Fresno City Council approves millions of dollars in funding for mobile home park with troubled past

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Northeast Fresno mobile home park with a troubled past is set to get a new look.

On Thursday, Fresno City Council approved $3.5 million to transform La Hacienda Estates into affordable housing.

The money would be used for the development and rehabilitation of the property.

It would be in partnership with Self-Help Enterprises, a group that builds sustainable and healthy homes for low-income families.

Leslie Wright has lived at the La Hacienda Estates in northeast Fresno for over two decades. The mobile home park sits on Sierra and Blackstone.

Action News first spoke with Wright about a year ago, when she and others received eviction notices from Harmony Communities.

But the city and county stepped in and blocked the evictions.

"There's no place in town I could rent a place anywhere near the cost of this," said Wright. "I'm on a fixed income, and that was terrifying."

Formerly known as Trails End, the mobile park has had it tough. In 2021, two fires broke out.

Five homes were destroyed and one person died.

But Wright said she's seen the neighborhood improved.

"We had homeless," said Wright. "There was violence, there was drugs. That is gone now, and we love that."

The money approved by council would be used to build 58 affordable housing units on the property. Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias even apologized to the La Hacienda Community

"I again apologize to the residents for having experienced what they went through," said Arias.

The city said right now, there are about 30 mobile home units and 28 empty pads.

Action News learned that Self-Help Enterprises is looking to acquire the property.

"Self-Help Enterprises is excited about the opportunity to acquire and preserve the La Hacienda Mobile Estates community," said Betsy McGovern-Garcia, the Vice President of Self-Help. "Our goal is to operate the park as a high-quality housing solution for residents in Fresno."

City documents show that current residents will be grandfathered in, and do not have to meet the income requirements.

"It does provide affordable housing for people between 30% - 80% AMI," said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer.

While there are still hurdles ahead, Mayor Dyer believes this will be a long-term solution.

"It will not allow for any displacement from La Hacienda for the folks that currently make above a certain range of income," said Dyer.

While Wright welcomes the change, she's cautiously optimistic. But the cost of rent is top of mind for her. She hopes with the improvements, more people will return to La Hacienda.

"As a matter of fact, maybe some of our old neighbors will come back even," said Wright. "That would be nice."