A Home for Everyone: How Fair Housing Shapes Fresno’s Economic Future

By Joe Haydock, Fresno Realtor & Fair Housing Advocate

I’ve spent my career as a realtor helping people sell and buy homes in Fresno. Over the years, I’ve come to understand that a “home” is far more than a roof and four walls. A home provides stability and security — the foundation upon which people build their lives. Yet for too many of our neighbors — especially families of color — homeownership remains out of reach. It’s not for lack of hard work or ambition, but because the system hasn’t always been built to include them.

I’m proud to work with other Fresno-area real estate professionals who are advocating for fair housing. Realtors like Sonia White, Mirna Garcia, Alicia Arakelian, and others are united in our advocacy. Our mission is simple but essential: to ensure that everyone — regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, background, or circumstance — has a fair shot at homeownership. And that mission extends far beyond housing alone. A commitment to fair housing isn’t about providing just a home — it’s about building the foundation for inclusive economic growth. When more families can access stable, affordable housing, they’re able to build wealth, invest in their communities, and participate fully in the local economy.

The Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968 at a pivotal moment in American history, in the wake of decades of legalized housing discrimination and just days after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was designed to confront systemic injustices that had long denied people of color, immigrants, women, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups equal access to housing. Before the law, redlining, racially restrictive covenants, and predatory lending practices excluded entire communities from the wealth-building opportunities that homeownership provides. The negative impact of those practices extends to this day. According to the 2020 Census, there is a 27% gap in homeownership rates between white and Black residents in Fresno. Fresno’s Latine and Asian communities also trail in homeownership rates.

The Fair Housing Act and subsequent laws outlawed housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin, with the goal of creating a fairer, more equitable housing market. More than half a century later, the law is of incredible importance. In Fresno, where historic patterns of segregation and economic inequality still influence neighborhood outcomes, this responsibility is especially urgent. By guiding buyers from all backgrounds through the path to homeownership, advocating for policies that expand access, and supporting innovative models like community land trusts, realtors can help ensure that the promise of the Fair Housing Act is not just a legal standard but a reality. And the role of realtors like me is central to upholding it. We are often the first point of contact for people pursuing one of the most significant investments of their lives. That means we have an immense responsibility — and opportunity — to shape a more inclusive future.

Recently, I had the privilege of standing in front of a century-old house on Farris Avenue, a 1925 home restored by the South Tower Community Land Trust. On the surface, it’s a modest two-bedroom home with a new roof, fresh paint, and a brand-new A/C system. But its story is far more significant.

This isn’t just another listing. Priced at $215,000 — well below the neighborhood’s $345,000 median — it’s reserved for a local resident who meets income qualifications. It won’t be scooped up by investors or speculative buyers. Instead, it will belong to a family, a group of friends, or an individual committed to putting down roots in Fresno. Through a 99-year land lease, the trust retains ownership of the land, ensuring the home remains permanently affordable. The buyer builds equity and gains housing security, but the property never becomes a tool for exploitative wealth-building. It remains what it was always meant to be: a home. This is the objective of the South Tower Community Land Trust Board of Directors and their visionary Executive Director, Kiel Lopez-Schmidt.

Ultimately, fair housing isn’t just a moral imperative — it’s also an economic one. Housing is the engine that drives opportunity. When people can afford to buy homes, they can build generational wealth. Children do better in school. Neighborhoods stabilize. Small businesses grow.

In California, where home prices have soared beyond the reach of many working families, this mission has never been more urgent. A recent report from the California Association of Realtors found that only one in three Fresno County residents can afford to buy a home with a standard down payment. This means thousands of people contributing to our local economy are still unable to access one of the most fundamental pathways to financial security.

And when investors and speculators dominate the market — as is increasingly the case — the effects are deeply destabilizing. Homes sit empty, neighbors become strangers, and wealth concentrates in the hands of a few. On the contrary, when homes are owned by the people who live in them, neighborhoods are vibrant. People care for their properties, invest in their blocks, and look out for one another.

Community land trusts like South Tower are one part of this work. But it's not the only piece. Realtors, nonprofits, policymakers, and government agencies all have a role to play in addressing the affordable housing crisis. South Tower Community Land Trust is not alone in their efforts. I am honored to partner with Esther Carver of Lowell Community Development Corporation and Central Fresno Neighborhood Trust. Esther and her team play a critical role in providing affordable rental housing in Fresno. I am also assisting Southwest Fresno Development Corporation. CEO Allysunn Walker has obtained grants and financing to fight blight and promote homeownership in Southwest Fresno's long-neglected neighborhoods.

The Farris Avenue home is just one example of what’s possible when we rethink how housing is built, financed, and shared. It shows that affordability and homeownership are possible at once — and can be the bedrock of a thriving community.

This is why my work as a Fair Housing Advocate is so personal. It is about rewriting the story of who gets to belong. For me, I am motivated by my love for the community of Fresno. In my vision of Fresno, every family has the opportunity to thrive. Ultimately, that’s the Fresno I want to live in — a city where every family has the chance to put down roots, build wealth, and call a home their own.