Farmworker housing in Calistoga.
Six farmworker housing projects in California have been awarded $18 million in loans from the USDA’s Farm Labor Housing Loan and Grant Program to help qualified organizations develop housing for farmworkers, make housing repairs, and provide household furnishings.
A total of $26 million was provided nationwide. The California loan recipients are:
- Mutual Housing of California – $3 million loan. Funds will be used to develop 39 affordable apartments in Woodland, Calif.
- The Community Revitalization and Development Corporation – $3 million loan. Funds will be used to develop 58 affordable apartments in Bakersfield, Calif.
- Corporation for Better Housing, LP – $3 million loan. Funds will be used to develop 72 affordable apartments in Ukiah, Calif.
- Corporation for Better Housing – $3 million loan. Funds will be used to develop 68 affordable apartments in MacFarland, Calif.
- Corporation for Better Housing – $3 million loan. Funds will be used to develop 64 affordable apartments in Greenfield, Calif.
- Pacific Southwest Community Development Corporation – $3 million loan. Funds will be used to develop 60 affordable apartments in Calexico, Calif.
The program has a track record of success in California. To help relieve a shortage of affordable housing in Calistoga, Calif., the Corporation for Better Housing last year utilized a Farm Labor Housing Loan and Grant Program loan to open the doors to a 48-unit Net Zero Energy farm labor housing complex. The state-of-the-art project generates as much energy as it uses through a large solar array and other energy-efficient features, leaving residents with nearly non-existent utility bills. The complex recently received a Gold Nugget Award of excellence at the PCBC (Pacific Coast Builders Conference) home-building trade show.