Nav Gurm
Candidate for City Council Member, Fresno, District 7 · Attorney/Small Businessman
Nav Gurm grew up working at his family's small business. He is a product of Fresno County's public schools. He earned a degree in economics and public affairs from UCLA. He later earned a law degree from UC Davis. He worked at Fresno City Hall on local government issues. He also worked for Fresno City Councilmember Nelson Esparza. In 2021, he founded Five River Strategies, a public affairs firm. He now practices labor and employment law in Fresno County. He also works for a statewide nonprofit that supports underserved communities. He tutors high school students in his spare time.
Positions in brief
Gurm is a labor and employment lawyer who also runs a public affairs firm. He wants to build more housing through infill development and improve roads and public safety.
Gurm wants the city to build more housing on empty lots inside existing neighborhoods. He is skeptical of a rent cap and prefers adding more housing instead. He backs a new tax to fix roads and sidewalks. He wants more grocery stores and shops in his district so people do not have to shop elsewhere. He is careful about giving tax breaks to large companies. On homelessness, he wants the county to run more shelters and services. He opposes city-run camping sites for homeless people. He wants a neighborhood watch group in every part of his district. He wants the city to hire more local firms and open budget meetings to the public.
On the issues
- Housing & Homelessness
Wants the city to build more market-rate and affordable housing through infill on vacant lots and empty office buildings rather than sprawl.
“How can we make it easier to build infill? How can we make it easier to look at vacant lots in our neighborhoods, and make sure somebody can come in and put a multi-family housing development in our interior neighborhoods where it fits?”
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Is skeptical of introducing a rent cap in the city, preferring to increase housing supply instead.
“There's a lot of good actors that were not increasing their rent at all. But now there's just no incentive not to increase your rent costs annually to the state's maximum.”
Source → - Infrastructure & Transportation
Supports the Better Roads, Safe Streets plan to replace Measure C, and wants funding directed toward road and sidewalk repair in District 7.
“That's a quality-of-life issue. It's a safety issue, it's an ADA issue.”
Source → - Economy & Jobs
Wants more retail and job options within District 7 so residents do not have to shop or work outside the district, and is hesitant about subsidizing large companies to relocate to Fresno.
“I can't think of any resident that told me they go grocery shopping in Fresno.”
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Is open to permanent short-term homeless shelters but wants the county to run and manage them, and opposes city-run safe camping sites.
“I think that work fits much better as a county responsibility. They are in charge of the social services.”
Source → - Public Safety & Policing
Wants a neighborhood watch program active in every neighborhood in his district and wants police staffing to keep pace with the city's growth.
“I want to make sure as we grow our city's population that our number of patrol officers, but also the number of 911 dispatchers, is keeping pace.”
Source → - Government, Elections & Democracy
Wants the city to rely less on outside consultants, open budget subcommittee meetings to the public, and create an independent redistricting process.
“I think we've got to do as much as we possibly can to have more people participate in the government.”
Source →
Profiles are compiled from the candidate’s own statements and public records. We never tell you how to vote.