YORK (Pennsylvania) DAILY RECORD May 6, 2007
Housing back for migrant workers More occupants expected
By ANGIE MASON
A housing development for migrant farm workers in Adams County is to reopen in early June and, while the complex was mostly full during the last growing season, officials expect more occupants this year. The Jonathan Court Apartments in Aspers was about 80 percent occupied most of last growing season, said Michael Johnson, deputy for housing administration with Rural Opportunities Inc., a nonprofit that started the housing complex. The complex opened in May last year and closed Dec. 31. "Last year was good," he said. "For the first year of operations ... we were really pleased with the response." Kay Washington, senior executive director for the Pennsylvania branch of the nonprofit, said she expects the development to be full this year. "The word is out now with the growers and the farm workers that'll be coming in," she said. Washington said housing for migrant workers used to be more plentiful, but the cost of maintaining that housing caused it to disappear. Her organization sometimes provides emergency housing for workers in transition, but that costs even more, she said. Because the workers are only around for a short stay, they can't sign traditional apartment leases, she said. "A lot of them would end up sleeping in their cars," she said. "We're hoping this will solve a lot of those problems that we had before." Last year, the nonprofit reached out to the migrant population to find someone to take the on-site manager job at the apartment complex, she said. The problem was, when some workers moved on to other locations, the manager did, too. So this year, they're planning to find someone with employment to last the entire season, she said. The organization is also working on a plan to have someone on call for whenever a migrant worker arrives, even if it's a night or weekend. "They get here when they get here, (we) never know what hour it might be," Washington said. The development includes 14 two-bedroom units that can hold up to four people each. It costs $50 a week for workers to stay. Workers must meet eligibility requirements to ensure they are in the country legally, Washington said. Some workers stayed for a few months, and others stayed until the end of the season, Johnson said. At the end of the season, they either returned home or headed to another area to work, he said. Unless there's interest earlier, Johnson said, the development will probably open in the beginning of June.
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