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Pescadero residents have always had housing problems, from flooding during the rainy season to the lack of running water and high rents that become unaffordable; however, the Latino community in the city has made one thing clear: “It’s not that we want them, we need them.”
At a meeting with the California Coastal Commission on July 16 to gather public input from coastal communities, residents expressed frustration with the lack of transparency regarding housing in the area.
How to have decent housing has become a priority issue in this community where a large number of agricultural workers live.
From Fields to Change, a group created by the South Coast Bridge organization, has been advocating for the construction of farmworker housing in Pescadero, which is why they have had meetings with San Mateo County District 3 Supervisor Ray Mueller, who cited conflicts with the California Coastal Commission that prevented the acquisition of property in Bean Hollow.
In response, residents plan to organize a meeting with several organizations to finally gather all the necessary documentation to promote housing projects in Pescadero, and ultimately have more answers than questions.
Additionally, on July 23, the Puente organization, with the support of the Pescadero community, announced the development of a new wholly owned subsidiary, Puente Housing Solutions LLC, whose mission, they say, is “to promote and preserve affordable, safe and decent housing on the South Coast of San Mateo County.”
The first property they secured is Pescadero Union High School, which was built in 1925 and converted into apartments and dormitory-style housing in the 1980s for farming families and individuals.
Their preservation plans include renovating the communal kitchen and bathrooms, as well as replacing the roof and installing a new water treatment system to ensure adequate supplies of drinking water.
This is just the beginning of the fight to ensure that Pescadero residents have decent housing.
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