(From Press Release) – Today, the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) announced their endorsement of SB 50. UFW is the oldest and largest farm workers’ union in the country, and was founded by organizers Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta and others in 1962. UFW fights for the rights of farm workers, many of whom are forced to live in unstable and inhumane housing conditions including “garages, barrack-style housing, [and] trailers with no air conditioning.” In their letter of support for SB 50, Senator Scott Wiener’s (D- San Francisco) bill to reform zoning and legalize affordable housing and multi-family housing across the state, they cite Senator Wiener’s commitment “to ensur[ing] farm worker housing continues to promote family unity and decency.”
“I am deeply grateful for this important new endorsement from United Farm Workers,” said Senator Scott Wiener. “UFW does vital work to ensure that farm workers can live and work with dignity and fair treatment from employers. SB 50 will allow more affordable housing construction, which we badly need. Building more homes – to end California’s 3.5 million home shortage – will help provide farm workers and other workers with better housing opportunities. I‘m thrilled to have UFW’s support as we work to pass SB 50.”
Esperanza Ross, a Legislative Advocate with UFW, said the following in a letter of support for SB 50: “SB 50 would increase the state’s housing stock, including affordable housing, when the state
faces a housing crisis. And, with [Senator Wiener’s] leadership and commitment it would do so while protecting and promoting basic principles of decency for farm workers and their families.”
Letter from Esperanza Ross – Legislative Advocate – UFW:
Dear Senator Wiener:
Thank you for your commitment to amend SB 50 to ensure farm worker housing continues to promote family unity and decency. As a result of your commitment, the United Farm Workers supports SB 50.
Too many California farm workers suffer from horrible and inadequate housing conditions built on a farm worker housing system created in the beginning of the last century.
Today, farm workers are living in garages, barrack-style housing, trailers with no air conditioning that make summer living brutal. Many of our most vulnerable farm workers also live with their employers controlling every aspect of a farm worker’s life.
SB 50 would increase the state’s housing stock, including affordable housing, when the state faces a housing crisis. And, with your leadership and commitment it would do so while protecting and promoting basic principles of decency for farm workers and their families.
I don’t understand how SB 50 is meant to
The Bill says “A local agency shall not disapprove a housing development project, including farmworker housing” and something similar in a second mention.
“ensure” might mean “can help ensure”, sure, but it’s still somewhat different than “shall not disapprove.”