The Fresno Housing Authority, Clovis Mayor Drew Bessinger and other community leaders broke ground on the Authority’s new affordable housing development Jan. 28 at 11 a.m.
The new development, known as Solivita Commons, is located at 725 West Alluvial Avenue.
Preston Prince, CEO of the Fresno Housing Authority, thanked the City of Clovis for partnering to create affordable housing in Clovis.
“This is something that we have been talking about for years and we are really excited that it’s come together today with this partnership with the City of Clovis,” Prince said. “This is an amazing opportunity to create housing for welcome families in a place where there is high performing schools and great opportunities in the economy.”
Solivita Commons will offer families one, two and three bedroom units. The development will have 60 units total once completed. Prince said rent costs would range from about $320 to $1250 a month.
Bessinger said Solivita Commons would grant opportunities to young people wanting to start their life in Clovis.
“One of the foundational documents of our nation is the Declaration of Independence. The unalienable rights that were stated in that document were the freedom of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” Bessinger said. “The pursuit promises an opportunity. Today is an opportunity for folks to get a nice place to live, an opportunity to live in a beautiful community, a safe community, a community with great parks, trails and schools. The opportunity to get a great education by the Clovis Unified School District and down the street at Clovis Community College, at Fresno State.”
He continued, “This will be an opportunity for young men and women who live here to become doctors, lawyers and hopefully the mayor of the City of Clovis. They’ll be able to talk about the opportunity that they had because of Solivita Commons and because of the hard work of the people here today.”
Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig reminded the audience that Solivita Commons is not the first affordable housing project in Clovis.
“This is not the first affordable housing project the City of Clovis has seen. The City of Clovis has a history of working with organizations like Self Help Enterprises, organizations like Habitat for Humanity,” Magsig said. “The council in Clovis recognizes the value to make sure that we are a community that represents all people. Regardless of socio-economic class, regardless of income, we welcome all. I am excited that we are going to see 60 families here living in the City of Clovis who maybe otherwise wouldn’t have had an opportunity to live here.”
Fresno Housing Chair Adrian Jones said Solivita Commons is part of the Fresno Housing Authority’s mission to create vibrant communities across the county. She said an investment in families with lower incomes is an investment in the future.
“As a board member, developments like Solivita Commons are high on our priority list. Everyday I see need, I see a need for education, need for food, need for clothing, need for love. At the core is the need for stable housing, and housing cannot be stable if it is not affordable,” Jones said.
She continued, “Affordable housing is not an option of a productive, qualitative life. It is a requirement. Right now, I do not speak to you from the lens of a social worker, from the lens of a child therapist or even from the lens of a commissioner. I proudly speak to you from a voice that not too long ago was a resident of Fresno Housing. I serve as a living and breathing return on your public investment. So let’s be clear that an investment in low income families is an investment in the success of future generations of Fresno County.”
Solivita Commons is expected to open in 2021.