The Housing for the Harvest program is continuing to expand to cover more areas of California. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently announced that Yolo and Imperial counties will be joining the program. Governor Gavin Newsom first announced the launch of the program back in July. Housing for the Harvest provides temporary hotel housing for agricultural workers who need to self-isolate due to COVID-19. The state secures hotel rooms in participating counties while local governments provide additional support activities. Many local governments partner with non-profit or philanthropic organizations in the administration of the program.
“Housing for the Harvest is an essential tool to help protect the health of our agricultural workers, their families and local communities, as well as the food supply we all rely on,” CDFA Secretary Karen Ross said in a news release. “CDFA is very pleased to welcome Yolo and Imperial counties to this effort and we look forward to expanding the program with additional local partners across the state.”
Yolo County will be administering the program for workers in the area. The county will be providing hotel quarantine support along with additional assistance for workers’ families, including home food delivery. Imperial County is partnering with Vo Neighborhood Medical Clinic to help manage the program. The two entities will work together to secure hotel rooms and to provide transportation, meals, laundry, and administer wellness checks.
Approval for the Housing for the Harvest program was given by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. California will be seeking federal reimbursement for 75 percent of hotel costs. The program has been concentrated in the Central Valley, Imperial Valley, and Central Coast regions. Yolo, Imperial, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Madera, Kings, Riverside, Tulare, Santa Barbara, Fresno, and San Joaquin counties are now all participating in the Housing for the Harvest program.
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