Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 4, 2004
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Gary Locke Announces Funding Support for Farm Worker Housing

Gov. Gary Locke today announced state support through the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED) for a Douglas County project to provide additional seasonal housing for migrant farm workers in the Wenatchee Valley area of Eastern Washington. The Pangborn Cherry Harvest Camp, which will operate for five years, will make up to 300 beds per night available to farm workers and their families during the cherry harvest season.

"Agriculture is one of Washington's top economic drivers. Our major fruit crops draw thousands of migrant farm workers to our state during the harvest season and we face an acute shortage of housing for them. This is especially true during the cherry harvest," said Locke. "We need to provide a range of safe, healthy housing solutions for these seasonal agriculture workers to meet this growing need."

In the summer of 1998, Locke, recognizing the critical demand for additional safe, decent and affordable housing for migrant agricultural workers, declared farm worker housing to be the top housing priority in the state. Since then, 1,005 temporary and permanent housing units for this population have been established as part of the state's three-pronged strategy of:

Developing permanent low-income housing;
Supporting temporary camps; and
Responding to housing emergencies when they arise.

The state's long-term vision is to assist local orchard owners in the development of sufficient on-farm housing to support all the migrant workers that need housing.

In anticipation of this year's influx of migrant workers into Chelan and Douglas counties for the cherry season (late June through early August), a local consortium of growers, housing organizations, social service providers, advocates and state and local officials, has been meeting on a regular basis to develop housing strategies.

Among those adopted by the consortium is the proposal to establish a tent camp at Pangborn Memorial Field, which is projected to provide a total of 70,500 bednights over the next five years. Bednight refers to a single night of shelter for one individual. Migrant agricultural workers will be charged $3 per night, or $10 per family.

The grant request from Douglas County, in partnership with the Ports of Chelan and Douglas counties, totaled $1.1 million, which includes costs for infrastructure (connecting to sewer and water lines) and temporary housing supplies, such as tents and shower trailers. Additional capital investments of approximately $450,000 are anticipated in 2005, and annual operating costs are projected at $312,000 per year, bringing the total estimated cost to $2.8 million, or $37 per bednight, over the five-year lifespan of the project.

"We view this project as having both short and long term economic benefit for North Central Washington," said Pat Haley, Port of Douglas director. "The infrastructure improvements to the site will attract industrial users to the business park, providing a return on this investment long after the camp has closed five years from now."

Funding for the Pangborn Cherry Harvest Camp will be made available from appropriations that are part of a ten year capital plan that was approved by the Legislature in 1999 in response to Locke's declaration of farm worker housing as a high priority.

"We support the local determination and creativity to address this housing shortage," said Juli Wilkerson, CTED director. "The county and ports of this region are taking proactive measures to ensure safe and livable communities for residents and seasonal workers alike."

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