"I think that in later years farmers used to provide that type of housing ... and maybe it wasn't the best but at least it was something, it was a roof... "

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Migrant farmworker housing (continued)

Agricultural employers recognize that the lack of housing is a serious problem, but they face several disincentives to providing housing for migrant farmworkers. The need of the farmworker population to find temporary housing has traditionally been met by growers through the establishment of labor camps. But construction and maintenance of housing is expensive, especially if the housing will only be occupied during a short harvest season. Some employer-provided housing does exist, but ironically, attempts to enforce housing standards have created a trend toward agricultural employers' discontinuing the provision of housing. As a result, workers may share a small, grower-provided room with several other people. In the absence of housing, farmworkers may be forced to sleep in tents, cars, ditches, or open fields.

Private housing is not subject to federal regulation. The private housing that is available to migrant workers tends to be substandard and many times expensive. Although some hired farmworkers live in well-kept housing, much of the housing available for them is deficient, crowded, and unsanitary. In addition, they often lack safe drinking water, bathing or laundry facilities, and even adequate sanitation.

The migrant labor force is important to the agricultural sector, which in turn is an important part of the overall local economy. It is clear that steps should be taken to help migrant farmworkers find solutions to their housing needs. There has been some progress with regard to farmworker housing.

For instance, the state of Florida is among the more active states in providing assistance for the development of farmworker housing. Among its programs is the State Apartment Incentive Loan Program, which provides mortgages for the construction or substantial rehabilitation of rental housing which is affordable to very low-income tenants.

The state of California operates state housing centers for migrant farmworkers and their families, and provides effective model programs for farmworker housing enforcement and development.

Finally, in Texas, Proyecto Azteca is a non-profit organization affiliated with United Farm Workers. The project has started a program to improve farmworkers' living conditions in the unincorporated villages, or colonias, in the Rio Grande Valley.

"Porque yo duraba hasta en veces hasta semana entera en el parque porque no encuentro casa..."

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"De viviendas se batalla mucho, una vez anduvimos por 8 días durmiendo en en el mueble, en la troca. Entonces este, los primeros años tuvimos que comprar un trailita chiquita donde pues nada más se podía cocinar..."

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