Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
City Unveils Newly Renovated Motel to House the Homeless
gvw_david_taub
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 3 years ago on
February 18, 2021

Share

More residents will start moving into the renovated Welcome Inn — once part of Fresno’s notorious “Motel Drive”— starting today.

“We are here because we took advantage of the pandemic crisis that brought some resources to tackle this equally tragic crisis, the crisis that our most poor and our homeless have been facing for years alone. That’s a housing crisis,” Fresno City Councilman Miguel Arias said.

It will also provide a short-term housing option for the homeless population who are living near the freeways, part of Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer’s “Project Off-Ramp.”

Dyer said the city’s homeless effort is at a turning point.

I really do feel for the first time in my career that we have a plan and we have a partnership and we have the ability to be able to reduce our homeless population significantly,” Dyer said.

Instead of seeing a 70% increase as a recent homeless count showed, Dyer thinks there can be a 70% decrease.

More residents have started moving into the renovated Welcome Inn along Highway 99 in Fresno. (GV Wire/David Taub)

Evictions Could Cause Homelessness to Rise

“For the first time in my career that we have a plan and we have a partnership and we have the ability to be able to reduce our homeless population significantly.”Mayor Jerry Dyer

Arias estimates there will be 2,000 more homeless residents next year with eviction moratoriums expiring. The city plans to purchase more properties and to also provide social outreach such as drug and mental health services.

Last year, the Fresno Housing Authority purchased the Welcome Inn, along a Highway 99 frontage road south of Olive Avenue, and three other nearby properties. The effort is intended to provide a stable housing option for people unable to find a another place to live.

We are going to be part of working with people so they get to have a journey into their next future,” FHA executive director Preston Prince said.

FHA used state Project Homekey funds for the purchases. Prince says the long-term goal is to convert the motels into affordable housing units.

An Off Ramp for Homeless

Dyer remembered Motel Drive’s notorious reputation during his 18 years as Fresno’s police chief.

“We had sex trafficking that occurred out here for years. We had drug sales that were occurring; a lot of gang members there were frequenting this area. And ultimately that resulted in a lot of violence and a lot of shootings,” Dyer said.

Welcome Inn provides 80 rooms, with approximately 25 filled now. Dyer wants to triple the total number of available rooms with the purchase of additional properties.

“It does something more than just provide an off ramp for a homeless population and an onramp to housing and services and a productive life,” Dyer said. “It also addresses something that is plaguing our city and that is the affordability of housing that we know that we are substantially below where we need to be as a city.”

Jody Ketcheside, regional director for homeless advocate group Turning Point, said short-term residents are expected to transition to other housing within 90 days. But, she said, that is not a hard time limit.

Inspections Coming

Contractors converted Welcome Inn in three weeks. That included renovating rooms, repairing railings, upgrading electrical circuits, and more.

Room 105, on display, looks like a small motel room. Along with a bed and dresser, the room has a small refrigerator and microwave.

Arias said new programs will be instituted to ensure local motels are being properly maintained.

Next week, the city will start inspecting motel properties — the same way the city inspects apartments and other rental units.

Arias said the city will also ban the practice of renting rooms by the hour.

“Because we know what happens when you rent a motel room by the hour,” Arias said, a reference to the area’s reputation for prostitution.

Travel Inn Next

“I have to believe they will make this one nicer too.”Travel Inn resident Joel Pantoya

Financially, it is more cost efficient to renovate existing units than build new affordable housing developments, Arias said. Recent low-income housing projects in Fresno have cost as much as $400,000 a unit to build; renovating a run-down motel costs about $65,000 per unit.

“It is the smart and fiscally responsible choice to make as a city to acquire more dilapidated motels and convert them to affordable housing,” Arias said.

Arias said that the property next door, the Travel Inn, would be the next motel to be renovated.  The city has purchased the property and is looking at using $5 million in federal emergency relief funds to buy more motels like it.

Currently, the Travel Inn is in run down condition with a number of rooms boarded up on the outside. Patches of grass exist where it appeared a pool once was.

Joel Pantoya says he is one of the last remaining residents at the Travel Inn. He has lived there 10 years.

“I don’t know if it passes code for housing, but a lot of the rooms are livable,” Pantoya said.

Arias says some current motel owners are charging tenants upwards of $2,000 a month in rent for single rooms.

Pantoya says his rent is $750 a week, though he gets a  reduction for assisting with some upkeep of the property. He is optimistic that improvements are on the horizon, after seeing the renovation of the Welcome Inn.

“I have to believe they will make this one nicer too,” Pantoya said.

A look through the wrought-iron fence at the Travel Inn in Fresno. The city has purchased the property and will soon begin renovations. (GV Wire/David Taub)
A look at the balcony of the Travel Inn in Fresno, which has now been purchased by the city of Fresno. (GV Wire/David Taub)
The city of Fresno has purchased the Travel Inn and will renovate to provide stable, affordable housing for low income residents. (GV Wire/David Taub)

DON'T MISS

Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case

DON'T MISS

House Speaker Mike Johnson Headed to Fresno on April 4

DON'T MISS

Police Had About 90 Seconds to Stop Traffic Before Baltimore Bridge Fell. 6 Workers Are Feared Dead

DON'T MISS

NBC Has Cut Ties With Former RNC Head Ronna McDaniel After Employee Objections, Some on the Air

DON'T MISS

Chinese Leader Xi Issues a Positive Message to US Business Leaders as Ties Improve

DON'T MISS

Fresno Mayor Dyer Is the Man in Japan

DON'T MISS

Cargo Ship Lost Power, Issued Mayday Before Hitting Baltimore’s Bridge

DON'T MISS

Trump’s Social Media Company Soars Nearly 50% in Its First Day of Trading on Nasdaq

DON'T MISS

Supreme Court Appears Likely to Preserve Access to Abortion Medication Mifepristone

DON'T MISS

Court Agrees to Pause Trump’s Civil Fraud Judgment if He Puts up $175M

No data was found
David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case

11 hours ago

CA Insurance Market ‘in Chaos,’ Says Former Insurance Commissioner. Can Lara Fix It?

12 hours ago

Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Sets a Record After Wall Streets Breaks Out of Its Lull

12 hours ago

House Speaker Mike Johnson Headed to Fresno on April 4

12 hours ago

Bredefeld, Smittcamp Debate the Salary of Valley Children’s CEO

12 hours ago

CA’s Liberal Government Has a Long History of Caving to Special Interests

13 hours ago

Corrupt Process? Bullard, Edison Parents Blast Handling of Superintendent Search

13 hours ago

Police Had About 90 Seconds to Stop Traffic Before Baltimore Bridge Fell. 6 Workers Are Feared Dead

14 hours ago

NBC Has Cut Ties With Former RNC Head Ronna McDaniel After Employee Objections, Some on the Air

14 hours ago

Here Are Some Numbers That Will Help You Get Your March Madness Fix for the Sweet 16

14 hours ago

Ukrainian Navy Says a Third of Russian Warships in the Black Sea Have Been Destroyed or Disabled

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine has sunk or disabled a third of all Russian warships in the Black Sea in just over two years of war, the navy spokes...

5 hours ago

5 hours ago

Ukrainian Navy Says a Third of Russian Warships in the Black Sea Have Been Destroyed or Disabled

Composite image of President Trump and Devin Nunes
9 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: How Going to Work for Trump Turned Devin Nunes Into a Millionaire

10 hours ago

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP Pick in 2000, Dead at 82

11 hours ago

Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case

12 hours ago

CA Insurance Market ‘in Chaos,’ Says Former Insurance Commissioner. Can Lara Fix It?

12 hours ago

Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Sets a Record After Wall Streets Breaks Out of Its Lull

12 hours ago

House Speaker Mike Johnson Headed to Fresno on April 4

12 hours ago

Bredefeld, Smittcamp Debate the Salary of Valley Children’s CEO

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend