The purpose of the Joe Serna Jr., Farmworker Housing Grant Program (FWHG) is to finance the new construction, rehabilitation, and acquisition of owner-occupied and rental units for agricultural workers, with a priority for lower income households.

Eligible activities include activities incurring costs in the development of homeowner or rental housing for agricultural workers, including land acquisition, site development, construction, rehabilitation, design services, operating and replacement reserves, repayment of predevelopment loans, provision of access for the elderly or disabled, relocation, homeowner counseling, and other reasonable and necessary costs.

Projects may serve:
(Multifamily/Rental): Eligible beneficiaries of the funds are households who derive, or prior to retirement or disability derived, 50% or more of the combined household income from agricultural employment.
(Single Family/Homeowner): Eligible beneficiaries of the funds are households with at least one person who derives, or prior to retirement or disability derived, a substantial portion of his or her income from agricultural employment.

Cooperative housing corporations & limited partnerships where all the general partners are nonprofit mutual or public benefit corporations

To be eligible to receive funding, the Applicant shall demonstrate to the Department’s satisfaction that:
-For rental housing developments, an Applicant must have developed and owned at least one rental housing project of similar type and size as the proposed project within the last five years and have staff with demonstrated experience in managing at least one project occupied primarily by agricultural workers and their families.
-For single-family new construction or owner-occupied rehabilitation projects, an Applicant must have successfully sponsored and supervised a similar program for a period of at least two years within the last ten years.