Santa Barbara County joins program to house agricultural workers exposed to COVID-19

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The California Department of Food and Agriculture Santa Barbara County has joined a program called Housing for the Harvest, previously announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The program provides temporary hotel housing options for farm and food processing employees to self-isolate if they test positive for COVID-19, but do not require hospitalization, or if they have been exposed and are unable to self-isolate at home.

Santa Barbara County, along with many other California counties are partnering with organizations to provide other services for the Housing for the Harvest program like meals, wellness checks and in-language assistance.

“Santa Barbara County has long benefited from the contributions of the agricultural community. Agriculture is one of the County’s cornerstones and in these unprecedented times, Housing for the Harvest provides critical support towards the mitigation of COVID-19’s spread among farmworkers, food processors, and their families. Family Service Agency is a wonderful collaborative partner engaging with us to ensure the agricultural community’s essential workers stay safe during the pandemic,” said Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, Director of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.

Farmworkers or food processing workers in Santa Barbara County who are in need of these services are urged to call Family Service Agency at 805-325-5341. Any personal information gathered through this process will be kept confidential. 

For more information on Housing for the Harvest, click here.