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Ventura County Farmworkers Housing Study presented to Ojai council; survey finds shared housing and affordability pressures
Summary
City staff summarized phases two and three of a countywide study on farmworker housing, reporting farmworker surveys, employer surveys and stakeholder interviews that point to housing shortages, affordability strain and labor retention concerns.
City staff presented results from the Ventura County Farm Workers Housing Study, an ongoing multi-phase countywide effort to identify housing needs, recommend solutions and provide an implementation roadmap.
Lucas Seibert, Ojai community development director, told the council the study covers Phases 2 and 3 of a five-phase process that included stakeholder interviews, employer and worker surveys and focus groups. He said the last countywide study was done in 2002 and an updated, countywide approach is needed.
Key findings presented: Employer surveys (40 respondents) indicated rising labor needs and insufficient farmworker housing; the most common reason employers do not provide housing was unwillingness to manage housing. A farmworker survey of 417 workers (April–October 2023) found many households share housing and that agriculture is the sole income source for 97% of respondents. Median personal incomes for workers were low and household incomes left an estimated 48% of household income spent on housing — far above the 30% benchmark commonly used by housing agencies.
Seibert said the study’s advisory council of about 40 stakeholders included public and private partners and that Phases 4 and 5 will focus on an action plan and implementation. He noted Ojai contributed to study funding from its housing trust fund and said the study will inform future local projects, including references to the Cabrillo project’s farmworker-housing component.
Public comment and council questions touched on whether other farmworker projects were proposed within Ojai and how the study’s recommendations would map onto local housing-element programs. Seibert said the study will provide a roadmap and that Ojai’s own housing element programs remain in effect.
What happens next: The study will move into an action planning phase; staff said links and further materials are available on the county project landing page for stakeholders interested in participating.
