The Southeast Development Area (SEDA) is a proposed plan covering approximately 9,000 acres just outside of Fresno’s current city limits. SEDA outlines the creation of a large new residential and commercial community in the city’s southeastern sphere of influence. According to the Draft SEDA Specific Plan, the project’s objectives are to create “between 40,000 and 45,000 dwelling units of varying types, sizes, densities, and affordability levels” and “accommodate between 30,000 and 37,000 jobs”.
On paper, SEDA presents a long-term vision for growth, housing, and economic development. However, as with any large-scale plan, it also raises a number of important questions:
- How might it impact Fresno’s existing neighborhoods?
- What infrastructure will be required to support a new community of this size?
- How will the plan be funded and phased over time?
Some community advocates, like Erika Leonard, are concerned about the potential negative impacts SEDA could have on current Fresno residents.
“If you plan on staying… imagine five years from now, you’re looking around going, ‘How did this happen?” said Erika. “And why didn’t anybody stop it?’”
She is raising awareness about SEDA and potential concerns about the project through the website StopSEDA.org.
Erika believes SEDA is relevant to anyone who calls Fresno home and is encouraging residents to ask the question, before we spend billions of dollars on expansion, shouldn’t we fix what’s broken first?
Why SEDA Matters to ENP
At ENP, we don’t have all the answers, but we care deeply about what happens in our city and we believe every neighbor should have the opportunity to participate in conversations about this project.
We partner with schools, families, churches, and leaders in the very neighborhoods SEDA risks leaving behind.
“When cities spread out too far, the older parts of town often get neglected. As those areas decline, poverty becomes concentrated there, which can then lead to higher crime rates in more neighborhoods,” says Ivan Paz, ENP’s Community Land Use Academy Project Manager.
We’ve sat with moms navigating broken sidewalks on the way to school. We’ve heard kids say they wish they had somewhere safe to play. We’ve seen the resilience, beauty, and strength of Fresno’s core neighborhoods and we believe they deserve more than to be overlooked.
SEDA isn’t just about maps and zoning. It’s about real people.
Our mission has always been rooted in presence, equity, and transformation from the inside out. We believe Fresno can grow in a way that honors every resident and every neighborhood.
That’s why we’re paying attention to SEDA and inviting you to do the same.
As Cities Grow, Who is Left Behind?
At first glance, plans like SEDA offer the promise of new housing and economic opportunity. But for those who have watched Fresno’s history unfold, there’s a deeper pattern worth examining.
When cities expand too quickly, especially without sufficient investment in their existing neighborhoods, sprawl development often follows a familiar cycle: urban decay, followed by concentrated poverty, and eventually, rising crime in neighborhoods once full of promise.
It’s not just a theory. It’s Fresno’s story.
Following the rapid expansion of the 1960s through 1980s, new subdivisions spread north while many of the city’s core neighborhoods were left behind. Public infrastructure aged. Investment stalled. Families living in the heart of the city faced the consequences: cracked sidewalks, broken streetlights, lack of parks, and fewer resources for schools and public safety.
That’s why ENP believes we can’t afford to repeat the cycle.
If Fresno expands again without a clear plan to invest in the core, then we risk another 30 to 50 years of disinvestment in the very neighborhoods that have already waited too long.
This isn’t about opposing growth. It’s about asking:
Can we grow as a city in a way that doesn’t leave anyone behind?
What You Can Do
If you live, work, or raise a family in Fresno, your perspective on the project matters.
Here are a few simple ways to learn more about SEDA and share your perspective on the project:
- Review the Draft SEDA Plan yourself
- Email your city councilmember — not sure who that is? Find out here. Ask your City Councilmember questions about SEDA and share any concerns you have.
- Submit a public comment — Want to tell the City what needs to be fixed in your neighborhood before they pursue expansion? Email longrangeplanning@fresno.gov
- Visit stopseda.org or email the website’s creator, Erika, at ejleonard@me.com — Get clear, plain-language updates and tools to help you take action. Ask when the next public hearing about SEDA will take place.
- Read this Fresnoland article about SEDA
- Learn more about community land use- Join ENP’s Community Land Use Academy (CLUA).
Speak up. Ask questions. Advocate for the places and people you care about. Small steps lead to lasting change.
Fresno is our home. Let’s build a future that doesn’t leave any parts of our city behind.