Existing law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development, through its Office of Migrant Services, to assist in the development, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or operation of migrant farm labor centers and authorizes the Director of Housing and Community Development to contract with school districts, housing authorities, health agencies, and other appropriate local public and private nonprofit agencies for the procurement or construction of housing or shelter and to obtain services for migratory agricultural workers.
This bill would establish the Napa County Farmworker Centers Account to be administered by the department, as specified, to assist in the financing, maintenance, and operation of the Napa County Housing Authority’s Farmworker Centers for year-round use by migrant and nonmigrant farm labor employees.
The bill would require the department to award, annually, up to $250,000 in matching funds to the Napa County Housing Authority upon demonstration that the Napa County Housing Authority is capable of continuing to effectively serve the housing needs of migrant or other farmworkers in Napa County and requires the Napa County Housing Authority, to be eligible for funding, to provide equal or greater funds from local sources. The bill, if SB 2 of the 2017–18 Regular Session is enacted, would require the department to use specified funds
that would be allocated from the Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund as provided by that bill, and would otherwise provide that these provisions would be inoperative until a funding source is identified.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for Napa County.