the city’s average annual median income was $53,368, most of the city has incomes that are less than $50,000. Compared to the trends in residential integration and segregation shown in Figure 1E-3.3 above, incomes tend to be lowest where there is “low to medium segregation” and “high POC segregation,” particularly in Downtown and inner core neighborhoods, such as west Fresno adjacent to SR 99, south Fresno, Jane Addams and Jefferson. Residents in high poverty areas tend to have lower levels of access to opportunity due to the absence of critical resources and disinvestment in their communities. As poverty increases, disparities in access to opportunities often increase among population groups and disadvantaged communities become even more isolated.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Figure 1E-3.4: Median Household Income by Race, Fresno, 2020

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS16-20 (5-year Estimates), Table B19013.

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SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

Figure 1E-3.5: Median Household Income, Fresno, 2019

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Source: Data downloaded from HCD AFFH Data and Mapping Tool in 2021, based on 2015-2019 American Community Survey data.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

The Area Median Income (AMI) for Fresno County is $80,300 in 2022. In 2022, a family of four making $27,750 or less would be classified as extremely low income in Fresno. In the city of Fresno, 15.8 percent of households make less than 30 percent of the AMI, which is considered extremely low income. This income equates to a wage of $14.76 per hour for a single wage-earner, which is below the minimum wage in Fresno ($15.50 per hour). An extremely low-income family of four described above could afford a monthly housing cost of approximately $694. As reported in the regional assessment of fair housing, only 7.0 percent of units in the city of Fresno rent for less than $1,000 monthly, while 54.0 percent rent for $1,001 to $1,500 monthly, 30.0 percent rent for $1,501 to $2,000 monthly, and 10.0 percent rent for above $2,000 monthly, making it very hard for extremely low-income families to afford housing and support themselves.

As such, most block groups in the city have high levels of poverty on average than other cities in the state, and the overall poverty rate in Fresno is 19.2 percent. Despite Fresno being the country’s most agriculturally productive region, it has become known for its high levels of poverty and unemployment.¹ There are large disparities among racial and ethnic groups with regard to poverty (see Figure 1E-3.6). Black or African American, “Other Race,” and Hispanic populations experience the greatest rates of poverty in Fresno, while the White population has the least amount of poverty (less than 10 percent) among all population groups. Exposure to poverty varies by location in the city, with some areas of the city experiencing higher rates of poverty than others. Specifically, block groups in south and west Fresno tend to have higher exposure to poverty, while the city’s northernmost block groups have relatively low levels of poverty (see Figure 1E-3.7).

Figure 1E-3.6: Percent of Households in Poverty by Race or Hispanic Origin, Fresno, 2020

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS16-20 (5-year Estimates), Table B17010A.

SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

Figure 1E-3.7: Distribution of Poverty, Fresno, 2019

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Source: Data downloaded from HCD AFFH Data and Mapping Tool in 2021, based on 2015-2019 American Community Survey data.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Familial Status

The FHA also bans discrimination based on "familial status," which refers to the presence of at least one child under 18 years old. Housing discrimination based on familial status can occur when a landlord, property manager, real estate agent, or property owner treats someone or a group of people differently because they have a family with children under the age of 18. In Fresno County, the majority of households are family households (72.3 percent). Family households are defined by California law as a household of two or more people, regardless of relationship status. Approximately 67.8 percent of households in the city of Fresno are family households including 40.7 percent married couple households, 9.4 percent of households that are unmarried cohabitating couples, and an additional 17 percent of households with alternative compositions such as single-parent households.

As shown in Table 1E-3.3, 34.3 percent of households in the city had a child under the age of 18 according to ACS. Since 2000, the overall share of families with children in the city of Fresno has declined by 22.1 percentage points despite an increase in the number of families overall. A similar decline occurred at the regional level, where families with children decreased from 55.8 percent of all households in 2000 to 35.4 percent in 2020, despite gaining over 30,000 additional families with children.

Table 1E-3.3: Families with Children, Fresno, 1990-2020

Source: Decennial Census, ACS. 2020 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS16-20 (5-year Estimates), Table B11012.

Figure 1E-3.8 shows the distribution of children in married couple households, while Figure 1E-3.9 shows the distribution of children in female-headed households with no partner or spouse present. Most of Fresno County has moderate to high rates of children in married-couple households especially in the unincorporated county areas. Generally, throughout the San Joaquin Valley, areas where residences are typically more dispersed and uses are more agricultural or limited by topography have higher rates of families with children than is found in the central and southern neighborhoods of the city of Fresno. Within the city, there is a greater presence of children living in married couple households in the west and northwest neighborhoods. The inner city near Downtown has smaller populations of children living in married couple households.

SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

Figure 1E-3.8: Percent of Children in Married Couple Households, Fresno, 2019

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Source: Data downloaded from HCD AFFH Data and Mapping Tool in 2021, based on 2015-2019 American Community Survey data.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Figure 1E-3.9: Percent of Children in Single-Female Headed Households, Fresno, 2019

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Source: Data downloaded from HCD AFFH Data and Mapping Tool in 2021, based on 2015-2019 American Community Survey data.

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SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

As described in the Regional Assessment of Fair Housing (Chapter 3 of the Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element), female-headed households tend to live in and around the cities of Fresno and Clovis. This could be due to the proximity of schools, transit, services, and jobs in an incorporated city; however, the urban areas of the county also have a greater range of housing types that single-female headed households can afford. While female-headed households compose 30.7 percent of households in the city overall, there are several neighborhoods where they are the predominant household type. As shown in Figure 1E-3.9, there are several tracts in Fresno, predominantly along State Route 41, State Route 99 and State Route 180, with proportions of female-headed households that comprise 40 to 80 percent of the total households. Female-headed households are also predominant in the Woodward Park area in northern Fresno, the neighborhood areas in the east bordering old town Clovis (generally surrounding Clovis Avenue), and the Roosevelt community area in southern Fresno surrounding Kings Canyon Road and California Avenue.

Female-headed households have special housing needs because they tend to be either single-parents or single-elderly adults that are living on low- or poverty-level incomes. In 2021, According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice, 9.5 percent of children living with two parents lived below the poverty level, compared to 31.7 percent of children living with a single parent. Children living with only their mothers in 2021 were more than twice as likely to live in poverty than those living with only their fathers (35.0 percent vs. 17.4 percent)¹. Comparing Figures 1E-3.8 and 1E-3.9 with Figures 1E-3.5 and 1E-3.7, a connection can be made to higher concentrations of single parent households and higher poverty levels and lower median incomes in Fresno. Single-parent households with children often require special consideration and assistance as a result of their greater need for affordable housing, accessible day care, health care, and a variety of other supportive services. Because of their relatively lower household incomes, single-parent households are more likely to experience difficulties in finding affordable, decent, and safe housing and the presence of a child in the household tends to receive unequal treatment in the rental housing market. Fresno ranks fourth worst among the 50 most populous U.S. cities for the percentage of single mothers with an income below the poverty line (63.1 percent). Single mothers in this city can expect to spend 31.8 percent of their income on rent annually.²

Population with Disabilities

The U.S. Census Bureau defines disability as one of the following: hearing difficulty, vision difficulty, cognitive difficulty, ambulatory difficulty, self-care difficulty, and independent living difficulty. Persons with disabilities tend to have lower fixed-incomes, higher health care costs, and special housing needs. Persons with disabilities typically have special housing needs because their physical and/or developmental capabilities, fixed or limited incomes, and higher health costs associated with their disabilities.

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

According to 2016-2020 ACS 5-Year Estimates, 14.3 percent of Fresno’s population has a disability, which is slightly higher than the county rate of 13.0 percent. By disability type, the city is similar to the region, with ambulatory difficulties being the most prevalent disability type (affecting 50.1 percent of the city of Fresno population and 49.7 percent of the regional population with one or more types of disability). Cognitive and independent living difficulties are the next most prevalent, affecting 44.0 percent and 39.5 percent of the disabled population. Smaller percentages of the population are affected by hearing difficulties, vision difficulties, and self-care difficulties.

Figure 1E-3.10 shows the population of persons with a disability by census tract in the city using ACS data from 2015-2019. As stated in the Regional Assessment of Fair Housing (Section 3 of the Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element), the only areas in Fresno County having a concentration of persons with a disability over 20 percent are in the cities of Fresno and Clovis, suggesting a correlation between housing opportunities for seniors in more urbanized areas with access to public transportation, services, and amenities. The other jurisdictions in Fresno County either contain a population of which less than 10 percent of the population reports a disability, or the jurisdiction is split between areas of less than 10 percent, and 10 to 20 percent of the households experiencing one or more disabilities. Within Fresno, households with a disability have higher concentrations in southwest Fresno, the Fresno High-Roeding neighborhood in central Fresno, the McLane neighborhood west of the airport, and a small tract of the Bullard neighborhood. These areas correlate with the neighborhoods with supportive housing and assisted care facilities for seniors and others that may require supportive housing.

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Fresno residents with disabilities are served by the Fresno County Senior Resource Center, which operates an Adult Protective Services program, assisting both disabled adults and seniors with all requests for assistance. The Fresno County Human Services System Department of Adult Services also provides housing and basic needs assistance to elderly persons. The Fresno/Madera Area Agency on Aging (FMAAA) provides connections to programs, services, and resources elderly residents can use to maintain and improve their quality of life as they age.

SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

Figure 1E-3.10: Percentage of the Population with a Disability in City of Fresno

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Source: Data downloaded from HCD AFFH Data and Mapping Tool in 2021, based on 2010-2014 and 2015-2019 American Community Survey data.

Concentrated Areas of Race and Income

Areas of Poverty

One indicator of segregation is the presence of racially concentrated areas of poverty. Racially or Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty (R/ECAP) are neighborhoods in which there are both racial concentrations and high poverty rates. The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) definition of a R/ECAP is:

• A census tract that has a Non-White population of 50 percent or more (majority-minority) or, for non-urban areas, 20 percent, AND a poverty rate of 40 percent or more; OR

• A census tract that has a Non-White population of 50 percent or more (majority-minority) AND the poverty rate is three times the average tract poverty rate for the county, whichever is lower.

Households within R/ECAP tracts frequently represent the most disadvantaged households within a community and often face a multitude of housing challenges. Overrepresentation of Black and Hispanic populations in areas of concentrated poverty can exacerbate racial disparities related to safety, employment, access to jobs and quality education, and conditions that lead to poor health. Areas of concentrated poverty generally have less private investment from financial institutions, grocery stores, and other retail outlets. R/ECAPs are meant to identify where residents may have historically faced discrimination and continue to be challenged by limited economic opportunity. As will be discussed later in the section on Fresno’s local history, concentrated areas of poverty today were shaped by various land use practices that were historically used in communities across the nation to spatially segregate neighborhoods, including redlining and racially restrictive covenants.

Figure 3-15 of the regional assessment displays R/ECAPs in the Fresno County region, based on ACS data from 2009-2013. While the region as a whole appears to be fairly integrated economically and racially, concentrated poverty and racial segregation remains a major concern in several communities throughout the San Joaquin Valley. As the largest city in the region, Fresno has the highest number of R/ECAPs. Based on this data, there were 39 census tracts designated as R/ECAPs in the city of Fresno. Approximately 40 percent of Fresno residents live in R/ECAP census tracts. Hispanic residents make up the majority of the population living in R/ECAP tracts. Recalling Figure 1E-3.2 which shows where predominant concentrations of various racial/ethnic groups live in Fresno and Figure 1E-3.3 which shows racial segregation/integration, individual R/ECAPS can be linked to census tracts with predominant Hispanic populations where there are high concentrations of POC segregation. Looking at familial status, recalling Figure 1E-3.9, more than half of the families living in Fresno’s R/ECAP tracts have children.

SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

Figure 1E-3.11 displays R/ECAPs in the city of Fresno, based on ACS data from 2009-2013. R/ECAP census tracts cover all Downtown neighborhoods, such as Jane Addams, Edison, Lowell, and Jefferson, as well as west and south Fresno. There are also two R/ECAP census tracts in the Bullard neighborhood of northern Fresno, in or near the campus of Fresno State University. A third isolated R/ECAP in the Bullard neighborhood is located around State Route 41. It is important to note that no newer analysis currently exists that specifically identifies R/ECAPs. For a better understanding of the current landscape, refer to Figure 1E-3.14, which displays the composite analysis of TCAC Opportunity Areas, including areas of “high segregation and poverty.” These maps provide more recent insights into areas of concentrated segregation and poverty and are useful for understanding the current landscape.

As will be discussed in more detail in a later section, several policies and historical forces¹ have contributed to the formation of R/ECAPs in Fresno and other communities across the country, including:

• Redlining: The discriminatory practice of denying loans and other financial services to residents of certain areas based on racial or ethnic composition has left lasting impacts on community development and wealth accumulation.²
• Discriminatory Housing Practices: Including restrictive covenants, racial steering, and unequal lending practices, which limited where minority populations could live and invest.³
• Urban Renewal: Policies aimed at redeveloping urban areas often displaced minority communities, further entrenching segregation and poverty.⁴
• Economic Disparities: Structural economic inequalities, including low engagement in the labor market and wage gaps, have exacerbated poverty levels in these communities.⁵
• Education Inequality: Income disparities and unequal educational resources have perpetuated limited social mobility for residents of R/ECAPs.⁶

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

Figure 1E-3.11: Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty, Fresno, 2013

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Source: Data download from the HCD AFFH Mapping tool in 2021. Based on R/ECAP data from HUD and 2009-2013 ACS.

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SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

Moreover, there are systemic and structural issues which have contributed to the perpetuation of concentrated poverty including but not limited to: high unemployment rates and low engagement in the labor market, wage gaps, limited social safety nets, and disparities in access to educational resources. Relative to other areas in the city, R/ECAPs in Fresno tend to exhibit the following characteristics:

• Higher percentages of non-White populations (Figure 1E-3.2) and medium to high rates of segregation for populations of color (Figure 1E-3.3)
• Median incomes less than $50,000 per year (Figure 1E-3.5)
• Higher poverty rates (Figure 1E-3.7)
• Higher rates of children in single-family households (Figure 1E-3.9)
• Lower academic performance and fewer educational resources based on the 2021 TCAC Opportunity Index (Figure 1E-3.15)
• Low engagement with the labor market (Figure 1E-3.17)
• Poor environmental conditions (Figure 1E-3.23 through Figure 1E-3.25)
• Higher percentages of Housing Choice Voucher usage (Figure 1E-3.29)
• Higher rates of overcrowding (Figure 1E-3.30) and housing cost burden (Figure 1E-3.31 and Figure 1E-3.32)

In contrast, the communities north of Shaw including Woodward Park, Bullard, and also the McLane community are not characterized as racially or ethnically concentrated areas of poverty. These communities developed in the 1980s amidst construction of the State Route 99, 41, and 180 freeway loops around Downtown. As shown in the demographic analysis above, there is less racial and ethnic diversity in these communities. Figure 1E-3.3 indicates that these neighborhoods have higher rates of integration as compared to central core neighborhoods. Regarding income distribution, household incomes are generally higher around the northern fringes of the city. In fact, these communities are characterized as racially concentrated areas of affluence. This is described in more detail in the following section.

Furthermore, the built environment, or the physical resources built for the residents of Fresno, can have a significant impact on quality of life. Some ways the built environment can affect quality of life positively include physical activity, good housing conditions, and access to healthy food and healthcare. Physical activity includes walkability, bikeability, park access, and in Fresno’s hot summers, tree canopy coverage. Housing conditions can be measured by the level of repair and maintenance needed. Access to healthy foods can include the number of and distance to grocery stores. Healthcare access can include the number of and distance to hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices. When comparing Fresno’s R/ECAPs to Fresno’s Racially or Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Affluence (RCAAs – see next section for definition and location) in terms of the built environment the following is known about the quality of life:

APPENDIX 1E: CITY OF FRESNO

• Walkability: Based on data from the 2017 Fresno Active Transportation Plan (ATP) there is a much higher percentage of sidewalk gaps in R/ECAPs compared to RCAAs. The gaps in the R/ECAPs occur within existing neighborhoods, in neighborhoods adjacent to freeways, and along major roadways in Southwest Fresno.
• Bikeability: Based on data from the ATP, there is a much higher percentage of bikepath gaps in R/ECAPs compared to RCAAs. The gaps in the R/ECAPs occur throughout and are most notable in Downtown Fresno, Southwest Fresno, and the eastern portion of the Fresno High-Roeding.
• Walkability and Bikeability: Based on data from the 2017 Fresno Active Transportation Plan there is a much higher percentage of trails in the RCAAs compared to the R/ECAPs. In 2019, the RCAAs had 18 miles of trails and one of those trails, the Fresno Sugar Pine Trail, connects to miles of Clovis trails.
• Walkability and Bikeability: In the 2019 Fresno Network Expansion Feasibility Plan, the City evaluated all proposed unfunded trails identified in the ATP based on the Active Transportation Prioritization Tool adopted with the ATP. The criterion included access and equity, connectivity, traffic control, mode shift, and user comfort. The R/ECAPs have 30 segments of needed trails totaling 16.5 miles whereas the RCAAs areas have 10 segments totaling 3.16 miles. Twenty-eight of the trails in the R/ECAP scored a higher priority than all the trail needs in the RCAAs.
• Park Access: In 2024, there are two regional, three community, and 13 neighborhood parks for a total of 18 City parks in R/ECAPs and one regional, three community, and six neighborhood parks for a total of 10 City parks in RCAAs areas. The RCAAs areas have 15 Clovis or Central Unified School District campuses with open campus policies, which allow residences to use outdoor courts and playfields and structures after school and on weekends. These school campuses have similar amenities to neighborhood and community parks.
• Park Access: The parks in the R/ECAPs were built between 1903 and 2014 with the median year being 1968 and the parks in the RCAAs areas were built between 1988 and 2006 with the median year being 1994. In 2016, during the Parks Master Plan process the park consultants evaluated 50 percent of the parks in the R/ECAPs to be in poor condition and 50 percent in fair condition. Whereas, in the RCAAs areas, the parks were considered fair to good condition.
• Park Access: The Measure P tax initiative went into effect in 2020 and required at least 50 percent of the funds be allocated to the highest need neighborhoods in Fresno. Through analysis, the Fresno PARCS Department determined the highest need neighborhoods by census tract. There are no highest need neighborhood census tracts in the RCAAs areas while there are 21 in the R/ECAPs.
• Tree Canopy Coverage: In 2024, the City completed an Urban Forest Management Plan. The Plan conducted an analysis to determine a planting priority score for all census tracts in the city. Among all census tracts the lowest score was zero, the highest 78, and the median 22. The R/ECAPs had 20 census tracks above the median and the RCAAs areas had two.

SECTION 1E-3: LOCAL ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING

• Housing Conditions: In 2010, the City did a windshield neighborhood condition survey as part of the General Plan update. The study concluded that the housing was in good condition in the RCAAs areas and in fair to poor condition in the R/ECAPs.
• Healthy Food: According to the USDA Economic Research Service, in 2019, there were 12 census tracts with low income and low access to food and most were in Southwest Fresno.
• Healthcare: According to FELT there are eight hospitals and clinics within or near the RCAAs areas and eleven in the R/ECAPs. There is a large network of doctor’s offices along Herndon Avenue between Highways 99 and 41 near the RCAAs areas and in Downtown Fresno within the R/ECAPs.

To improve the quality of life and access to opportunities in R/ECAPs, the Housing Element includes several key programs and initiatives, summarized below (see Section 1E-1 Action Plan for more details on each of these programs).

• Program 2 – Variety of Housing Opportunities in High Resource Areas. Increase the availability of affordable housing units in higher resource areas to alleviate pressure in R/ECAP areas, reduce housing cost burdens, and improve living conditions.
• Program 11 – Incentives for Housing Development. Provide incentives to encourage private developers to include affordable housing in their projects.
• Program 19 – Home Buyer Assistance. Promote homeownership programs that provide down payment assistance and affordable mortgage options for low-income families.
• Program 22 – Housing Rehabilitation. Launch a housing rehabilitation program that offers grants or low-interest loans to homeowners for repairs and maintenance. Provide resources and support for weatherization and energy efficiency upgrades.
• Program 23 – Comprehensive Code Enforcement. Implement code enforcement initiatives to ensure landlords maintain rental properties to health and safety standards.
• Program 27 – Environmental Justice. Prepare an Environmental Justice Element with actions to improve public health and quality of life in disproportionately impacted neighborhoods focusing on: equitable distribution of parks, recreation facilities, and other beneficial civic and cultural facilities; planting native trees and vegetation in neighborhoods with less tree canopy coverage; access to multi-modal transportation opportunities; and healthy food access.
• Program 28 – Equitable Community Investments. Develop publicly accessible tools for the evaluation and tracking of infrastructure projects in areas of greatest need (high segregation & poverty, low resource, and moderate resource).
• Program 29 – Equitable Engagement. Expand outreach and public education strategies to increase engagement amongst historically underrepresented populations and residents with the greatest need.