EAH Housing Acquires Land to Develop Affordable Farmworker Housing in the Salinas Valley

EAH Housing, an affordable housing nonprofit organization, announced on Thursday, July 18 the acquisition of 11 acres of land at 41206 Walnut Avenue in Greenfield, California. Located in the southern Salinas Valley, the currently vacant property will provide 222 units of permanently affordable, year-around housing for families tied to the local Agriculture Industry. Once complete, the development will feature contemporary garden style apartments, with a community building, recreation and play area, indoor and outdoor common areas, and a community garden.
“Many rural farming communities in Central California are impacted by the rising rents and are facing a severe shortage of permanent housing,” said Welton Jordan, vice president of real estate development at EAH Housing. “Agricultural workers in Salinas Valley and Monterey County desperately need quality, affordable housing.”
In 2018, the California Institute of Rural Studies released the Farmworker Housing Study Action Plan for the Salinas Valley and Pajaro Valley which identified an overwhelming need for affordable farmworker housing in the Salinas and Pajaro Valley. The Action Plan found that over 45,000 units of farmworker housing are needed to alleviate overcrowding and safely house an estimated 91,000 regional employees of the agriculture sector.
“Rural communities are not immune to the housing crisis, and South County welcomes the opportunity to work with organizations such as EAH Housing to create safe, high quality places for our residents to call home,” said Chris Lopez, supervisor for Monterey County’s 3rd District. “EAH Housing has a long, well established history of developing quality, workforce housing. It understands the unique opportunities and challenges associated with building and successfully managing affordable housing in rural areas.”
The purchase was financed with a $3.8 million loan from Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). The work on the project is expected to begin in February of 2021 and will take about 18 months to complete.
For more than 50 years, it has been the mission of EAH Housing to develop, manage and promote quality affordable housing and sustainable, diverse communities. The organization serves 20,000 people every day - working families, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities in California and Hawaii.
About EAH Housing Established in 1968, EAH Housing is one of the largest and most respected nonprofit housing development and management organizations in the western United States. EAH develops low-income multifamily housing, manages more than 110 properties in 55 municipalities in California and Hawaii, and plays a leadership role in local, regional and national housing advocacy efforts.