Fresno District 7 Candidates' Homelessness Plans Revealed

Fresno City Council District 7 candidates have presented a variety of approaches to address the city’s ongoing homelessness crisis. These strategies range from supporting the no-camping ordinance to advocating for housing-first models and safe, managed encampments.

The controversial anti-camping law, passed in fall 2024 by the current council, prohibits sleeping, sitting, lying, or storing personal property in public spaces. The law allows for arrests and encourages diversion into drug treatment and provisional housing instead of criminal charges. However, nearly two years after its implementation, many residents and officials view the law as largely ineffective in reducing homelessness, with low participation in treatment programs.

In preparation for the June 2 primary election, The Bee reached out to each of the District 7 Fresno City Council candidates to answer questions about their positions on local issues, including homelessness. The responses were compiled and shared online, offering voters insight into the candidates’ plans.

District 7 covers east-central Fresno and parts of southeast Fresno, including neighborhoods such as Manchester, Radio Park, Romain Park, Lafayette Park/Fresno High, and areas near Blackstone Avenue, Shields, and Temperance avenues.

Four candidates are running for the seat: Ariana Martinez Lott, a community organizer and consultant; AJ Rassamni, founder of the Blackstone Merchants Association; Jason Keomanee, a retired paralegal; and Nav Gurm, an attorney.

Here’s a breakdown of the homelessness solutions supported by the candidates:

Nav Gurm

Nav Gurm supports Fresno’s no-camping ordinance, emphasizing that public spaces should not become permanent encampments. He believes individuals must accept help when it is offered. Drawing from San Jose’s success, he advocates for rapid expansion of interim housing options, such as quick-build communities and tiny homes, paired with enforcement measures. This approach has led to increased sheltered populations and reduced visible homelessness.

Gurm also calls for stronger collaboration between the city and Fresno County to better coordinate resources and outreach. He suggests utilizing existing tools like CARE Court for those with severe mental illness, expanding job training pathways, accelerating efforts to move people off the streets, and implementing family reunification programs to reconnect individuals with support networks.

Ariana Martinez Lott

Ariana Martinez Lott emphasizes the inherent dignity of every individual and supports evidence-based solutions, such as the Housing First Model. She opposes criminalizing homelessness due to systemic challenges rather than individual actions.

Lott plans to strengthen support networks for unhoused neighbors through cross-sector collaboration with mental health providers, the county, childcare providers, and job training programs. She also advocates for addressing barriers to affordable housing by streamlining zoning processes, tackling rising rents, and strengthening policies like the Rental Housing Improvement Act.

AJ Rassamni

AJ Rassamni supports the establishment of safe, managed camps where people experiencing homelessness can stay legally while receiving necessary services. These locations would include sanitation facilities, case management, mental-health treatment, proper medication, and recovery support for those struggling with mental illness and addiction.

Rassamni highlights the public safety impact of unmanaged encampments, noting that the Fresno Fire Department reports about 50% of fires are linked to the homeless population. Property owners and small businesses near unmanaged encampments face repeated break-ins and damage, affecting economic activity.

He argues that without addressing root causes, simply moving people from one location to another will not solve the problem. Rassamni believes Fresno needs to replace chaos with structure, safe camps with services, and clear expectations for treatment and stability.

Jason Keomanee

The Bee was unable to reach Jason Keomanee for the candidate questionnaire.