Money available to support farmworker housing

October 15, 2004

Santa Paula News

The Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) is now accepting applications for its second round of grants to support the local development of affordable and accessible housing for local farmworkers.Up to $75,000 will be awarded by the Ventura County Fund for Farmworker Housing for projects that preserve, enhance and increase the supply of decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing for agricultural workers in Ventura County. Earlier this year the Fund awarded grants totaling $127,500 to three organizations for development projects in Santa Paula and Oxnard as well as innovative countywide education and engagement efforts.“Ventura County is one of the state’s largest agricultural regions, and we face an urgent need for affordable farmworker housing,” said Hugh Ralston, VCCF president and CEO. “Grants from this fund will help address the need for housing so that agriculture can continue to be the county’s greatest economic asset.”According to Ralston, the Fund will focus its grant making on farmworker housing projects that identify and/or acquire land to be used for construction, initiate and/or enable housing development or preserve or rehabilitate existing substandard housing that will be restricted to farmworkers. Funds will also be directed to programs that engage, educate and develop community leadership and which support innovative solutions for attracting capital and other resources.

Application forms along with details on eligibility criteria can be downloaded from the VCCF Web site at www.vccf.org/fundingcycles.html or can be obtained by calling VCCF at (805) 988-0196, extension 18. Applications are due at the VCCF office by 5 p.m. on Oct. 29.The Ventura County Fund for Farmworker Housing was created in 2003 with an initial grant from Washington Mutual. It has since received an additional contribution by Pacific Capital Corp.The Ventura County Community Foundation is a family of charitable funds created in 1987 by citizens who cared deeply about strengthening the community, preserving and expanding its cultural resources, and helping those in need. The Foundation works to enrich and enhance the quality of life in Ventura County and to provide leadership to residents and nonprofit organizations in building an enduring source of funds and strengthening community participation to meet the changing needs and challenges of the community. For more information, visit www.vccf.org.