This story was originally published by Fresnoland.
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to apply for over $65 million in state money toward housing developments. The state funding was made available following the passing of a controversial proposition passed by voters last year.
The approval means the submission of two joint applications to the California Department of Housing and Community Development — one with RH Community Builders for about $31.7 million, and a second with the Fresno Housing Authority for $35 million.
The joint application with RHCB will be for a new development in Sanger, located near the intersection of Almond and Lyon Avenues. The proposed development will be about 5 acres of land with 51-housing units.
The joint application for the Fresno Housing Authority will be for a repurposing and construction on 1415 W. Olive Ave. — which currently houses the Parkside Inn. The development will house 63 housing units — a correction said by Dylan McCully, Homeless Program Manager for Fresno County Administrative Office, during the presentation, correcting the published documents saying that the development would house 39 units.
All units will be for residents making 30% or less of the Area Median Income who are referred through Coordinated Entry.
HCD is expected to announce funding awards in the summer.
The funds are for California’s Homekey+ Program. The program is modeled after the state’s earlier Homekey programs that saw funds made available for local jurisdictions to purchase and remodel existing buildings, like hotels, into permanent affordable housing.
The program is also the permanent housing component of Proposition 1 — which will make $2 billion available for housing in the state. The proposition passed in part due to its promise to help tackle the state’s housing crisis. The funding is expected to house veterans, homeless residents and individuals suffering from certain mental health illnesses.
RH Community Builders is a Fresno-based affordable housing developer. Unlike most housing authorities across the country, the Fresno Housing Authority also serves as a housing developer.
Board allows IHSS workers more time to speak out
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors doubled the public comment period for the local Service Employees International Union — a workers group that has been tangled in a years-long negotiation for increased wages.
The extension in time came after a motion by Supervisor Garry Bredefeld, and it passed 3-2. Supervisors Luis Chavez and Brian Pacheco supported the motion. Bredefeld’s motion was motivated by multiple commenters complaining about the county’s legal team.
The policy has been seen as too strict and rigid by some, with Bredefeld promising throughout his election campaign last year and his opening remarks last month to do what he can to remove the practice.
SEIU workers used their extra time to continue their yearslong push for a new contract.
“Over the last nine years, the cost of living in Fresno County went up by 38.4%, while the county’s supervisors raised the wages of their home care providers during that same nine-year period by a total of only 4.6%,” SEIU said in statement. “The county’s current IHSS wage is only $17.10 an hour, leaving many workers struggling to make ends meet, staying on the job from taking other competitive paying jobs, and increasing the shortage crisis of care providers across the county.”
“We don’t just want this new contract; we need it. Prices are going up everywhere in Fresno. Caregivers need a contract that helps us to address the cost of living issues so many of us keep having,” said Olga Valle, a Fresno County IHSS provider and SEIU 2015 member. “Better wages would go a long way to earn enough to make a real living. We also need to keep our healthcare insurance in this new contract. Really, we just need this new contract to reflect the hard work we put in every day.”