A mass shooting in January 2023 revealed squalid living conditions for workers at the mushroom farms.
Greenhouses at a farm where a mass shooting occurred on Jan. 24, 2023, in Half Moon Bay, Calif. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
June 27, 2024, 2:11 PM CDT / Source: NBC Bay Area
By Ginger Conejero Saab, NBC Bay Area
The path now appears clear for new affordable housing for farmworkers in Half Moon Bay, more than a year after the community was rocked by a deadly mass shooting at two mushroom farms.
The City Council on Wednesday night in a unanimous vote approved a 40-unit project consisting of studio and two-bedroom apartments.
The plan for an affordable housing project specifically for farmworkers was introduced not long after the January 2023 mass shooting, which revealed squalid living conditions for workers at the mushroom farms.
The plan initially was approved in May. But within 10 days, Half Moon Bay’s planning commission received three appeals, and on Wednesday night, the City Council heard public comments from opposing viewpoints before they made their decision.
It’s a major victory for supporters of the farmworker community, their allies and the farmworkers themselves, who will soon have access to affordable homes at 555 Kelly Ave.
The project also includes a new farmworker resource center from ALAS, or Ayudando Latinos a Sonar, a nonprofit organization that provides social care support for the Latino community.
ALAS was front and center in providing support following the tragic killing of seven farmworkers in Half Moon Bay.
Mercy Housing also a partner in the downtown project.
But not everyone is behind it. Those not in favor of the plan cite traffic bottlenecks and parking as reasons for their opposition. Some say Half Moon Bay could lose its small-town charm.
One anonymous public comment stated, “I don’t see real enforcement, I don’t see measure that will follow through. Something more appropriate please, not this project — it’s too big.”
Vice Mayor Harvey Rarback said: “I think there’s no better way to show our city’s commitment to care for our agricultural heritage. … We have had little progressive actions to help our farmworkers … they are the backbone of this community.”
The next steps include applications for funding and the completion of more city approvals. Construction is slated to start next year, with completion in early 2027.
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