10 Jan 2017

County report: Coastside needs 1,000 new homes for ag workers

For a clear picture of the housing crisis on the South Coast, meet Mira and Carlos Lopez. They and their three school-age children have not had a home since they were evicted from their apartment in September when their landlord needed to renovate the building. Mira’s brother Miguel was living with them too.

The family has bounced around Pescadero since then, sleeping in their car, parked outside the home of Lina’s sister. At the dawn of 2017, they had no prospects for permanent housing. The children go to local schools; their parents work in local agriculture.

“We tried to find a place for six people, but it was impossible,” says Rita Mancera, Executive Director of Puente. Finding a whole house for rent on the South Coast, at affordable prices, is surpassingly rare. Mancera has personally called everyone she can think of with even a spare room. Puente paid to put the family up in a hotel in Half Moon Bay a couple of nights and a camp in Pescadero another couple of nights, but it was not sustainable and the parents wanted to provide a more permanent place to their children. Their car has been their solution for almost three months now. (Their names have been changed for this story).

The lack of affordable housing stock is one aspect of the urgent need for long-term, high-quality farm worker housing on the South Coast. And the need is particularly desperate for families who are doubled- and tripled-up in dilapidated trailers, or one-bedrooms built for far fewer people.

To many, the living conditions some local families endure would be unimaginable. But they withstand them and will not complain for fear of being evicted, and because there are so few alternatives for better or more spacious housing near their jobs.

The roots of this issue cut across economic, regulatory and political terrain. The widely-acknowledged problem has been quantified for the very first time in a county-sponsored Agricultural Workforce Housing Needs Assessment, which can be read here.

The county released the study this fall based on surveys of farm owners and more than 300 face-to-face interviews with agricultural workers living on the Coastside (interviews which Puente helped facilitate).

Among the highlights:

  • The need for safe, modern housing for farm workers and their families is much larger than you might suspect: the report calls for 1,020 to 1,140 housing units along the Coastside, incorporating the South Coast and the greater Half Moon Bay area.
  • The most pressing need is for family housing, although single male workers are living in barracks that must be modernized or replaced. Most of the workforce lives here with family members, and two-thirds have lived in San Mateo County for 11 years or more. They are deeply entwined in our communities, yet some families are living in outdated housing meant for a temporary, seasonal workforce. Others are living in affordable family housing in Half Moon Bay.
  • Roughly 50 percent of the agricultural workforce is undocumented, and many are part of mixed-status families where parents, siblings and children have a different immigration status.
  • Some agricultural employees feel their employer-provided housing impedes their job prospects. The coupling of work to a worker’s living situation makes him or her less likely to seek newer housing elsewhere, because they won’t want to give up their jobs.
  • Farm owners strongly desire a solution. Some of them are open to building new housing but don’t have the capital or wherewithal to navigate the legal and regulatory process, which can take years. Other farmers lease their land and don’t control the decision on whether to build.

With everyone on the same page about the problems, the discussion turns to solutions. “We’re in the phase of understanding what can be done, now that we’ve outlined the problem,” says Kerry Lobel, Puente’s Strategic Projects Advisor. She says the county seems committed to breaking down financial and regulatory barriers that have impeded new housing on the South Coast for the last 50 years. Supervisor Don Horsley’s office has made solving the Coastside housing crisis a top priority, and his office is coordinating with county Housing, Planning and Environmental Health staff to tackle their share of the solution.

However, Lobel adds that if officials are truly committed to solving the problem, they will probably need to muster the finances to do so. Nonprofit housing developers that have investigated the possibility of building on the South Coast have concluded it’s a losing financial proposition – there just isn’t enough federal or state matching money to make it possible to subsidize a project of that scale.

“The county has to decide if it really wants to invest dollars to solve this problem. If it does, it can,” Lobel says, citing the example of Napa County, which built dormitory complexes for agricultural workers and continues to subsidize their rent, regardless of immigration status.

Both farm owners and farm workers recognize that lack of housing is a significant strain on the agricultural economy. “It’s a burden on both sides economically. Without housing, employers are having difficulty retaining and recruiting good workers,” explains Heather Peters, a county Housing & Community Development Specialist.

Under leadership from Supervisor Horsley’s office, the county has greatly streamlined county regulations that govern construction of farm labor housing, and waived a lot of permit fees. The county has hired an agricultural ‘ombudsman’ to help answer questions about building on the coast, and established regular Coastside office hours for the Planning Department, to save people a long trip to Redwood City.

The county also funded a pilot program for the rehabilitation and replacement of existing trailers, but the program has had few takers on the South Coast. Lack of potable water is often an issue, so the Planning Department is now using GIS to explore potentially feasible locations for new housing on parcels zoned for agricultural housing.

There’s also the question of what to build. A dormitory complex? Cottages? A manufactured home community? The county has hired two experts to review best practices for farm labor housing in other parts of California, and report back.

The simplest-seeming ideas have not panned out. Taking note of the fact that so many homes on the South Coast are vacation homes, and unoccupied for most of the year, Puente has proposed forming a spinoff nonprofit that would rent out the empty homes to local families. The proposal has not yet gained traction with potential funders. Mancera thought to house the Lopez family by placing them in such a home, but she was turned down by the homeowners she approached. The county has set aside money for a trailer rehabilitation and replacement program, but the program has had few takers so far.

A new administration in Washington is likely to create uncertainty around immigration policy, which could strongly affect the stability of the local workforce and, in turn, the future of housing on the South Coast, says Lobel.

The South Coast is defined by, and depends on, the people who work in agriculture. So are local schools. Fundamentally, the housing issue is an economic one. Lobel says we ignore it at our peril.

“Think of the number of people disappearing from our town, all the kids disappearing from our schools, and the restaurant workers, and the farm and nursery workers disappearing from their places of work – this paints a clear and devastating picture of our future if we fail to act now.”

To support Puente’s housing efforts, donate here or contact Kerry Lobel at klobel@mypuente.org.

05 Jan 2017

Welcome to New Puente Staff Members

Madeleine (Maddy) Kane is joining the Puente team as the Community Health Manager. She has previously worked in Redwood City/North Fair Oaks, CA and Sololá, Guatemala supporting community health, education, family engagement and grassroots community empowerment. To her, healthy individuals are created in a healthy community, and she is excited to join a team that supports community in so many ways. She is passionate about the intersections of health, justice, and policy, and supported Puente’s Community Health Survey in 2014 as an intern to create a more accurate representation of the demographics and health statistics for South Coast residents. She has worked for organizations as varied as Partners in Health, Puente de Amistad (Guatemala), and Redwood City 2020, and graduated with a B.A. in Human Biology from Stanford University. She hopes to always be working with, giving back to, and inspired by communities as dynamic, strong, and beautiful as the South Coast.

Adriana Serrano is joining the Puente team as the Economic Security Manager. She has been an active member of the South Coast community for many years. She received her bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Cruz in Latin American Studies. Adriana is passionate about living, working, and raising her family in such a unique community setting, such as our South Coast and believes in creating strong communities. It makes sense that Adriana’s path has brought her to Puente, as she has always helped friends and family navigate critical needs and resources.

Ulises Zatarain is joining the Puente team as the Development Director. He brings over 10 years of experience in Institutional Advancement and Community Development to Puente. Throughout his career Ulises has implemented a variety of economic development, educational, and social service programs for local and statewide institutions, as well as many non profit organizations. Most recently, Ulises was Program Director at the U.S National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. overseeing youth education and public outreach programs; implementing a variety of institutional funding initiatives, and donor engagement campaigns. He was also VP of Community Programs for the Resurrection Project in Chicago where he oversaw education, economic development, and community engagement. He was intricately involved in diversifying, strengthening, and exponentially growing funding support for programs during his tenure. Ulises served as an Adjunct Faculty professor, teaching Literature, History, and Humanities courses, at St. Augustine College in Chicago. He has a Master of Arts from Northeastern Illinois University, and graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University.

03 Jan 2017

The unspoken challenges of first-generation students in college

For most students, the biggest hurdle to obtaining a degree from a 4-year college is admission itself, “will I get in to the school of my choice?” The second challenge for students then becomes, “can I afford college?” All these challenges are hurdles that are relatable. We find ourselves reflecting back to our own experiences with college admissions and affordability. However, for Susana Lopez, a participant in the Puente youth leadership and employment program and a freshman at San Francisco State University, these were gateway concerns to a larger set of challenges.

As a first-generation student, Susana found herself navigating the San Francisco State University system with no family guidance. Her first semester at SF State felt overwhelming. Her family was unable to relate to the challenges of transitioning into college, and they were also unfamiliar with the demands of a university. For Susana, “It has always been a challenge to prove that going to a university is the best for me.”

Susana’s struggle is the unseen struggle many first-generation students face, the absence of empathy and understanding from parents about the difficulties college presents. Students best thrive when they have a support system that understands and identifies with the challenges they face. And while many do have a family support system, many first-generation students carve out their paths alone because they don’t have a model to follow. It’s only until they find peers like themselves or organizations like Puente that they begin to establish networks of support for their college life. The struggle to find someone who can support and guide you can be extremely difficult. Therefore, obtaining a 4-year degree to Susana means, “breaking boundaries in my own family.”

Besides not feeling understood by her family, Susana had the additional challenge of commuting to school on public transportation. Three times a week, Susana wakes up at 5am to catch the first bus out of Pescadero at 6am to arrive on time to her first class, which starts at 8am. That meant riding the bus for two-hours in the morning and one-hour in the evening. As if school itself wasn’t a challenge already, Susana dealt with the daunting task of organizing a well-planned bus route connecting in Redwood City to ensure prompt arrival at school. To add to the already mounting challenges, her financial aid was also removed near the end of the semester because her parents’ income. Susana had to pay back what was granted to her. This was the tipping point for Susana. Not only had her first semester been challenging in its transition, but also she faced hurdles many of her peers did not have, and this was just one more way she felt the system was pushing her out.

Puente’s Education Director, Lizeth Hernandez, recalls receiving an email from Susana stating she was dropping out, that “it was too much.” Hernandez called financial aid and demanded to know the reasons why financial aid was withdrawn and how this could be reversed. That same day Hernandez spoke with Susana and told her not to worry, “that this too was solvable.” The same week, Susana, with Hernandez by her side went to financial aid at SF State to address the matter once and for all. On that day, Susana realized that while the journey to college and the journey of college may not be easy, it was worth fighting for. For Susana a college degree means “not settling and having to rely on somebody to provide for [her].” A life lesson she’s learned at a young age. She will have to pay for it all with her own income and scholarships but she knows this is her dream and she will pursue it.

Today Susana awaits the start of her spring semester knowing that she will continue to face challenges, but that she is strong enough to overcome whatever comes her way. While her commute may stay long, her hope for a better future is stronger than the long-duration of her school route. And although she may no longer count on the school’s financial aid, she will not let her dream for a college-degree slip away.

This new year, make a resolution to support college students on the South Coast achieve their higher education dream. Contact Lizeth Hernandez, Education Director, to know the many different ways you can support college students.

 

“Los obstáculos de los estudiantes de primera generación”

Para mucho estudiantes, el obstáculo mas grande de sobrepasar para una educación universitaria es la admisión a una escuela, “¿seré admitido a la escuela de mi preferencia?” El segundo obstáculo para los estudiantes es “¿podré pagar mis gastos universitarios?” Todos estos obstáculos son situaciones con las cuales nos podemos relacionar. Nos encontramos reflexionando sobre nuestras propias experiencias con la admisión y el costo de la educación universitaria. Sin embargo para Susana López, una estudiante del programa de liderazgo juvenil y empleo de Puente, esto era el principio de obstáculos aún mas grandes.

 

Como estudiante de primera generación a la universidad, Susana se encontró navegando el sistema universitario de la universidad estatal de San Francisco sin guía familiar. Su primer semestre en la universidad fue abrumador, y su familia no estaba familiarizada con la responsabilidad que demanda una universidad. Para Susana, “siempre ha sido un reto demostrar que ir a la universidad es lo mejor para mi.”

 

El reto de Susana es el lucha invisible de muchos estudiantes universitarios quienes son primera generación: la falta de empatía y entendimiento por el lado de los padres sobre las dificultades que presenta la universidad. Los estudiantes sobre salen en el colegio cuando tienen un sistema de apoyo que los entiende y se identifiquen con ellos. Y aunque muchos estudiantes tienen apoyo de sus families, para un gran número de estudiantes quienes son los primeros en ir a la universidad, ellos tienen que crear su propio camino ya que muchas veces no tienen un modelo a seguir. Es hasta que ellos encuentran otro compañeros con experiencias similares que comienzan a establecer una red de apoyo. El reto de encontrar apoyo y guía puede ser muy difícil. Entonces para Susana obtener un titulo universitario es “romper barreras en su propia familia.”

 

Aparte de no encontrar apoyo académico con su familia, Susana también tiene el obstáculo adicional de transportarse a la universidad. Tres veces a la semana Susana se despierta a las 5 de la mañana para agarrar el primer autobús de pescadero a San Francisco para llegar a su clase a las 8:00 am. Viaja dos horas por la mañana y una en la tarde. Como si la universidad no tuviera sus propios obstáculos, Susana tiene que calcular una ruta exacta conectando en Redwood City para atender sus clases. Como si eso no fuera suficiente, el apoyo financiero que se le fue dado, fue removido por la universidad. Esto fue la gota que derramo a Susana. No solamente fue su primer semestre dificultoso en su transición, pero también estuvo lleno de retos que otros estudiantes no tienen. Para ella esta era otra manera en cual el sistema la estaba sacando.

 

La directora de educación, Lizeth Hernandez, recuerda recibir el correo electrónico de Susana anunciando que dejaría la escuela, “era demasiado.” Hernandez, llamó a la oficina de ayuda financiera para demandar porque se le había removido el apoyo y buscar como resolver la situación. Ese mismo día Hernandez habló con Susana y le dijo “esto también tiene una solución.” El lunes siguiente, Susana con la directora de educación fueron a la universidad para aclarar el problema financiero de una vez por todas. Ese día, Susana descubrió que el camino a terminar la universidad no sería fácil, pero que era una batalla que valía la pena. Obtener su diploma significa “no tener que conformarme o depender de otra persona.” Una lección que aprendió a edad temprana.

Hoy Susana espera el comienzo de su segundo semestre sabiendo que tendrá otros retos, pero que ella es lo suficientemente inteligente y fuerte para sobrepasarlos. Y mientras su viaje a la universidad sigue siendo largo, su esperanza para un futuro mejor es aún mas poderosa que su larga trayectoria a terminar la escuela.

Este año, que uno de tus propósitos sea apoyar a estudiantes de colegio. Comunícate con Lizeth Hernandez, Directora de Educación, para saber como puedes apoyar a estudiantes de colegio de la Coast Sur.