Affordable housing construction underway in southwest Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- On Tuesday, workers began the first phase of construction of new homes in Southwest Fresno.

"We are excited about it," says Golden West Side Planning Committee Chair Debbie Darden. "The fact that we've been asking for single-family homes for many decades and it's now coming to fruition."

Councilmember Miguel Arias announced the nearly $10 million dollar investment in west Fresno.

The development will provide nearly 40-single family homes to eligible families making less than $56,000 a year.

Arias says Fresno has seen an increase in rent of more than 60 percent since 2017.

Those rising prices are moving many families farther away to find affordable housing.

"At the end of the day, what we are all looking to do is to provide every family in Fresno affordable housing in a neighborhood where they can go to school and get the medical treatment that they need, go the grocery store and get to work in an efficient manner," Arias said.

The local nonprofit Self-Help Enterprises has assisted almost 6,500 families for nearly 60 years.

The CEO, Tom Collishaw, says this opportunity is a launching pad for generations to come.

"Homeownership is the way you build wealth in the United States," he said. "For low-income families to be able to do that when they have been left behind for so many years, certainly this area in Fresno has been left behind, it's just an effort that we are proud to be part of."

The first project is the Ivy-Annadale Homes -- across the street from affordable housing for senior citizens, near an elementary and middle school and around the corner from a medical clinic.

The first phase will be 11 homes -- they hope to break ground in September.

The next project will begin on Florence and Walnut in November.

Self Help says they hope to have all 40 homes completed by the end of 2023.

They will be taking applications in the early Summer.

If you are interested in applying to be a homeowner, call Self Help Enterprises at 559-651-1000. They are working with people who have expressed interest in the program to make sure they are "mortgage ready."