Today, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross joins a Farmworker Housing Tour, underscoring the essential contributions of farmworkers and the importance of providing them with safe, affordable housing. The tour, underway in the Central Coast and Gilroy area of the state, features participation from key agencies. Secretary Ross joins state counterpart agency leaders, Tomiquia Moss, Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH); Gustavo Velasquez, Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD); Stewart Knox, Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA); Victoria Hassid, Chair of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB), and key partners, including the UC Davis Western Center for Agricultural Health, and the US Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA), among others.
“There is a tremendous need to provide California’s farmworkers more opportunities that improve their housing conditions,” said Secretary Ross. “The Joe Serna Jr. Farmworker Housing Program funds important subsidies that leverage multiple financial sources to build multi-family housing in our most productive ag regions. It also takes local leadership and partnerships to do the transformative work to create model communities for farmworkers, like we have seen in Salinas and Gilroy. Thanks to Governor Newsom and the Legislature, we’ve learned how the streamlining legislation can also help us build more, faster.”
The tour spans three unique facilities:
- The Joe Serna Jr. Farmworker Housing Program (Alfred Diaz-Infante Apartments) in Marina (Monterey County) – provides year-round housing solutions fostering stability and community for farmworkers and their families. The property consists of 66 apartments and also offers residents opportunities to connect with resources and enrichment opportunities.
- The Office of Migrant Services (OMS) Arturo Ochoa Migrant Center in Gilroy (Santa Clara County), highlights family-style accommodations for seasonal farmworkers in Gilroy. This center has undergone renovations and was the first OMS site to connect residents to broadband services in each housing unit.
- The Employee Housing Facility in Gilroy (Santa Clara County) consists of employer-provided housing for up to 165 employees.
This initiative facilitates collaboration among Gov. Newsom’s administration and partners to advance shared goals and opportunities, reflecting a strong commitment to the welfare of California’s farmworkers.