The Fresno City Council and the City of Fresno in its capacity as housing successor approved a disposition and development agreement (DDA) on Nov. 6 for three parcels on Fulton Street behind Chavez Stadium, conditionally committing the sites to Park Partners LLC for development of a proposed roughly 160‑unit project.

Phil Skye, assistant director of plan development, summarized the agreement for the joint meeting: “This is land that is owned by the city of Fresno,” he said, adding the DDA includes a performance timeline and conditions. The project language before the council requires that 40% of the proposed units be income‑restricted; the remaining units may be market rate. Skye said a key condition is that the developer secure all financing necessary to construct the project.

The joint action required two separate votes because the item involved (1) the city in its regular capacity and (2) the city acting as successor to the former Redevelopment Agency. The standing joint vote of the smaller successor board recorded 3–0 in support, followed by the council’s approval with the full body; the transcript records the combined action as passing without opposition.

Councilmember Esparza said the move is part of the city’s strategy to add more housing downtown and to create residential vibrancy that supports a 24/7 downtown economy: "We need housing downtown in a bad way," he said during the discussion. City staff noted the DDA’s timeline includes a requirement that if parties cannot finalize financing and other conditions by Feb. 28, 2026, the agreement could be renegotiated or rescinded and land reconveyed to the owner under the terms described in the public agenda materials.

What passed: Resolutions and the DDA authorizing conditional disposition of three city‑ and successor‑agency parcels at Fulton Street for the Park Partners development, subject to financing and required approvals; vote recorded in the transcript: joint/successor vote 3–0, full council action recorded as passing without opposition.

Why it matters: The agreement aims to add housing capacity near downtown and campus‑oriented areas and includes income‑restricted unit requirements intended to preserve affordability for a share of the new housing stock.

Who spoke (partial list): Phil Skye (Assistant Director, Plan Development), Marlene Murphy (FRC), Councilmember Nelson Esparza, Mayor Jerry Dyer.