Affordable Housing For Farm Workers Coming To South Santa Clara County

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — Affordable housing for farm workers is coming to South County.

The county will create 28 new affordable housing units for agricultural workers at The Magnolias housing project in Morgan Hill after the Board of Supervisors approved the project on Tuesday.

Combined with 30 more units at the Royal Oak Village development, the 58 total housing units represent the first time Santa Clara County has funded multifamily housing developments for agricultural workers since 1996, according to a news release.

“There is clearly a significant need for affordable housing in the County’s more rural areas, where farmworkers often face extraordinary challenges given the combination of low wages and a severe shortage of affordable housing,” said Supervisor Joe Simitian, who sponsored the proposal along with Supervisor Mike Wasserman.

There are more than 8,000 agricultural jobs in the county, according to a 2018 county report. But the county lacks more than 1,400 seasonal and 700 long-term housing units to support workers.

“Farmworkers are essential community members who are critical to our agricultural success," Wasserman said. “I’m pleased to see the different options our County has come up with to support dedicated housing for these workers and their families in South County.”