New homes in Half Moon Bay available for farmworkers affected by 2023 mass shooting
Half Moon Bay farmworker housing
The delivery of houses to an empty lot in Half Moon Bay on Tuesday marked a milestone for the city, as it tries to help farmworkers who survived the deadly 2023 mass shooting.
HALF MOON BAY, Calif. - The delivery of houses to an empty lot in Half Moon Bay on Tuesday marked a milestone for the city, as it tries to help farmworkers who survived the deadly 2023 mass shooting.
The tragedy shined a spotlight on workplace violence, farmworkers' mental health, and the cramped living conditions some of the farmworkers face on the region's farms.
The shooting displaced about 15 to 17 farmworker families who had been living in temporary housing in the area.
Now, 47 homes are arriving from a factory near Sacramento and being placed into lots that the county helped fund on city property at 880 Stone Pine Road in Half Moon Bay. One will be filled by a property manager. The remaining 46 homes, which range from one to three bedroom units, will be open to 46 farmworker families who apply through the city and county.
San Mateo County plans to accept applications for the houses through Friday, April 18.
Priority will be given to the survivors of the mass shooting. The rest will be assigned by a lottery drawing on May 2.
Vigil held following 2nd anniversary of Half Moon Bay mass shooting
The City of Half Moon Bay came together for a second night on Friday to remember seven farmworkers who were shot and killed by a coworker two years ago. The vigil was organized by immigrant and farmworker advocacy group ALAS.
A road to rebuilding
What they're saying:
"It's amazing. It's surreal. I can't believe it. We've worked so hard with the city and county and a lot of our partners to make this possible," said Julissa Acosta, Half Moon Bay Community Services analyst, who took her first steps inside one of the homes Tuesday afternoon.
"So far we've received over 200 applications from farmworkers, from Pescadero to Montero," Acosta said, noting more than 2,000 farmworkers are estimated to live in San Mateo County.
"They can really rebuild their lives. There are children involved, there are elders involved," said Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, founder and Executive Director of the group ALAS, which provides services to farmworkers. "It's a dream to make sure they're safe, so the children can be safe and rebuild the community."
Joaquin Jimenez-Ureña, the former Half Moon Bay Mayor who helped the community after the shooting, says it is a joy to see the homes coming in.
"It's not just about the four walls and the roof. It's more than that. It's the security, you know, the rest that people are going to have after the struggle to find housing," Jimenez-Ureña said.
"We care about our farmworkers. They're a beautiful part of our coastside community," San Mateo supervisor Ray Mueller said.
Mueller worked to get county funding to complete the project, and says he hopes this is an example for other places in California.
"One of the things that's also really exciting about this project is we really pushed for farmworkers to be able to buy those homes and build the equity in those homes," Mueller said. "What we have done here can be done anywhere in the state."
The city hopes to have all the houses in place and connected to water and other utilities by June or July so that residents can move in.
The homes will be eligible for no-interest loans, and payment will be based on each farmworker's family income.