TO: Napa County Housing Commission
FROM: Jennifer Palmer, Executive Director of Housing Authority
REPORT BY: Alex Carrasco, Project Manager
SUBJECT: Discussion on annual closure of the three Farmworker Centers
RECOMMENDATION
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Discussion on annual closures of the three Farmworker Centers. No action required.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Farmworker Centers (Centers) are subject to provisions of local ordinance (Section 18.104.305), which allow occupancy for no more than three hundred thirty days in a calendar year. The Napa County Housing Authority’s agreement with California Human Development Corporation (CHDC) includes staffing all three Centers for three hundred and thirty days. As of November 12th, and with impending closures of two Centers (Mondavi & Calistoga) later this month, occupancy across the three Centers was 67% or 121 lodgers. The River Ranch Center will remain open in December at full occupancy. There are currently 25 lodgers on the waitlist for the River Ranch Center. Discussion of the annual closures is essential ahead of planning for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Public Comment
3. Discussion. No action required.
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
The Napa County Housing Authority (Authority) has an agreement with California Human Development Corporation (CHDC) to manage the day-to-day activities of the Centers. Two of the three Centers (Mondavi and Calistoga) opened on January 1, 2024, and are scheduled to close on November 16th and 23rd respectively. River Ranch opened in February and is scheduled to close on December 28th. Historically, two Centers have closed in December given the decreased demand for labor in the winter months. However, in 2023 and 2024, occupancy rates for the month of November have remained high (61% and 67%) vs. prior years (2021 and 2022 - 46%), which suggests increased housing demand year round.