FRESNO, CA – Fresno City Council today approved the Rental Housing Improvement Act, a plan submitted by Mayor Lee Brand that will implement a pro-active rental housing inspection program for the purpose of improving the quality of rental housing in the city of Fresno.

The Act received public support from a strong coalition that included the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, Faith in Community, the California Apartment Association, Fresno Building Healthy Communities, No More Slumlords, and a collection of local housing and faith leaders.

The purpose of the Rental Housing Improvement Act is to identify substandard rental housing violations through the creation of a new Code Enforcement Division whose sole focus will be to address the issue of substandard housing within our community. The Act bifurcates the City’s code enforcement activities by creating a separate division that will focus solely on rental housing code violations.

“The final product represents a sensible, reasonable, workable plan that will reward the good property owners and quickly identify the bad ones,” said Mayor Brand. “It’s a result of a very productive process that included important input from housing advocates, property owners, and civic leaders as well as my 38 years of experience in property management.”

Under the Act, all residential rental units are required to register and the registration will be updated whenever there is a change of ownership or contact information. There is no registration fee for owners. Then, all residential rental properties will be subject to baseline inspections according to a random sampling formula based on the number of units in the complex. For example, a 51 plus apartment complex will have 10% or five units selected for inspections. The cost of inspections will not exceed $100 per unit inspection.

All properties that successfully pass the initial unit inspections will be classified as “Tier 1 Properties” and are eligible for a self-certification program and will not be subject to a random audit for the first five years, unless significant health and safety violations occur. Properties that fail the initial baseline inspection or subsequent inspections will be classified in either “Tier 2” or “Tier 3” property pools. Tier 2 properties will be inspected every 2 years and every unit will be inspected. Tier 3 properties which have more egregious health and safety code violation problems will be inspected every year and every unit will be inspected.

In addition, a tenant education plan will be developed and implemented partnering with government agencies, non-profit organizations and the California Apartment Association.

Good morning and thank you to everyone for coming today. I am here to set the record straight and to calm the fears and anxieties of so many people in our community who feel threatened by the flurry of announcements and actions coming from Washington, DC and Sacramento.

Since I made comments to The Fresno Bee a week ago…. I’ve heard from a diverse cross-section of Fresno on all sides of this issue. I’ve listened with my head and my heart. It is our responsibility as civic leaders to reassure our children and residents that there is no need to fear our police and that we are one community.

I want to start by saying that America is a land of immigrants. We are a beacon of hope and freedom to the rest of the world. Immigrants…. both those who are documented and those who are undocumented…. work and live among us. They are an integral part of the multi-cultural fabric that is the City of Fresno. They make valuable contributions to our economy and our community.

I would also like the entire community to understand that as long as I am the Mayor of Fresno, I will support the policy of our Police Department to treat every person of Fresno equally, regardless of the race, ethnicity, age, gender, socioeconomic or immigration status. This is Policy 428 of the Fresno Police Department and it has been in place for over 15 years and will stay in place as long as I am the Mayor.

 I would to read parts of Policy 428 to highlight significant parts of it:

First, “Members of this Department will provide, to the best of their ability, EQUAL ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW and EQUAL SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC, regardless of alien status.”

Second, “It is the policy of the Department that officers SHALL NOT ENFORCE violations of immigration law or status.”

Third, “The fact that an individual is suspected of being undocumented shall not be the basis for contact, detention, or arrest”.

And finally, Fresno Police do not conduct immigration sweeps, detain residents suspected of being undocumented, or arrest anyone because they are not an American citizen.

Chief Dyer, who is standing with me today, will confirm that the policies of the City of Fresno are in line with every other major city in California, as well as every other major city in the United States.

The only difference between Fresno and other cities who label themselves as sanctuary cities are only words with no clear definition. I ask the people here today and throughout the community to judge me and the City of Fresno by our actions.

One more point that I believe is important to make today is that we are here today because of our immigration system is broken and in need of reform that includes a path to citizenship. I would like to remind you that I joined my council colleagues in a unanimous vote on December 10, 2015 asking Congress and the President to act with haste to pass comprehensive immigration reform. I renew that call today.

I am the Mayor for all of Fresno and I take that responsibility very seriously. Each and every decision I make is based on a careful consideration of all of the available information on what is best for the City as a whole. You may not agree me on everything, but understand that my decisions are based on what I think is best for our community.

My commitment in this reassurance goes beyond today. I am committed to working with my colleagues and my community to find solutions to these serious problems.

Before I turn the microphone to Chief Dyer and my friends on the Council, I would like to say that I appreciate the patience and understanding I have received from the community on this issue. I hope my words today indicate that I hear you and that I care about making Fresno a better and safer place for every single person who lives here. May God bless the City of Fresno and all of its citizen’s.

The City of Fresno Office of Independent Review’s report for the fourth quarter of 2016 is now available on the City’s website.

The report, compiled by Independent Reviewer Rick Rasmussen, covers the period from October 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016.

The report, as well as other information on the Office of Independent Review, is available on the Office’s section of the City’s website

FRESNO, CA – The City of Fresno Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services (PARCS) Department has been selected as a 2016 California Park & Recreation Society (CPRS) Award of Excellence recipient for Community Center/Mixed Use Class 2 in the Excellence in Facility Design Award category for Inspiration Park and the Donovan Center, which were officially dedicated last year.

The CPRS awards program recognizes outstanding achievement in the areas of facility design, park planning, marketing and communication, and community improvement and programming through demonstrating the principles of resourcefulness, execution, accomplishment and alignment with the parks and recreation mission.

The PARCS Department addressed a number of compelling community needs with the construction of Inspiration Park and the Donovan Center. It is the first handicapped-accessible park of any kind in the Central Valley and hosts the first handicapped-accessible skate park in the nation. Inspiration Park showcases the dedication of the Fresno community to create an all-inclusive park where everyone – regardless of age, mobility, or special needs – is able to come together to enjoy a safe, accessible, and fun environment.

Mayor Lee Brand remarked, “It’s easy to see why Inspiration Park and the Donovan Center were chosen for this award – it’s a shining example of Fresno’s ability to work together to create something that meets the needs of every member of our community.”

The California Park & Recreation Society presents awards in 5 categories:

• Creating Community Award of Excellence
• Excellence in Design – Park Planning
• Excellence in Design – Facility Design
• Marketing & Communications Award of Excellence
• Professional & Service

CPRS is a membership organization with 3,600 members representing the 535 local parks and recreation agencies throughout the state. The mission of CPRS is to advance the profession and its members through education, networking, resources, and advocacy.

The presentation of awards will take place at the annual Awards Recognition Banquet scheduled for Friday, March 3, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento, beginning at 5:30pm.

FRESNO, CA  – City of Fresno offices will be closed in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday on Monday, January 16. The delivery of some City services on January 16 may be affected by the holiday as well. Please see the list below for details.

Here is the schedule for City of Fresno operations for the holiday:

Airports: Administrative offices closed; Terminal, concessions and airlines normal operations otherwise.

Business License: Office closed. The Business Tax Web Renewal will be available for TOT payments only all day Monday.

City Clerk’s Office: Closed.

City Hall Offices: Closed.

Development and Resource Management:  Closed.

Dog License Division: Closed.

Finance Offices: Offices closed.  Business Tax TOT (only) Web Renewal and new business tax online application submittals may be made throughout the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Fire/Police Departments: Administrative offices and public counters closed. Normal operations otherwise.

Fresno Area Express: Administrative offices closed; Weekend bus routes/schedules in effect. Call 621-7433 for details. FAX route maps and schedules are available on the City’s website.

Parking Division: No enforcement at parking meters and City parking facilities on Monday. Office closed for citation payments on Monday, January 18.

Parks and Recreation (PARCS): Administrative offices closed. Park facilities and recreation centers operating with normal schedule;

Personnel:  Closed. Online applications accepted at www.fresno.gov/jobs.

Public Utilities:  Offices closed.

Public Works:  Offices closed.

Purchasing: Office closed; Bids Online available for bids and vendor registration;

Residential Solid Waste: Administrative offices closed. Normal residential and commercial collection schedule; for questions regarding residential solid waste collection, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

Utility Payments/Business Tax: Payment counters closed (Fresno City Hall and Manchester Center.) Online and phone transactions will be available for utility payments.

For urgent matters during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, please call (559) 621-CITY (2489).

FRESNO, CA – Mayor Lee Brand’s inaugural address was the highlight of today’s ceremony at City Hall, as he reaffirmed his oath of office in the City Council chambers during the regularly scheduled Council meeting. He took his official oath of office with City Clerk Yvonne Spence on Tuesday, January 3 in front of Council chambers, the day appointed in the City Charter when newly elected officials may assume office.

The ceremony also included the swearing-in of two re-elected City Councilmembers — Steve Brand (District 2) and Paul Caprioglio (District 4) – as well as incoming Councilmembers Garry Bredefeld (District 6) and Luis Chavez (District 5.)

In his inaugural address, Mayor Brand thanked the many people who helped him win election last fall, recalled his emotional journey from a two-bedroom house on McKenzie Street to City Hall, and announced his agenda for the next four years which includes the creation of a Citizens Public Safety Advisory Board to assist the Fresno Police Department’s move to community-based policing and to provide more transparency and accountability by the department to the people of Fresno.

You can read the full speech here.

The invocation was delivered by Rev. Michelle Racusin of St. James Episcopal Cathedral while Daniel Payne, U.S.M.C, Ret. led the pledge of allegiance. Brianna Padilla sang the National Anthem.

A presentation of gifts to outgoing councilmembers and recognition of spouses and special guests were also part of the program as well as remarks by former Mayor Ashley Swearengin.

Since the event was held in conjunction with the regularly scheduled City Council meeting, the Council took care of some pertinent business, electing Clint Olivier as Council President and Esmeralda Soria as Council Vice President, and re-electing Oliver Baines and Paul Caprioglio as Chair and Vice Chair of the Successor Agency, respectively.

FRESNO, CA – After nearing completion of all required heating repairs from the City’s initial notice and order, the property located at 530 North Weber was inspected for compliance with California Building Code. During the inspection of the installation of new heaters, the City’s Building and Safety personnel identified a potentially dangerous electrical hazard that requires the City of Fresno post against occupancy.

The City is working with the property owner to reduce the hazard by requiring 24 hour fire watch and removing appliances that are contributing to this hazard. The owner has indicated his willingness to cooperate with the relocation of occupants in preparation of the Monday morning, 9 am deadline to vacate the property and shut off power for repairs.

Mayor Brand, in reflecting on the human side of this difficult situation, said, “We are thankful for the community partners who have stepped up to provide additional, long-term housing solutions on a one-on-one basis with affected individuals.  If you are a landlord, or service agency that would like to participate in this opportunity, please contact MAAP Point at the Pov at 559-512-6777.”

The City will continue working with the property owners to achieve compliance.

Mayor Ashley Swearengin today announced the redesign of the City of Fresno’s website, Fresno.gov. The website features significant changes to the visual design, organization and underlying technology of the City’s website, which had not undergone a major redesign since 2009. The launch also includes beta testing to encourage feedback from the public.

“The launch of the new website marks an important step in upgrading our ability to connect with residents and visitors with the goal of making the City’s digital services accessible for everyone,” said Mayor Swearengin. “We wanted to provide a citizen-centered website that is more appealing and user-friendly and we look forward to hearing the community’s response to this exciting project.”

The new site was designed by Bertz-Rosa Strategy & Creative and developed by Gavin Haubelt. More than 8,000 web pages were audited, redesigned and rewritten to make the site easier to understand and navigate. The City has also made dramatic changes to improve ADA compliance, and Fresno.gov is now optimized to be responsive for any device and screen size.

Among the major improvements to the City’s website is the “I want to…” drop-down feature containing the most requested topics, and a featured programs section at the bottom of the homepage. Topics found in both the “I want to…” and featured programs sections were selected by city staff using Google Analytics to identify the most frequently sought after webpages to make the new site as user-friendly and informative as possible.

NOTE: Regular visitors to the City of Fresno website will have to refresh any and all bookmarks to the former website because the old links will no longer work.

Fresno – City of Fresno offices will be closed on Monday, December 26 in observance of the Christmas holiday. Normal operations will resume on Tuesday, December 27, 2016.

Here is the schedule for City of Fresno operations for the holiday:

Airports: Administrative offices closed. Terminal, concessions and airlines normal operations otherwise.

Business License: Business Tax office closed.  TOT (only) Web renewals and new Business Tax online application submittals may be made throughout the Christmas holiday.

City Clerk’s Office: Closed.

City Hall Offices: Closed.

Development and Resource Management: Closed.

Dog License Division: Closed.

Finance Offices: Offices closed.  Business Tax TOT (only) Web Renewal and new business tax online application submittals may be made throughout the Christmas holiday.

Fire/Police Departments: Offices and public counters will be closed. Normal operations otherwise.

Fresno Area Express: Administrative offices closed; FAX service is closed on Christmas Day. Weekend bus routes/schedules in effect on Monday, December 26. Call 621-7433 for details. FAX route maps and schedules are available on the City’s website.

Parking Division: No enforcement at parking meters and City parking facilities on Monday, December 26. Office closed for citation payments on Monday, December 26, 2106.

Parks and Recreation (PARCS): Offices closed. No senior hot meals. Regional and neighborhood parks open. Neighborhood and community centers will be open. The Weekend Recreation and Fitness Program will be closed on Sunday, December 25 at all 16 school sites.

Personnel: Closed. Online applications accepted at www.fresno.gov/jobs.

Public Utilities: Offices closed.

Public Works: Offices closed.

Purchasing: Bid opportunities and updated information are available on the City’s website.

Residential Solid Waste: Business offices closed. No Operation Clean Up on Monday, December 26. Regular residential waste collection service resumes on Tuesday, December 27. For questions regarding residential solid waste collection, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

Utility Payments Offices: Payment counters closed. Online and phone transactions available for utility payments.

For urgent matters during the Christmas holiday, please call (559) 621-CITY (2489).

RESIDENTIAL SERVICE

The City of Fresno, Solid Waste Management Division, will provide regular trash, recyclables and green waste collection on your regular service days:

Our business office will be closed Monday, December 26, 2016 for Christmas and Monday, January 2, 2017 for the New Year’s Holiday.

For questions regarding your residential holiday service schedule, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.