BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Farm laborers could qualify for a brand-new affordable housing unit through the Housing Authority of the County of Kern. Officials say they've been trying to fill the last 40 units at The Rosaleda Village since December.
“We have actually gone out to the fields and given info to employees who are working with laborers,” said assistant executive director of , Heather Kimmel.
Rosaleda Village is located in Wasco and is the new development created for farm labor employees.
The complex opened in December and is the replacement housing for the old complex that would have been along the path of the high-speed rail.
“The city of Wasco partnered with the housing authority to relocate these existing tenants to a much more desirable part of the city,” Kimmel added.
Officials say they are going out every Friday for the next month where they will feed farm workers and pass out applications to try to get the word out.
According to the housing authority you must be a farm laborer and fall below a certain income to qualify. Applicants do not have to live or work in Wasco to qualify as well.
“Income limits haven't raised significantly in the past few years, but we know that minimum wage has,” said Kimmel. “So right now, there is a disparity between what the limits are and what people are actually bringing home and what their wages are which are disqualifying them.”
The old unit wasn’t completely full when they started relocating people and that is why they have availability now. Kimmel says that hopefully the new low-income limits released last week by Housing Urban Development (HUD) will help.
“HUD recently released their income limits for 2018 and they have increased,” Kimmel explained. “This funder typically follows HUDS lead and we are anticipating in the next couple of days, they will release their new income limits and we will have some flexibility in who we can move in.”
If you would like to apply you can call Rosaleda Village at 661-493-2367 and follow this link.
