The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announced that the counties of Sacramento and San Luis Obispo are participating in Housing for the Harvest. This program was announced by California Governor Gavin Newsom in July to provide temporary hotel housing options for farm and food-processing employees to self-isolate if they are COVID-19 positive and do not require hospitalization.
Counties now participating in Housing for the Harvest are: Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Madera, Kings, Riverside, Tulare, Santa Barbara, Fresno and San Joaquin.
The state is securing hotel rooms in participating counties, with local governments identifying administrators to manage the program and local community organizations to provide additional services, like meals, wellness checks and in-language assistance. Local administrators will serve as a point of contact for eligible workers.
“We are very pleased to welcome Sacramento and San Luis Obispo counties to this program,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “Housing for the Harvest is an example of how the state and local partners are collaborating creatively to meet the challenges of the pandemic and protect our agricultural workers, their families and public health.”
Sacramento County has partnered with La Familia Counseling Center to administer Housing for the Harvest. In addition to hotel quarantine support, transportation, meals and wellness checks will be provided. Sacramento has allocated resources for financial assistance and additional support for family at home.
“This is a great program because it addresses both the health and economic needs of our essential workers,” said Sacramento County Director of Health Services Peter Beilenson.
“Due to their unique housing situations, farm and food-processing workers often have a more difficult time self-isolating — a key tool for slowing the spread of this disease,” said San Luis Obispo County Health Officer Penny Borenstein.
Farmworkers and food-processing workers in Sacramento County who are in need of these services can call 916-452-3601. Those in San Luis Obispo County can call 805-781-1061 or email EOC-Lodging@co.slo.us.
Source: CDFA