The Fresno Bee recently published three stories based on an extensive interview with Mayor Jerry Dyer, covering the controversial Southeast Development Area plan, federal immigration enforcement tactics and goals for the remainder of his second term.
Dyer told The Bee he’d be “negligent” not to push forward on SEDA while also calling for more accountability from ICE agents operating in local communities.
Here are 6 key takeaways from his conversation with The Bee:
• ICE enforcement: Dyer said he told the U.S. Conference of Mayors that federal agents need training comparable to local law enforcement. He criticized ICE’s tactics as the same as those local police “abandoned 30 years ago” and said agents should not wear masks when interacting with people.
Bullard High School students marched through Fashion Fair Mall on Tuesday Feb. 4, 2026 on the third day of anti-ICE protests across Fresno Unified high schools. Melissa Montalvo mmontalvo@fresnobee.com
• Measure C: Dyer supports the citizen-led measure for Measure C transportation tax renewal, a 30-year half-cent sales tax that generates billions of dollars to support Fresno County roads and transportation. He hopes voters won’t have to entertain two ballot measures, because he thinks they’ll end up voting no on both. The city has about $1.2 billion in deferred road maintenance, and recently passed a $100 million bond to pave city roads, Dyer expects to cover about three years of expenses, but the city still needs Measure C for road improvements and to run the city’s public transportation system.
Homeless gather outside the Poverello House entrance on Santa Clara Street Friday, Dec 26, 2025 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
• Homelessness: Since Dyer took office, the city went from zero emergency shelter beds to 830 and has housed over 11,000 people, with 54% making what he called a “safe exit.” The city expects to be involved in about 1,900 affordable housing units between 2025 and 2027, Dyer said.
• SEDA: Dyer remains committed to SEDA, a proposed 9,000-acre expansion in southeast Fresno with an estimated 45,000 homes and a $4.3 billion price tag, despite the City Council voting 5-2 in December to send the plan back for further financial review. He expects that review to take about six months.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer addresses a wide range of topics during a Q&A session with Bee reporter Melissa Montalvo Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 at City Hall in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
• South SEDA: The mayor has shifted focus to “South SEDA,” which he said reduces the city’s upfront infrastructure cost to about $61 million, down from $267 million. He called the $3 billion shortfall figure cited by opponents “misinformation,” saying developers would reimburse all infrastructure costs.
• Advanced manufacturing: Dyer said South SEDA would open 1,547 acres south of Jensen Avenue for advanced manufacturing, which would attract “good paying jobs” to the city. Dyer said Fresno has only 5% suitable land for industrial development, compared to a state average of 7.5% and Visalia’s 16%.
These takeaways were produced with the help of AI tools, which used information from stories reported and written by Fresno Bee journalists. This content was edited by journalists in the newsroom.
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The Fresno Bee
Christopher Kirkpatrick is senior editor of The Fresno Bee and Vida en el Valle.