Affordable housing for Santa Clara County farm workers gains ground
SAN JOSE – A new proposal to pursue the development of affordable housing for Santa Clara County’s farm labor workers gained support Tuesday from the County Board of Supervisors.
County Supervisors Joe Simitian and Mike Wasserman sponsored the proposal, which directs County staff to identify options for building affordable farm worker housing in South Santa Clara County, including the areas around Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and south San Jose.
“Our County has made a tremendous effort over the past few years to invest in affordable housing,” said Simitian. “But many of these developments have been based in the urban core of our County, while there is clearly also significant need for affordable housing in more rural areas, where farm workers often face extreme housing challenges due to low wages and a severe shortage of affordable homes.”
Simitian said his initial interest in farm labor housing was first piqued by work he did in the private sector many years ago to help create affordable farm labor housing on the Coastside in southern San Mateo County – work that eventually led to the creation of 160 units of farm labor housing that today serves hundreds of farm workers and their family members.
Today, in his elected role as a Santa Clara County Supervisor, Simitian said the County has “taken some modest steps to address the challenge; but frankly, we need to do more.”
Simitian said this most recent initiative was sparked in part by a group of 2nd and 3rd graders at Palo Alto’s Barron Park Elementary School that has been meeting with area elected officials to discuss California farm workers’ current living and working conditions.
Simitian met with the students earlier this month in a Zoom session, where they expressed concerns about local farm workers’ ability to access safe and affordable housing. “I was extremely impressed by the students’ interest and knowledge around this issue,” said Simitian. “It’s the first time I’ve ever had a third grader share a spreadsheet detailing the mismatch between farm workers’ income and expenses, housing in particular. These kids really knew their stuff. And as I shared with them my long ago experience in San Mateo County, I thought, ‘Why not something similar here in Santa Clara County’?”
“I hope this experience encourages these students to continue to stay engaged in local government and advocate for what they believe in, because it really can make a difference,” Simitian added.
“Farm workers provide an important community service, by helping us get healthy food every day. It inspires me to see a move that will help them get the housing and respect they deserve, and help our county become one everyone can be proud of, where everyone can be healthy and feel valued,” said Hobbs Hernandez, a graduating 3rd grade student at Barron Park Elementary School.
The Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Plan reports that the County’s agricultural industry employs over 8,000 residents and contributes around $830 million annually to the economy. But the County still has an estimated shortfall of over 1,400 seasonal and 700 long term housing units to support the employment demands of the industry.
“We can only truly preserve our County’s critical agricultural resources when we ensure that the essential folks who make our agricultural success possible are not pushed out of the area because they can’t find a safe, affordable place to live,” said Simitian.
The proposal also asks County staff to consult with relevant stakeholders, including the agricultural community, environmental advocates and the farm labor workforce.
“As with any housing development, community engagement is key, and it’s critical these voices are heard at the outset of the process,” added Simitian.
Supervisor Mike Wasserman, who represents the South County area where the farm worker housing would likely be located, said, “Our ag industry needs workers, and our workers need housing. It’s the only way we can keep this industry viable over the long haul.”
Simitian notes: “If we can get this done, it’s a winner all around. It’s a win for the environment; it’s a win for workers and their families; and it’s a win for our ag industry.”
County staff will return to the Board of Supervisors with options for consideration at the Board’s Housing, Land Use, Environment and Transportation Committee meeting in September 2021.