City Council

July 23, 2020 – NO COST COVID-19 Testing Tomorrow!

July 21, 2020 – Schedule Your NO COST COVID-19 Testing Now!

July 16, 2020 – NO COST COVID-19 TESTING!

July 14, 2020 – Cornelia Avenue Paving Project!

July 8, 2020 – Virtual Community Meeting Tonight!

July 6, 2020 – Join us for a virtual community meeting!

July 4, 2020 – Happy 4th of July!

July 3, 2020 – Give us your input on Palm Avenue Protected Bikeway!

July 2, 2020 – Do you need housing assistance due to COVID-19?

June 26, 2020 – Have you been counted?

June 21, 2020 – Happy Father’s Day

June 19, 2020 – Freedom Day!

June 18, 2020 – IMPORTANT Fresno City Council Actions!

June 17, 2020 – We want to hear from you!

June 15, 2020 – Tune in: Budget Hearings continue this week!

June 12, 2020 – LAST CHANCE TO APPLY!

June 11, 2020 – APPLY FOR A SMALL BUSINESS GRANT NOW!

June 8, 2020 – City of Fresno Budget Hearings Begin Tomorrow!

April 22, 2020 – Funding Approved for Blackstone & McKinley Railroad Separation Project!

April 17, 2020 – Street Maintenance Near You!

April 10, 2020 – Latest COVID-19 News!

April 9, 2020 – COVID-19 Medi-Cal Coverage for ALL!

April 9, 2020 – Protect All Workers!

April 7, 2020 – Was your business impacted by COVID-19?

April 1, 2020 – Have you been counted?

March 31, 2020 – Cesar Chavez Day

March 30, 2020 – COVID-19 Announcements & Resources!

March 20, 2020 – COVID-19 UPDATE: Governor Newsom Issues Mandatory Stay At Home Order

March 19, 2020 – COVID-19: Rent Deferral, Eviction Moratorium, and Foreclosures

March 18, 2020 – COVID-19 Update

March 16, 2020 – City of Fresno Declares State of Emergency

March 13, 2020 – COVID-19 District 1 Update

March 11, 2020 – Have you noticed the Highway Clean-Up?

March 6, 2020 – Exciting things are happening…

February 24, 2020 – REMINDER: Groundbreaking Ceremony

February 21, 2020 – Groundbreaking Ceremony

February 14, 2020 – Deadline Extension to Nominate a 2020 Woman of the Year

February 7 2020 – REMINDER: Nominate a 2020 Woman of the Year!

February 6, 2020 – Women’s Empowerment Summit in Fresno!

January 31, 2020 – Announcing the Tower District Beautification Plan

January 29, 2020 – Nominate a 2020 Woman of the Year!

January 24, 2020 – We have great news!

Councilmember Esmeralda Soria was elected to represent Council District 1 in the City of Fresno on November 4th of 2014 and was sworn-in for her second 4-year term on January 10, 2019. The City of Fresno has a population of over a half million people and Esmeralda represents over 72,000 residents in her district. She was the first Latina in the history of the City of Fresno to be elected as Council President and served her term proudly from January 2018 to January 2019.

Esmeralda was born and raised in Tulare County by Mexican immigrant farmworkers. Education and always giving back to the community were among the values both of her parents instilled in her.

After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, she was offered a fellowship in Sacramento at our State Capitol where she worked for two years on issues of public safety, education, and women’s health. Esmeralda then continued her education, earning her Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Davis. During her time in law school, Esmeralda was offered an internship at The White House and devoted countless hours to pro bono work in economically disadvantaged communities.

Esmeralda’s passion has always been to give back to the community that shaped who she is today. After law school, she became the Sustainable Rural Communities Project Director for the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation. Esmeralda’s advocacy work in front of city councils and county boards of supervisors provided her a key understanding of how local government works. She learned how to build coalitions and work together with the government to ensure working families were benefitting from their budgetary and policy decisions. She was instrumental in ensuring that our communities had equal access to Safe Routes to School Program (AB 561) and Unmet Needs Transportation funding.

Her continued commitment to public service brought her to work as District Director to Senator Michael J. Rubio and later as a Policy Advisor to Assemblymember Henry T. Perea. Esmeralda built partnerships with community leaders to address unemployment rates in the Central Valley, workforce development, and education among others. She has championed water quality and affordability issues and helped secure safe drinking water emergency funding for disadvantaged communities throughout the Central Valley.

Esmeralda has served on several non-profit boards such as Hands On Central California, Fresno Barrios Unidos, and UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic Council. She is a proud alumna of the HOPE Leadership Institute, graduating from the program in 2013.  In 2014, she was named a 40 under 40 Leader in the Central Valley by Business Street Online. In 2018, Esmeralda was one of sixty people throughout the world selected to attend Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, Executive Leadership Program.

Esmeralda is the only woman on the Fresno City Council and the second Latina to ever serve on the council. She is dedicated to providing robust constituent services to residents in her district and is focused on public safety, infrastructure needs, affordable housing, food sustainability, clean renewable energy projects, and issues relating to youth and working families. Esmeralda is committed to working hard to move the City of Fresno forward and make it a safer and stronger community for everyone.

In addition, Esmeralda is a professor at Fresno City College, teaching Judicial Reasoning and Latino Politics. She is the chair of the Housing Successor Agency and the Fresno Revitalization Corporation. She also serves on the board of the Fresno Joint Powers Financing Authority, California Latino Economic Institute and is a member of the League of California Cities serving on the Latino Caucus and the Transportation, Communication, and Public Works Policy Committee. She also served on the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board & Executive Committee and the Fresno Area Workforce Investment Corporation Board. In 2018, she was appointed to serve on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s transition team, and most recently was appointed to serve on the Local Government Commission board.

Terry Cox
Chief of Staff

Terry serves as Chief of Staff to Councilmember Esmeralda Soria, District 1.  Terry provides legislative support to the Councilmember, oversees the day to day operations and budget of District 1, handles Councilmember Soria’s calendar, and management of the district staff.

Itzi Robles
Council Assistant

Itzi serves as a Council Assistant to District 1.  Itzi oversees constituency services, social media, and communications for District 1.

Celida Garcia Lopez
Council Assistant

Celida Garcia Lopez assists with constituency services, community events and oversees Councilmember Soria’s Young Councilmember Program.

Jaskeet Raika
Council Aide

Jaskeet joined District 1 as an Intern and currently serves as a Council Aide assisting with constituent services, community events, social media, research, and special projects.

Jazmin Gallardo
Council Aide

Jazmin joined District 1 as a Kenneth L Maddy Institute Legislative Intern, she currently serves as a Council Aide assisting with constituent services, community events, social media, research, and special projects.

Click photo for details

Click photo for details

Look for these upcoming Public Works improvement projects in District 1:

Maintaining and renewing infrastructure in our community supports neighborhood revitalization, economic development, public safety, sustainability and air quality. Councilmember Soria is happy to announce the following projects have been confirmed in District 1.

Total improvements $ 2,322,300

Tower District Design Review Committee

• Get involved with the development and review of the Tower District design plans.
• Meets 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at 5:00 pm in City Hall Room 2165.
• Accepting applications for current open positions.
• Staff: Phillip Siegrist, Planner III (559) 621-8061

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)

• Advise and recommend policies for the planning, development and maintenance of pedestrian and bikeway systems for safe and enjoyable travel.
• Meets fourth Wednesday of the month, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm in City Hall Room 2165
• Accepting applications for future open positions; no current vacancies.
• Staff: Jill Gormley, Traffic Engineering Division (559) 621-8800.

Council District One Plan Implementation Committee

• Evaluate and make recommendations on land use applications for new and additions to buildings, and/or land use proposals in the District.
• Meets first and third Tuesday of the month at 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm in City Hall Room 2120
• Accepting applications for current open positions.
• Staff: Jose Valenzuela, Planner III (559) 621-8070

Fresno City Council District 1 Internship Program
Councilmember Esmeralda Soria values education and believes that students bring new ideas, new energy and new skills to the workforce. Internships provide valuable work experience directly related to the student’s academic field of study. Participants will be given high-level work experience that may prepare them for permanent positions in the workforce.

• Year-Round Intern: This position provides a year-round internship to a full-time student at an accredited high school, college, or university. Proof of enrollment must be submitted. This position requires 18-20 hours of work per week and includes a stipend pay. During a semester or vacation breaks, Council Interns can work more hours than they are normally scheduled to work if available.
• Summer Intern: This position provides students an internship throughout the summer semester/vacation break. The minimum number of hours a Council Intern should be available to work is 18-20 hours per week.

How to Apply:
Return the following items –

1. Complete the Councilmember Esmeralda Soria’s Council Internship Application.
2. Provide proof of enrollment, including number of semester units completed and grade point average.
3. Include a letter of interest.
4. Submit 2 References (cannot be a relative).

Email: Terry.Cox@fresno.gov (application packet must be sent in PDF)

Mail: Attn: Terry Cox — 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno CA 93721

Police Violations (559) 621-8000

1. InOp Parked In Street (cob webs, flat tires, wrecked)
2. Boat Stored In Street
3. Trailer Stored In Street
4. Basketball Hoop In Street
5. Mobile Home Parked In Street W/Power Hooked Up

Public Works (559) 621-8650

1. Sign Replacement/Repair
2. Sidewalk, Curb, Gutter Repairs
3. Tree Removal/Replacement And Trimming
4. Street Lights
5. Traffic Lights
6. Standing Water

Community Sanitation Graffiti Reporting Form On-Line

1. Graffiti Reporting (fences, trees, parks, building and signs)

Our office welcomes the opportunity to recognize exceptional individuals and events throughout District One with an official proclamation or certificate of recognition. These documents may be issued in honor of civic events, to recognize achievements, or to commemorate important dates in the life of an individual or organization.

To make a request for a proclamation or certificate, please contact the District One office at least 30 days prior to issuance.

To request a letter of support please contact our office at least 2 weeks prior to the date of issuance.

We request the following information:

Newsletters

In The News

2020

• June 11, 2020 – Temporary Parklets for COVID-19 Impacted Restaurants in the Tower District
• March 25, 2020 – City council leaders making extra efforts to house homeless during COVID-19 Outbreak 
• March 9, 2020 – After 15 years, Fresno will get a permanent fire station
• February 26, 2020 – Blackstone breaks ground, to include new housing
• January 31, 2020 – Councilmembers announce 3-phase plan to beautify Tower District
• January 31, 2020 – Fresno’s Tower District to get a facelift, thanks to new beautification plan 
• Jan 15, 2020 – At Fresno Stop, Newsom Announces $11.5 Million in Emergency Homelessness Grants
• Jan 15, 2020 – Governor Newsom visits crisis stabilization center in Fresno as Statewide Homelessness Tour Continues
• Jan 9, 2020 – Homeless Employment Partnership between Fresno City, EOC needs council approval

2019

• November 14, 2019 – Fresno City Council Approves new marijuana regulation
• July 17,2019 – Gov. Newsom has chosen a Fresno Leader for his homeless taskforce
• July 16, 2019 – Newsom Appoints Fresno’s Soria to Homeless Task Force
• July 6, 2019 – Art does not need to be just on gallery walls
• July 6, 2019 – Fresno Neighborhood comes together for street beautification project.
• June 29,2019 – CUSD breaks ground
• June 28,2019 – As Fresno Airport expands
• June 5, 2019 – Fresno City Councilmembers meet with Ocasio-Cortez about Grizzlies controversy
• April 25,2019 – Students recognized by Fresno county council for stopping woman
• April 26, 2019 – The iconic hotel Fresno is getting makeover
• March 12, 2019 – Public Donations sought for Fresno City Hall Memorial
• March 9, 2019 – Central Valley women blazing trails
• January 23, 2019 – Fresno county court reporters, clerks back to work
• January 11, 2019 – Fresno City council First Hispanic female president
• January 10, 2019 – New Fresno City Council members take oath

2018

• November 8, 2018 – Fresno city council set to be mostly Latino
• October 2, 2018 – Pro Measure P: Parks and public safety
• August 31, 2018 – Fresno recognizes Aug 31 as William Saroyan Day
• March 21, 2018 – Esmeralda Soria is determined to inspire
• February 14, 2018 – New buses giving free rides to students
• January 11, 2018 – Fresno City council First Hispanic female president

2017

• September 6, 2017 – California City renames park
• June 28, 2017 – This new police office should improve security in Fresno’s Tower District

Press Releases/Media Advisories

2020

July 24, 2020 – No Cost COVID-19 Testing at Sikh Institute Fresno
July 23, 2020 – Tower Beautification Project begins this Thursday with a Neighborhood Clean Up
July 8, 2020 – Palm Avenue Protected Bikeway
June 29, 2020 – City of Fresno Housing Retention Grants
April 23, 2020 – City of Fresno Ovation for Frontline Workers
April 22, 2020 – Relief Fund To Assist Fresno Families Impacted by COVID-19
February 26, 2020 – Blackstone-McKinley Transit-Oriented Development Groundbreaking

2019

September 17, 2019 – Fresno to Support DACA Recipients in Legal Brief to Supreme Court
May 15, 2019 – Council Approval for Grant for Quigley Park
March 21, 2019 – Women of the Year
February 8, 2019 – Central Valley’s First Axe Throwing Venue
January 16, 2019 – League of CA Cities. Transportation Communication and Public Works Committee

2018

July 8, 2018 – Fresno City Council President Soria Heads to Harvard
June 21, 2018 – Council President Soria Rallies Up Support For 2 Bike Offices In The Tower District
June 13, 2018 – Council President Soria Holds Press Conference Celebrating Fresno in becoming Top City in Solar Capacity Installed Per Resident
May 25, 2018 – Council President Esmeralda Soria hosts the 2018 Future of Work Meetup in Fresno
March 1, 2018 – Council President Soria Sponsors City of Fresno Youth Jobs Taskforce
January 27, 2018 – Quigley Park Tree Planting With Council President Soria and Tree Fresno

2017

December 12, 2017 – Councilmember Soria, Santa Claus & Fresno’s Meathead Movers Team Up to Deliver Toys To Heaton Elementary School Students
October 18, 2017 – Council Vice President Soria To Bring Forward Pedicabs Ordinance Regulating Pedicabs Which Serve Alcohol On Board
October 13, 2017 – Council Vice President Soria To Host A Neighborhood Clean Up In The Tower District
August 1, 2017 – 2nd Annual District 1 National Night Out At Inspiration Park
June 24, 2017 – Councilwoman Soria And Community Partner Organizations To Hold A Know Your Rights Workshop At The Sikh Institute of Fresno
June 5, 2017 – Councilwoman Soria Launches The First Ever City of Fresno District 1 Participatory Budget Meetings
May 29, 2017 – Councilwoman Soria To Reveal Fresno High Beautification Project At The 2nd Annual Echo & Weldon Block Party
May 27, 2017 – Councilwoman Esmeralda Soria And Mayor Lee Brand To Issue Proclamation In Memory of Neng Thao At Memorial Service
April 4, 2017 – Councilmember Soria Will Meet With Residents Regarding The Clinton/99 Overpass Closure And Traffic Issues West of Hwy 99
March 22, 2017 – Councilmember Esmeralda Soria Co-Sponsors Proposition 64 Workshop

2016

December 19, 2016 – Councilmember Soria To Hold 4th Annual Holiday Toy Distribution To Benefit Homeless And Foster Care Children In District 1
December 7, 2016 – Councilwoman Soria Launches District 1’s Young Councilmember Program
November 15, 2016 – Fresno Community Leaders Come Together For A Post-Presidential Election Message of Unity In the Response To Uncertainties And Fears Within The Immigrant Community
September 22, 2016 – Councilmember Soria along with Elected Latino Leaders Will Hold a Press Conference to Proclaim “Latino Voter Registration Month”
June 23, 2016 – Councilmember Soria leads the effort to create Fresno Affordable Housing Trust Fund with an additional $1,000,000 allocation
March 2016 – Councilmember Soria to gather with Tower District Business Owners to discuss “Power the Tower” Clean Energy Pilot Program
March 2016 – Councilmember Esmeralda Soria Honors Fresno Women Leading the way in the 1st Annual Celebration of Women’s History Month
February 29, 2016 – Councilmember Soria to host City Hall Reception for Sister Cities delegation from Chateauroux, France
January 7, 2016 – Councilmember Soria Announces Completion of Family Friendly Upgrades to City Hall

• Councilmember Soria announces the introduction of two Ordinances to fight blight in Fresno’s Underserved Neighborhoods – December 10, 2015
• Councilmember Soria Requests $1.5 million in Funding to Plan and Build More Parks in Fresno – June 8, 2015
• Fresno Youth Commission – June 4, 2015
• Oath of Office – January 8, 2015
• Councilmember Soria to host City Hall Reception for Sister Cities delegation from Chateauroux, France – February 29, 2016
• Councilmember Soria Announces Completion of Family Friendly Upgrades to City Hall – January 7, 2016
• Councilmember Esmeralda Soria Honors U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera – October 29, 2015
• First 5 Grant for Family Friendly Upgrades to City Hall – August 11, 2015
• Women’s History Month Reception – March 25, 2015
• 1st Community Meeting – February 18, 2015
• Soria Press Conference – January 20, 2015

“Power the Tower” a partnership between Fresno City Councilmember Esmeralda Soria, California State University Fresno, City of Fresno and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has accumulated data and identify strategies to help Tower District business owners explore affordable, clean renewable energy technology. Our vision is to transform the Tower District into a leading business corridor powered by smart, connected, clean energy technologies and serve as a model for economic growth in Fresno and beyond.

View these three handouts to explore available no cost and low-cost resources that will help you become more energy efficient, start saving money on your energy bills, and help reduce pollution in our community! There is detailed information for both business owners and residents.

Energy Toolkit – General Information
Energy Toolkit – Residential Information
Energy Toolkit – Business Information

Who We Are and What We Do

The purpose of the Youth Commission is to bring Fresno’s young people to the decision-making table on issues impactful to youth within the jurisdiction of the city. The Youth Commission will serve as a space where young people can work to create positive change in our community. Young people will have a voice in shaping and developing social, economic, recreational, and educational programs that serve youth.

The City of Fresno Youth Commission will be comprised of 16 individuals, eight voting members and eight alternate, non-voting members. Two members will be appointed from each of Fresno’s seven city council districts and two will be appointed at-large by the Mayor. Appointments are for a two-year term. Procedures are in place to ensure that the members of the Youth Commission are representative and inclusive of the rich diversity of the City of Fresno, including but not limited to:

• Ethnically and culturally diverse youth
• Youth with health disparities
• Youth who are out of school
• Youth who are unemployed
• Youth who are homeless
• Youth who are LGBTQIA

Youth Commissioners will be trained and supported by Youth Leadership Institute and the City of Fresno. Each year, Youth Commissioners benefit from youth leadership training and prioritize those issues that most impact youth and/or that have little or no youth input or representation.

City of Fresno Youth Commission Ordinance
City of Fresno Youth Commission Application