Study and Action Plan

In 2023, the County of Ventura and House Farm Workers! were jointly awarded a $499,991 grant from SCAG through the Sustainable Communities Program – Civic Engagement, Equity and Environmental Justice (SCP-CEEEJ) funding, utilizing State REAP 2.0 funds. In addition, House Farm Workers! received $25,000 from the UC Thelma Hansen Fund Grant. Both grants will fund a portion of Phases 4 and 5.

In January 2025, the Project Team and SCAG collectively selected a technical consultant team comprising of ARUP, Estolano Advisors, and Economic Planning Systems, who along with community partner House Farm Workers!, will collectively complete the following to implement Phases 4 and 5, which include the following items:

1. Develop a Countywide Farmworker Housing Study which summarizes survey data and information from countywide housing elements on current agricultural trends, labor patterns, farmworker housing needs, and constraints to housing development; refine countywide sites inventory to identify suitable infill sites for farmworker housing; identify different housing typologies; review land use and development regulations/policies for each jurisdiction as constraints or advantages to farmworker housing; and identify potential financing strategies/funding gaps;
2. Develop an Action Plan with potential solutions and responsibilities in the short/medium/long term for County/City governments, other local agencies, affordable housing providers, farmworker advocates, and other public and private sectors, including healthcare, transportation, finance, and education. The Action Plan utilizes several housing strategies as a base to develop meaningful actions that can result in future housing for farmworkers; and
3. Conduct a robust Community Engagement, including coordination with all cities, farmworker/youth community engagement, and a series of countywide events to discuss the draft Action Plan with all jurisdictions, stakeholders, farmworkers, and interested parties. The Project will be guided by the 45-member Advisory Council with representatives from key community organizations, agricultural businesses, farmworkers, and public agencies to ensure cohesive and inclusive engagement. In order to accommodate the wide diversity of languages used by the County’s farmworkers and to conduct effective community outreach for the Project, key documents will be translated into Spanish, and multilingual presentations and interpretation shall be provided for all community engagement.