In his 2026 State of the City address, hosted by the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer built on a familiar theme.
“Collectively, we are building a better Fresno,” Dyer said. “We are building like no other time in our history.”
In front of a packed house at Fresno’s Convention Center Exhibit Hall on Wednesday, Mayor Dyer kicked off the event with awards to Fresno’s standout citizens. Receiving a special key to the city was venerable Fresno activist Mary Curry.
Mrs. Curry founded Concerned Citizens for Quality Education, an organization that proved critical in the struggle for educational equality in Fresno during the 1970s and 1980s when bussing and desegregation decisions were wreaking havoc on African American communities nationwide. A staunch advocate for West Fresno, she also played a vital role in establishing Edison’s Computech program and the West Fresno City College Satellite Campus.
Other citizen award winners were Housing Hero Ted Moon, Beautify Fresno winners Chuck and Robin Kroeger, and Downtown Champion Dora Westerlund.
Dyer talked about the construction of a new fire station, a 9-1-1 communications center, and his $100 million paving bond—Pave More Now, Pay Less Later—to address deferred road maintenance and sidewalk repair.
By July, Dyer said, more than $47 million of street and sidewalk repair will either be completed or awarded for construction.
Dyer also highlighted the completion of Terminal B at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.
“We must continue to grow our airport as we break records year after year with more than 2.7 million passengers in 2025,” Dyer said.
New restaurants Mad Duck, Ike’s Love and Sandwiches, and Los Amigos opened in the airport, and construction is underway on a runway replacement, to be completed in phases over the next two years.
Dyer spoke of upcoming projects: the city’s first senior center, set to break ground this June with a scheduled opening date of summer 2028; a number of new city parks, including the Southeast Fresno Sports Complex at Peach and California, the first in the city to have artificial turf; the Dolores Huerta Park at Milburn and Dakota; and the 10-acre Les Kimber Park, adjacent to the West Fresno Community College campus.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a State-of-the-City address without some mention of downtown.
“Great cities have great downtowns” Dyer said, “which is why we continue to prioritize and build in Downtown Fresno and Chinatown.”
Construction is nearing completion on the first new downtown hotel in more than 40 years, a Courtyard by Marriott, which will open later this summer. Work also continues on aging water and sewer mains downtown, and to accommodate growth, Dyer referenced new parking structures, including the Carnegie Library Garage, an eight-story, 603-stall project set to open by year’s end.
A second parking structure across from Chukchansi Park will begin construction in July of this year. The 900-stall garage will have an “eye popping illuminated sign,” said Dyer, “welcoming people to Fresno as they exit the high-speed rail station.”
Shovel-ready housing projects will also break ground soon, thanks to a revolving loan fund meant to close financing gaps.
“Projects that have been imagined for years now have building permits in hand and are positioned to break ground,” Dyer said.
Dyer took a moment to publicly acknowledge the men and women in the construction trades, who show up rain or shine.
The mayor pivoted to throw his support behind the “Better Roads, Safer Streets” initiative, which with voter approval, could provide $7.3 billion over 30 years, with 65% of the funds dedicated to fixing streets, sidewalks, and alleyways throughout Fresno County.
“Remember, our current Measure C expires in 2027,” Dyer said. “And there is no Plan B to fix our streets.”
Dyer also acknowledged the “complex and controversial” issue of the Southeast Development Area (SEDA), noting that without it, “we will continue to see folks leave our city for employment and housing opportunities” elsewhere.
Currently, the City of Visalia has 17% useable land for research and development, compared to 5% in Fresno.
“Where are advanced manufacturers going to build and create jobs in the future?” Dyer asked.
Fewer housing options translate to stunted growth and a limit on property tax revenue, which makes up 40% of the general fund, Dyer said.
“It is not an either/or when it comes to SEDA or infill development,” Dyer said. “It is both.”
Dyer then led a rallying cry for a soccer stadium in Chinatown and announced the return of the Fresno Falcons ice hockey team to Selland Arena.
The Falcons’ 28-game home schedule kicks off in early October.
Dyer also shared successes in “plummeting” crime rates, beautifying the streets, addressing homelessness, and the reinstatement of the city’s “Prohousing Designation,” which makes additional state funding streams available to the city and to affordable housing developers.
“I mean tens of millions of dollars will become available to this city,” Dyer said.
He also lauded the Youth Jobs Corps program, which seeks out young adults who have been “touched by the criminal justice system,” or who have timed out of foster care.
Since 2022, the state-funded program has placed 590 young adults in jobs.
Dyer said he is prepared to offer a balanced budget to the Fresno City Council next week, and that he is “proud” of the city’s credit rating, which remains at its highest level in history.
“As such, the city’s financial outlook remains strong,” he said.
Dyer closed by recognizing the nation’s 250th anniversary, announcing that 1,000 American flags will be placed on heavily traveled thoroughfares in the city, flying from Memorial Day through Veterans Day.
Buildings like the Water Tower and the Convention Center will be uplit with red, white and blue lights.
“I encourage everyone to get involved and let’s celebrate the greatest nation in the world,” Dyer said.
The annual State-of-the-City address is a longstanding partnership between the City of Fresno and the Fresno Chamber of Commerce.
Photo: Ximena Ramos, Fresno Chamber of Commerce
For more updates on Fresno County development and business initiatives, stay connected with the Fresno Chamber of Commerce.
