BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Max Bacerra and Jessey Bowman are working to bring a new shopping center and housing to a 400-acre plot at the intersection of White Lane and Cottonwood Road in southeast Bakersfield, but illegal dumping and encampments are standing in the way.
The lot was cleaned up by Bacerra and Bowman at one point, but the problem has returned and grown worse.
"We're in motion, getting everything in motion, and now we're in [2026], and it took a turn for the worse, because I'm going to say they've doubled to tripled the work that we have out here now. Yeah, in just a year and a half," Bowman said.
The site, which sits in an area with little existing development, is envisioned as the future home of not only commercial spaces but also housing.
"There's been some hope for transformation here, but we can do a lot more, and we want to be resilient. We want to stay positive. We want to manifest good progress in this part of town, so it can be a contributing part to the city of Bakersfield's progress," Bacerra said.
Bacerra says he's hoping to see the city get involved to help move the project forward. Ward 1 Council Member Eric Arias says he's committed to helping get the project across the finish line.
"We just had an hours-long phone call and teams meeting with Max just yesterday morning with about a dozen representatives from different departments across the city to actually help make sure that one: we are fortifying a lot of that area so that we're protecting it from future illegal dumping, but two: also being a part of the conversation as it relates to abating what is currently on the property," Arias said.
Bacerra and Bowman say they hope to get the project started in the near future, with the full build out expected to be complete within the next six years.
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