Moving Forward Together
In recent months, thousands of Fresno County taxpayers shared what they want from a transportation plan:
- Better roads
- Safe streets
- Reliable public transit
- Safe routes to school
- Good local jobs
- Strong transparency and accountability
A historic transportation improvement plan has been shaped through the collaboration of thousands of taxpayers, community organizations, labor groups and local leaders.
The plan will deliver billions of dollars over 30 years to repair local streets, enhance safety and make transportation more accessible for everyone.
The next step is to collect signatures to place this plan on the November 2026 ballot.
It’s a half-cent sales tax, but this is not a new tax. It’s an updated, taxpayer-designed and community-supported plan for the same transportation funding that has been in place since 1986.
Learn more at MovingFresnoForward.com.
Down Payment Help for First-Time Homebuyers
For first-time homebuyers in California, the California Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan program offers up to 20% of the home’s purchase price (up to $150,000) to help cover the down payment and/or closing costs when paired with a Dream For All Conventional first mortgage.
Registration to enter the randomized drawing for a Dream For All loan voucher is open through March 16. This is not first come, first served. Eligible registrants will be selected through a lottery process.
Key eligibility requirements:
- All borrowers must be first-time homebuyers.
- At least one borrower must be a first-generation homebuyer.
- At least one borrower must be a current California resident.
- Income must meet CalHFA county limits.
To prepare, connect with a CalHFA-approved lender to obtain a DFA Lender Pre-Approval Letter and complete the free one-hour Dream For All education course.
When the home is sold or refinanced, the original down payment loan plus a share of the home’s appreciation is repaid.
Learn more at www.calhfa.ca.gov/dream/.
LEAP Showcases at World Ag Expo
The LEAP Institute showcased two locally developed climate-resilient technologies—the IntelliTrailer and SmartLight—at World Ag Expo 2026 in February, highlighting solutions that address climate challenges while creating new economic pathways for displaced farmworkers and rural communities.
“The IntelliTrailer and SmartLight are climate-resilient technologies that reflect the ingenuity of the San Joaquin Valley,” said Rey León, founder and executive director of the LEAP Institute and mayor of Huron.
“These innovations are about more than technology—they’re about building new, community-rooted industries that strengthen local economies and improve quality of life for future generations.”
As agriculture increasingly relies on automation, solar development and advanced technologies, traditional farm labor opportunities continue to decline across the Central Valley.
LEAP’s work responds to this shift by pairing clean-technology innovation with workforce development strategies that transition displaced agricultural workers into the design, development, manufacturing and maintenance of next-generation systems.
Learn more at theleapinstitute.org.
$6.6 Million Invested in Calwa Park
Following years of planning and youth-led advocacy, Calwa Park is finally receiving the investment it deserves.
In July 2025, Fresno Building Healthy Communities (BHC) joined Friends of Calwa and the Calwa Recreation and Park District to celebrate the groundbreaking of a $6.6 million renovation of Calwa Park—a project shaped directly by the people who use it every day.
“Calwa Park is not just a park,” says Sandra Celedon, president and CEO of BHC. “It is the heart of our community.
“This project ensures that every child can enjoy a safe, joyful place to place—because all children deserve that.”
