A big driver of our economy is the people that go to work every day, use their skills to create, manufacture, develop, design, repair or do some other form of productive performance. They work hard and they do it year-round. Where do these folks come from? Where do they do this work? How does it connect to the bigger picture of Fresno’s economy?
Keep reading to learn how Fresno DRIVE is answering the questions posed above.
Betting Big on Small Business of Color
In the heart of Downtown Fresno sits the Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce. The organization is focused on developing the next generation of small business owners by providing them a series of learning workshops that take them from an idea to launching a new business.
Executive Director and CEO Dr. Cassandra Little and her amazing team have invested in individuals for the past five years. They have supported 140 entrepreneurs, guiding 115 of them to become a legal business entity. As these businesses grow, they will hire others, they will contribute to our local economy, and they will assist in creating pathways to wealth for those that seek a new journey for success.
“Programs like BTAC and Betting Big are essential because they provide our entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources, mentorship, and access to capital they need to thrive. Economic empowerment is the foundation of strong communities, and by investing in local community members, we are not just creating jobs—we are building generational wealth and fostering long-term sustainability." –Dr. Cassandra Little
Fresno Opportunity Corridors
Cutting through our city are major thoroughfares, that have businesses, retail, housing, and other entities. All are vital to the overall wellbeing of our city. Opportunity Corridors focuses on two main arteries in Fresno: the north-south Blackstone corridor and the east-west Cesar Chavez corridor.
As some may know, Blackstone served as Fresno’s Highway 41 for decades until the highway we now know was built in the 1980s. Blackstone has long been a corridor for businesses, educational campuses, and retail. However, by 2010, it lost its luster as many of the businesses relocated or ceased to exist. Much of the same has been experienced along the Cesar Chavez corridor, once named the California-Ventura-Kings Canyon corridor. Though never as vibrant as Blackstone, it served as a “place” for services and products.
Today, these two corridors are important linkages that can support infill development. In fact, site planning and analyses along these two corridors suggest capacities for over 20,000 additional transit-oriented affordable and market-rate residential units. These can be a part of Fresno’s housing solution.
“Infill development along the Fresno Opportunity Corridor is the most efficient and effective way to reduce vehicle miles traveled, energy and water consumption, household utility and transportation costs, and greenhouse gas emissions—all while boosting property and sales tax revenue. Site planning along Blackstone indicates the potential for over 20,000 additional transit-oriented affordable and market-rate homes by transforming vacant parcels, parking lots, and underutilized buildings. Corridors like this are key to tackling the housing crisis and fostering economic and environmental equity." –Keith Bergthold
Career Nexus
Fresno’s workforce is diverse, including adults with a master’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or an associate’s degree. Others have a high school diploma or GED certificate, and others are actively looking for work but do not have academic credentials. The question is, do we have pathways for each of these populations to achieve upward mobility?
One part of that solution is Career Nexus. Launched from the DRIVE Initiative in 2019, Career Nexus provides a pathway for those with barriers to employment. Career Nexus focuses on providing soft-skills training before a 200-hour paid internship with a business that has opportunities for advancement within the business. This program has proven to support those that need extra assistance so they can succeed in a working environment. To date, Career Nexus has placed over 1,000 interns and they are seeing that over half of those interns are being offered full-time employment. Others are choosing to get back on track in their educational journey, which in itself, is a success story as well.
“The DRIVE initiative has been critical for Career Nexus. From its "inclusive economy" mission to the extensive network of collaborators and advisors to the funding support, Career Nexus would literally not exist without DRIVE. In our three years of working with socioeconomically challenged young adults, we have had 1,000 interns engage in paid internships with a wide range of employers. Over 600 have been hired after their internships were completed. And two-thirds of those are still working more than a year after their internship." –Kurt Madden, Career Nexus CEO
Permanent Affordable Housing
Like most cities in California, Fresno has a housing crisis. We don’t have enough affordable housing for our families. Affordability is a moving target for our families, what’s affordable to one family isn’t for another. We also have an issue with deteriorating, older housing stock that needs to be improved.
One of Fresno Drive’s key partners is Lowell CDC, which has been anchored in the Lowell neighborhood near Downtown Fresno for over 10 years. The Lowell CDC has been purchasing single-family homes and apartment complexes and restoring them while keeping them affordable in perpetuity. The Lowell CDC is a great example of a growing number of CBOs that are focused on being small developers in their focused neighborhoods. This is a small solution to Fresno’s housing issue, and it continues to be a growing solution with each passing year.
“Traditional affordable housing solutions no longer meet the diverse needs of our communities. Rising costs outpace incomes, leaving many young adults, families, and seniors struggling to afford a home. Community-driven solutions are paving the way for Fresno’s future. South Tower and Central California Community Land Trusts help families achieve homeownership, while the Central Fresno Neighborhood Trust preserves affordable rents. Southwest Fresno Development Corporation is building cottage housing for seniors on fixed incomes. These efforts, rooted in asset-based community development, empower neighborhoods to create quality, affordable housing. Take Rosie, a single mother who lost her job and home after leaving an abusive partner. With one-time assistance, she found stability in a newly renovated property by the Central Fresno Neighborhood Trust. Now, she’s rebuilding her life with access to transportation, services, and a supportive community. Fresno’s Community and Economic Development Partnership Housing Workgroup remains committed to advocating for strong housing policies, building new homes, and ensuring tenants thrive in stable, healthy communities. (Rosie is pictured above with her son)." –Esther Carver, Director Lowell Community Development Corporation Executive Director
