THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RURAL HOUSING SERVICE (USDA-RHA) FARMWORKER HOUSING PROGRAM

About the Program

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz owns and manages 70 two and three bedroom units of U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Housing Service (USDA-RHS) in Santa Cruz County at two different sites in and near Watsonville. This program is designed to provide affordable housing to households where at least one household member earns a substantial portion of their income as farm laborers and is either a United States citizen or legal resident.

USDA-RHS tenants pay their rent directly to the Housing Authority at rental rates approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Housing Service.

USDA-RHS units in Santa Cruz County have historically had little tenant turnover and are usually fully occupied. Once on the USDA-RHS Program, households are entitled to stay for as long as they remain program eligible. After initial occupancy, program eligibility is re-determined annually. The family does not take the subsidy with it when it moves and the subsidy is a “flat rent,” that is, it not geared to the family’s income and will not change with a change in income.

How to Apply

To apply for the USDA-RHS Farmworker Housing Program, Click here.

For other Waiting List forms or to notify us of changes to your address, Click here.

Information for Current Participants

For information on Tenant Screening and Leasing a Unit, Click here

If you are a Housing Authority tenant and have questions or need to submit a maintenance request, Click here.

For program forms, Click here.

For information and forms for people with special needs, Click here.

For answers to common questions, please see our Questions and Answers page here.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at mailto:[email protected].”

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Esta institución emplea y funciona en base a igualdad de oportunidad.

Si desea registrar una queja de discriminación con el programa de Derechos Civiles, complete el formulario de Queja de Discriminación del Programa USDA, que hallará en Internet en http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, o en cualquier oficina de USDA , o llame al (866) 632-9992 para solicitar el formulario. Puede también escribir una carta que contenga toda la información requerida en el formulario. Envíenos su formulario de queja completado o su carta por correo al U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, por fax al (202) 690-7442 o por email a [email protected].”

Si desea una traducción en español, por favor llame al (831)454-9455.