Farmworkers get new housing

The Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation gave keys to 24 families this week as they moved into the corporation's newest development, Vista Hermosa Farmworker Apartments in Santa Paula.

The development features 24 townhome-style units with two to four bedrooms. Two of the apartments are onestory, disabledaccess units. The 1.39acre development, which broke ground Jan. 28, 2006, is the first farmworker housing development to be completed in Santa Paula.

The Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance partnered with the corporation and the design firms of Fountainhead and Bob Blossom Architects to provide technical assistance during the design phase to achieve the goal of "residential green building" for the development. The homes are "Energy Star" certified and feature Energy Star appliances throughout. The development also has tankless water heaters and hydronic heating, and through the use of low volatile organic compound materials, the apartments will have good air quality.

Organizations that funded the development include USDA Rural Development, Joe Serna Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant program, county of Ventura and Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program.

Vista Hermosa is the third farmworker development built by the Cabrillo corporation in recent years, the first two being the Meta Street Apartments and Villa Cesar Chavez Apartments in Oxnard.

The Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation is a private nonprofit community development corporation that, through a community building approach, provides housing services in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.