SANTA PAULA TIMES February 7, 2006
Farmworker housing: Vista Hermosa scene of celebratory groundbreaking
It has taken years but Vista Hermosa should be a reality by year’s end, the cause for a celebratory groundbreaking Saturday at the future location of the 24 new affordable apartments for farmworker families. The groundbreaking was held at the West Santa Ana Street site off Palm Avenue and drew elected officials as well as housing activists and affordable housing supporters. The nonprofit Cabrillo Economic Development Corp. (CEDC) is building Vista Hermosa. “This is a great, great moment for us,” said CEDC Executive Director Rodney Fernandez who outlined previous successful efforts to create farmworker housing in the city. Housing provided for farmworkers by agricultural companies disappeared in the mid-1980s but several projects led by farmworkers and supporters “Went from labor camp to jewel” when the housing was converted to for sale units. Fernandez added that home ownership is the primary way people save and a leader of the farmworker housing effort was later able to tap into home equity to send his four children to universities. “Families can prosper and exceed in a new way,” due to homeownership opportunities created by the farmworker housing movement. After Deacon Al Guilin blessed the land Fernandez noted that the Santa Paula City Council was an important partner in the project. “The council has worked hard as a unit for three years,” said Mayor Rick Cook. “We picked our fights and where we wanted to go with housing. Santa Paula is on the right track,” and its leadership in providing farmworker housing should be emulated by other county cities. Southern California is “struggling” with the issue of workforce housing said Councilwoman Mary Ann Krause and “it’s not only our fight” but a regional crisis. Krause thanked the previous Council for their “foresight” and leadership that will be continued by the present Council. Vista Hermosa is a “Great project for Santa Paula, and we’re in the front row of providing housing,” noted Vice Mayor Ray Luna. Martin Hernandez, representing Supervisor Kathy Long, thanked the council for their leadership as well as CEDC in providing affordable and low-income housing. The new apartments, a $8.5 million project, will be built on 1.4 acres; two of the apartments will be one-story, disabled-accessible units. Eligibility for households renting in Vista Hermosa includes having at least one family member employed in agriculture and, for a family of four, an annual household income no higher than about $41,000, 50 percent of Ventura County’s median income. The figure is 50 percent of Ventura County’s median income. Fernandez said that the project was financed through various public and private sources. County Agricultural Commissioner Earl McPhail said that with area agriculture becoming more labor intensive more and more such projects are needed as well as housing for single farmworkers. Latino Town Hall President Robert Borrego offered his personal thanks to the Council and CEDC staff, noting that “at times it has been difficult for them but they haven’t given up...” Farmworkers do the “Good work that needs to be done” to feed others, work that represents daily suffering noted Councilman Gabino Aguirre. Such projects as Vista Hermosa shows others that “Santa Paula is a very special corner of the garden...” “We represent the children,” and housing provides stability for the family unit as well as the student, said SPUHS Trustee Tina Urias. Project investor Mike Merewether noted that as a youngster he worked as a farmworker who can now invest and “see the fruits of labor...” Members of the Campesina family were also on hand and in Spanish shared their excitement at becoming residents of Vista Hermosa, expected to be completed in December.
|