VENTURA, Calif. – The Resource Management Agency’s (RMA) Planning Division, in partnership with House Farm Workers!, published the results of a countywide survey of agricultural employers, farmworkers, and stakeholders. This completes a major milestone in the Ventura County Farmworker Housing Study and Action Plan, highlighting the farmworker community and their housing needs.
“The commitment by the County, all ten cities and Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) to help fund, facilitate and share the knowledge learned from our local agricultural operators and farmworkers will be instrumental to our next step of this project – to develop recommendations for the production of farmworker housing across our County,” said Dave Ward, Planning Director for the Resource Management Agency.
In the last year, a consultant team comprising of BAE Urban Economics, the County’s Farmworker Resource Program, and Project Manager Gabrielle Vignone from House Farm Workers!, designed and implemented a countywide survey of agricultural employers, stakeholders, and over 400 farmworkers in five languages to gather updated information on the housing needs and challenges faced by the county’s farmworkers.
This effort comprises Phases 2 and 3 of the Ventura County Farmworker Housing Study and Action Plan, which addresses Program HE-E of the County’s Housing Element: “The County, working with advocacy groups, agricultural organizations and Ventura County cities, will: (1) take on a coordinating role to seek funding for, and to implement, a countywide survey of farmworkers, employers, and housing providers to further define housing conditions, needs and barriers to farmworker housing; and, (2) utilize the survey results to develop targeted programs and strategies to address the identified housing needs of farmworkers and to support agricultural businesses with a stable and healthy workforce.”
A report and presentation summarizing the results of this survey are available on RMA’s Planning Division website at https://vcrma.org/en/vc-farmworker-housing-study. The results were presented to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors at their regular meeting on September 10, 2024 and received positive feedback as the Board expressed optimism about the future of farmworker housing in Ventura County.
The recording of the presentation to the Board can be viewed here.
“House Farm Workers! is deeply grateful to the many County employees who contributed to planning and executing the Survey”, said Ellen Brokaw, board member for House Farm Workers!. “It provides details of current housing conditions and will ultimately lead to the provision of more secure and affordable farmworker housing.”
This project was coordinated by RMA’s Planning Division, House Farm Workers!, and a 40-member Advisory Council created for the project. This effort was funded by the County of Ventura, all ten cities within the county, the VCTC, along with state and local grants. For more information on the Ventura County Farmworker Housing Study and Action Plan, and to sign up for additional updates on the project, please visit https://vcrma.org/en/vc-farmworker-housing-study.
