San Joaquin Hotel set to become housing for homeless Fresno City College students

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It's a place where city leaders say crime has been common in northwest Fresno, but now the San Joaquin Hotel is being reclaimed for Fresno City College students to call home.

Millions of dollars in public funding will allow dozens of students to have safe and stable housing, some for the first time.

"A lot of these individuals come from so much instability, they literally never have been in a stable location even as a child," said Natalie Chavez with FCC's Housing Opportunities Promote Education program. "We are stopping that generational poverty cycle."

The HOPE program at Fresno City College partnered with RH Community Builders and the City of Fresno to secure up to $30 million in state funding to meet the housing needs of about 300 FCC students who are considered homeless or housing insecure, moving from the homes of friends or family members without a stable place to live.

The San Joaquin Hotel building will be the first project of several. It's set to serve dozens of students next school year.

"Near transit, near the city college but also because structurally, it's a great property," said Katie Wilbur with RH Community Builders. "It's in really good shape, so that will allow the development to need really minimal changes."

By the start of the fall 2022 semester, hotel rooms are set to be converted into 69 apartments. Rent for students will be subsidized to $367, but they will be required to be enrolled in at least nine units and maintain a 2.0 GPA.

"It will function like an apartment complex so they will have a stove, a fridge, a kitchen sink," said Wilbur.

Councilman Mike Karbassi says the hotel has been a sore spot for the northwest, so the revamp of the building is good news for neighbors and nearby businesses too.

"The San Joaquin Hotel, unfortunately, has become a bit of a hub for gang activity," said Karbassi. "This is going to really help clean that up for the neighborhoods around here. This is a major win for everybody."

The application for state funding will be submitted by the end of January. Funding is expected to be approved within 45 days. Plans for the transformation are expected to be completed by the start of the fall 2022 semester.