On May 14, the Half Moon Bay Planning Commission unanimously approved an innovative 40-unit affordable housing project for senior farmworkers in Half Moon Bay’s downtown business district, at 555 Kelly Avenue. Green Foothills has advocated in support of this project, which is an important step in addressing the dire need for farmworker housing in a location that’s within walking distance of stores and services.

Farms on the San Mateo County coastside provide fresh food for the whole Bay Area, but many farmworkers lack access to safe and affordable housing. This is an injustice which must be corrected. The lack of affordable housing options leaves many workers unable to supply their basic needs in this very expensive region.

For many years, farmworkers have not felt free to complain about overcrowded, dilapidated and unsafe living conditions, as they feared that if they spoke up they would lose their jobs as well as their homes. The tragic January 2023 shooting of seven farmworkers in Half Moon Bay shone a light on these horrific conditions. It was heartening that at the three Planning Commission meetings where the Kelly Avenue project was discussed, dozens of farmworkers were able to attend and describe their decades of struggles and perseverance. The Planning Commission’s hearings, which included a translator, provided a sympathetic venue for this important testimony.

Reactions to this process have included strong criticism, including from Governor Newsom, over the fact that the Planning Commission held three hearings over the course of three weeks before approving the project. What has been lost in the debate is the fact that at each of the first two hearings, public comment – both from farmworkers and from those expressing concerns about the project – was so extensive that the Commission did not have enough time for deliberation, even though both meetings were not adjourned until midnight.

We believe that the Governor and other critics should be praising the Planning Commissioners for doing their job in giving the diverse — and often conflicting — voices of the public a chance to be heard, while also reaching a decision expeditiously. In this case, it has been especially important for the city to hear from the historically marginalized essential workers who continue to toil in the region’s fields and farmlands to ensure that the bounty of the coast continues to provide locally grown, fresh food for all.

Some coastside residents at the meetings expressed concerns over the 5-story building’s 59-foot height, which exceeds the downtown area’s maximum building height limit, and provision of only 18 on-site parking spaces, which is far short of the usually required minimum of 63 spaces. Since many of the future residents are expected to still be working, they will need to drive to work, as the coastside does not have a robust public transit system. With so few on-site parking spaces, commenters were concerned that vehicles of residents and service providers will inevitably take up dozens of needed spaces at the adjacent Ted Adcock Community Center and other nearby community facilities.

While we are sympathetic to these concerns, we remain supportive of this project due to the critical need for farmworker housing and the fact that this site, in the heart of Half Moon Bay’s downtown, is the best possible location for this project. Residents will have access to support services and will be part of a vibrant community, rather than being isolated in on-site farmworker housing. In addition, as City staff and housing advocates reminded Commissioners, due to the project’s provision of 100% affordable units, the State Density Bonus Law allows waivers of up to three stories from adopted height limits and major deviations from minimum parking standards.

We will continue to support the project, given the dire need for housing for farmworkers, and the innovative on-site mental health and cultural arts services that will be provided by the non-profit ALAS (Ayudandos Latinos a Sonar) to residents and the broader community as an integral part of the project.