Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 15, 1999
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Washington's farm worker housing program wins national award

OLYMPIA — Gov. Gary Locke announced today that Washington was one of only two states in the nation to be recognized for "extraordinary collaborative and innovative efforts in using housing and community development-related resources."

The award for the state's farm worker housing program was presented by the Council of State Community Development Agencies, a Washington, D.C.-based organization composed of state community development agencies across the county.

"We are making the biggest investment in farm worker housing in our state's history, and we are doing it in consultation with local officials and farm worker groups," Locke said. "This investment is long overdue because the farm workers put food on our tables with their labor."

In 1998, Locke established a Cabinet-level task force to develop a long-term, comprehensive farm worker housing strategy. Its purpose was to increase the availability of safe, healthy and affordable housing for seasonal and migrant farm workers in those Washington counties with the greatest need. Members of the task force include local communities, state and federal agencies, public and private lenders, as well as local builders, growers and farmers.

During the past fiscal year (July, 1998 - June, 1999), the task force built the first units of Esperanza, the first state-funded migrant housing project in Washington state, with 26 units of temporary migrant housing in Mattawa, targeted to families with children.

The state also provided emergency services such as food, water, housing, transportation and medical assistance to homeless migrant farm worker families in the Mattawa area through local community partners. It implemented an innovative rent-a-tent program that rented OSHA-compliant tents to growers for temporary shelter for farm employees during the very short-term cherry harvest season.

The state also designed and funded an infrastructure loan program for growers who want to invest in providing housing for their farm labor employees through the federal Housing and Urban Development's new rural housing program.

Finally, the state developed a Web site and a toll-free telephone number to provide information and referrals to growers and others regarding the development process and regulations for farm worker housing.

» Return to this month's News Releases

» View News Release Archive