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Ask someone about Ventura County and they might mention the beach, the X-Games, or the Dallas Cowboys. But ask a local and it won't be long before someone mentions a citrus tree or a field of strawberries. Agriculture has long been a part of Ventura County's cultural identity, with over 41,000 men and women at local farms and ranches to support an agricultural industry worth $2,000,000,000 annually. For each of the fields, rowed with trees bearing fruits, are dozens of farmworkers who hope to cultivate a life of their own in the communities they help to sustain.

In February, Cal Lutheran's Center for Economic Research and Forecasting found that Ventura County was the least affordable area in the nation, with rent on-average being $2,700 per month. The average wage of a farmworker in Ventura County is $16.77 per hour – or $34,882 per year. As affordable housing continues to be a necessity in Ventura County, we risk pricing out neighbors who have helped us to build our community and identity.

photo courtesy of: ArchLenz Photography

Among our County's fields and farmlands, a new community just outside of Camarillo is sprouting and preparing to bloom. What was previously a stretch of unincorporated land outside of the city limits is becoming a community of 360 new apartment homes ready to serve our county's community of farmworkers. The Somis Ranch Apartments, which began construction in 2022, are now welcoming residents.

The Somis Ranch Apartments are being developed by AMCAL Multi-Housing, Inc. with assistance in the form of a $2,500,000 predevelopment loan from Housing Trust Fund Ventura County (Housing Trust Fund VC). The apartments will provide farmworkers and their families with safe and affordable apartment homes along with a new community the neighbors will foster together. 

"Agriculture is an essential part of Ventura County's history and identity, and it's vital that our farmworkers have access to affordable housing to remain a part of the community they help sustain," says Housing Trust Fund VC CEO, Linda Braunschweiger. "By investing in housing for farmworkers, we are investing in the future of Ventura's agricultural heritage and ensuring its continued vitality."

The development is the culmination of more than 5 years of planning and development which was not subject to voter approval due to its status as farmworker housing. It was erected faster than it otherwise would thanks to the county-wide Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources (SOAR) initiative which prioritized safe and affordable housing for farmworkers who are at risk of being pushed out of the community due to Ventura County's high cost of living.

This development is the second phase of the Somis Ranch Farmworkers Housing Community and will provide high-quality housing with modern amenities and on-site services to farmworker households with incomes at 30, 50, and 60 percent of AMI (Area Median Income). Rent prices are ranging from $653 for a one-bedroom apartment up to only $1,909 for a three-bedroom.

The space was thoughtfully designed to build community through spaces like a resident garden and computer room. Tenants will have the opportunity to coordinate with an on-site Social Service provider to determine programs that best serve the community as a whole. With a mind toward sustainability, the development includes energy-efficient construction, solar PV generation, sustainable irrigation, and a non-smoking policy. These amenities and facilities will help to strengthen an already resilient farmworking community by providing resources that will help families as they lay the foundation to continue to succeed and grow.

photo courtesy of: Somis Ranch Apartments

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