Fresno City Council takes aims at vacant buildings in Tower

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno City Council is looking to swap boarded-up windows and for lease signs in the Tower District and Downtown for open signs and business logos.

To motivate businesses to move in, they're aiming the property owners with a new pilot program.

The resolution brought forward by Council members Annalisa Perea and Miguel Arias would pressure those owners to renovate their properties or sell to someone who will.

"We have a history in the Tower District of vacant buildings that go untouched year after year and so that typically attracts a lot of nuisance to the area, a lot of vagrancy," said Perea.

Business owners are hopeful that a more beautiful Tower District would recharge the area.

"I do think it would attract more if they were more vibrant and maybe more life around here, I think it would attract people to come," said Juliana Neri, The District Hair Lounge Owner.

The Tower District Business Association sent a statement to Action News that read in part:

"Far too often, neglected and poorly maintained properties undermine community pride, deter investment, and create public safety concerns. This ordinance represents a necessary step toward shared responsibility and revitalization."

Council and locals alike are hopeful this move will prevent crimes, like the smashed windows at Component Coffee over the weekend.

"It's a little bit like the broken window theory," said Perea. "We want to make sure that visibly the Tower District looks great because otherwise we're attracting more and more blight to the area."

Property owners have 120 days from boarding up their building to get it ready for rental.

The resolution is retroactive, so any businesses already in disrepair have 120 days to get up to code.

If they don't, owners will face fines.

Perea said they are also looking at incentives to get property owners to sell and businesses to open up shops in Tower.

This is a pilot program for now, and it's set for 18 months. If the pilot program is successful, City Council will look at making this a citywide, permanent ordinance.

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