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County staff outline progress on agricultural worker housing, resource center planning and survey results
Summary
County staff reported on progress toward agricultural worker housing reforms, recruitment for an Ag Ally planner position, a farmworker survey and outreach with the City of San Jose on AB 3035 implementation and a planned resource center.
County staff reported May 29 on multiple initiatives to advance agricultural worker housing in Santa Clara County, including staffing for an Ag Ally planner, progress on legislation to streamline farmworker housing, a farmworker needs survey and interjurisdictional coordination with the City of San Jose.
Staff said the county received eight applications for a newly created Ag Ally senior planner position and planned interviews for the week of June 9. The Ag Ally role was funded in the county’s budget to support permitting and technical assistance for agricultural worker housing projects.
On legislation, staff reported on AB 3035 (authored by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin) as an amendment to the Farmworker Housing Act that would expand allowances for agricultural housing and raise the unit cap to 50 in specific counties. Staff said the county and the City of San Jose continued to negotiate an understanding of communications and coordination; a meeting to reach agreement was scheduled for June 2 and staff expected to return to the Board in August with any interjurisdictional agreement.
The county has collected 373 responses to an ongoing farmworker survey, staff said, and described preliminary findings: 91 percent of respondents completed the survey in Spanish; 64 percent live in Santa Clara County (about half in Gilroy); nearly 80 percent report permanent employment status; roughly 40 percent live in family housing and about 25 percent in multifamily units. The survey’s two top‑ranked needs were education services (English learning, GED/high school diploma assistance, school supplies) and other supports identified by respondents.
Staff also reported that Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren submitted an earmark request to support the county’s proposed agricultural worker resource center; county staff said the center’s design will consider bilingual staffing and services matched to survey results.
The committee recorded appreciation from supervisors and expressed interest in collaborating on outreach to local farmers and community partners during implementation.
