County reports preliminary results of agricultural worker housing survey; permit-transformation draft to return in December

Santa Clara County staff updated the Hewlett Committee on Sept. 18 about agricultural worker housing outreach and a separate permit-transformation evaluation intended to speed development review.

Deputy County Executive Sylvia Gallegos told supervisors the county had collected roughly 430 farm-worker surveys so far and that survey collection has been labor-intensive. The county’s report described the principal obstacles farmers identify for agricultural worker housing: lack of financing, inexperience with the housing process and regulatory complexity. Gallegos said farm workers themselves reported a high need for assistance with applications for medical services and other benefits.

The county also said it will return with a fuller survey report when it has a larger, representative sample. “We have a new ag commissioner … one of her goals is to make herself known to our farm workers and also our farmers,” Gallegos said. Staff said outreach will include in-person, hard-copy surveys in seasonal windows where digital access is limited and will coordinate with supervisors’ offices to expand outreach.

On permitting, Gallegos and planning director Jacqueline Anciano told the committee the county has drafted a permit-transformation analysis with consultant support but a planned November presentation will be delayed because a consultant must undergo a medical procedure; the department now expects to present the draft in December. Staff said they will schedule individual supervisor briefings on the draft findings before finalizing the report.

The county announced it will seek delegated authority at the Oct. 21 board meeting to apply for an anticipated federal earmark for housing rehabilitation and electrification projects; staff said the delegation is an administrative step required to submit the application.

Committee response and next steps: Supervisors asked staff to continue expanding survey outreach, offered to help identify stakeholder contacts and requested individual briefings on the permit-transformation draft before it is finalized. Staff agreed to return to the committee with a fuller survey and a revised permit-transformation timeline in December.