TO: Napa County Housing Commission
FROM: Jennifer Palmer, Director of Housing & Homeless Services
REPORT BY: Alex Carrasco, Staff Service Analyst
SUBJECT: Farmworker Housing and Community Needs Assessment
RECOMMENDATION
title
Director of Housing & Homeless Services requests to update the Commission on the Farmworker Housing and Community Needs Assessment.
body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On January 3, 2023, the Department of Housing & Homeless Services released a request for proposal (RFP) for a Farmworker Housing and Community Needs Assessment. Unfortunately, no proposals were received by due date. However, staff are continuing to search for proposals. Today's discussion provides the Commission with an update on these efforts and an opportunity to answer questions related to the process.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
On August 9, 2022, the Napa County Board of Supervisors established an ad-hoc committee to evaluate the former Carneros Elementary School site as a potential location for a fourth Farmworker Center run by the Napa County Housing Authority. This committee and exploration followed public comments from industry group representatives including the Vintners, Farm Bureau, Grapegrowers, and Farmworker - Cinco de Mayo Committee, asking the County to evaluate the site. Inquiries with the Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) revealed the existing buildings would require such extensive retrofitting as to make them cost-prohibitive to use, given their proximity to known fault lines.
To continue evaluation of the site for possible acquisition, the County must conduct a Phase 1 Environmental assessment and obtain an appraisal of the property for use as a Farmworker Center. The County requested an exclusive negotiating agreement with NVUSD, which would allow fo...
Click here for full text