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Residents tell Taft council about produce distribution and strong support for farmworker housing
Summary
Public commenters reported a fresh-produce distribution that served more than 200 families and cited a community housing-element survey showing 61.7% support for agricultural/farmworker housing; speakers urged continued local attention to homelessness and housing needs.
During the Sept. 16 public comment period, Louis Gillum of Face in the Valley described a fresh-produce distribution co-hosted with Taft United Methodist that served more than 200 families in West Kern and thanked local partners, including community organizations and churches.
"Last Thursday, Face in the Valley and Taft United Methodist Church co-hosted a fresh produce distribution to over 200 families of West Kern," Gillum said. He also told the council that a question in a community survey tied to the city's recently adopted housing element showed 61.7% support for agricultural/farmworker housing.
Gillum said his organization is conducting informal surveys in farmworker communities and that residents express support for emergency shelters, transitional housing and supportive housing. He also noted that Taft Police Chief McMinn would discuss homelessness at an upcoming Chamber of Commerce event.
Other public commenters included Bernard Herrmann, who introduced himself as an applicant for a special event permit to run a temporary miniature-golf attraction, and Stephanie Molina with Taft El Dorado, who invited the council to the El Dorado celebration and requested council consideration of road closures and city property use.
The council received these comments as part of its standard public-comment agenda item; no formal council action on housing policy was taken at the meeting.
