Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer called housing security a “fundamental right” on Friday and said the city needed tens of thousands more units. Meanwhile, the city council has turned down two notable housing projects in north Fresno — both supported by Dyer’s administration. And, the state this month warned the city it may be violating its own housing plan.
Dyer spoke Friday at Fresno Housing’s first inaugural State of Affordable Housing luncheon, alongside Fresno Housing CEO Tyrone Roderick Williams, county supervisor Nathan Magsig, state housing and development director Gustavo Velasquez, and others. Dyer emphasized the essential role the city plays in securing funding for housing — especially affordable housing. “Local government must drive housing.
If not, our unhoused population will increase dramatically,” Dyer said. But the city council may not be on the same page. Councilmembers have twice in the past eight months denied multi-family housing projects.
One vote in July rejected a four-story market-rate apartment complex at Herndon and Prospect avenues. In December 2023, the council turned down an affordable housing project at Bullard and Fresno avenues it had previously approved. Related Story: And, on Aug.
7, the state’s housing department sent a letter acquired by GV Wire to Dyer’s administration saying the decision threatens the city’s required housing goals. “The denial of the Quality Inn Homekey project is in direct opposition to several of the City.