Five Fresno City Council candidates said they oppose the Southeast Development Area, or SEDA, during a candidate forum Tuesday night in Fresno.
Naindeep Singh, Joaquin Arambula, Keshia Thomas, Nav Gurm and Ariana Martinez Lott all said they oppose SEDA. District 1 candidate Robert Fuentes did not attend the forum because of a prior personal commitment.
The candidates also discussed Fresno’s budget, housing, public safety and campaign contributions.
In the District 7 race, Ariana Martinez Lott and Nav Gurm sparred over whether voters should trust candidates who receive contributions from developers. Gurm has accepted developer and real-estate contributions, while Martinez Lott argued that voters should scrutinize those relationships.
Candidates were also asked where they would cut $1 million from the city budget and where they would add $1 million. Their answers ranged from police funding and mayoral administration to housing, youth programs, homelessness, eviction protection and violence-prevention programs.
SEDA is a long-range development plan covering roughly 9,000 acres in southeast Fresno. The city’s current proposal focuses initial development on South SEDA, a roughly 2,000-acre first phase.
A decision on SEDA could come before the current City Council completes its term, making the issue a significant point of discussion in the 2026 council races.
