Redwood City – The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has awarded a grant to the County of San Mateo to further efforts to build affordable housing for local agricultural laborers and their families.
“There are few communities more deeply impacted by the rising cost of housing than farmworkers,” said Priscilla Chan, co-founder and co-CEO of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. “This project will help add more safe and affordable housing options for farmworkers and their families in Half Moon Bay, and we hope it will be a catalyst for similar investments throughout the region.”
The grant comes as the County is working with the city of Half Moon Bay, farmworker advocates, farmers and others to build more housing and modernize existing housing.
The $1 million grant will support efforts to build new housing at 880 Stone Pine Road, a city-owned site south of Highway 92 about a half-mile east of Highway 1. Together, officials from Half Moon Bay and the County are developing a design that includes detached prefabricated homes.
Homes would be offered at below-market rates to farmworkers with low incomes and farmworkers and their families who were displaced by the January mass shooting that killed seven farmworkers in Half Moon Bay. That tragedy has amplified awareness about living conditions among the workers who are vital to the county’s $100 million agricultural industry.
“We are grateful for the support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative that will aid the County in providing this vital affordable farmworker housing,” said Supervisor Ray Mueller, whose District 3 encompasses much of the county’s agricultural land.
“It is our mission to provide affordable housing and increase the quality of life for essential workers and vulnerable populations on the coast and across San Mateo County, and we are fortunate to have the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s continued partnership with the County to achieve this goal,” Mueller said.
In June, the state announced the County received a $5 million Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant to support the efforts.
“Access to affordable housing is crucial for social inclusion and to alleviate poverty. It ensures that people from diverse backgrounds, including low-income farmworkers, have a place in the community,” said Iliana Rodriguez, the assistant county executive who is leading staff’s local housing efforts.
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was founded in 2015 to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from eradicating disease and improving education, to addressing the needs of local communities. Its mission is to build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone. More information about CZI is available online at chanzuckerberg.com.
Michelle Durand
Chief Communications Officer
mdurand@smcgov.org