SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Mateo County has created a new task force to crack down on subpar farmworker housing, a response to a mass shooting at two Half Moon Bay mushroom farms that cast a national spotlight on workers living in leaky shacks and shipping containers without usable kitchens or bathrooms.
The county announced the new task force Monday, and said it would be dedicated to finding farms that operate workforce housing without the proper permits. Officials have admitted they don’t know how many such operations may exist, though a 2017 census counted 241 total farms in the county.
“We understand many farmers and ranchers in the county are doing things the right way, providing legally permitted farmworker housing,” County Supervisor Ray Mueller said in a news release. “But the goal must be 100% compliance, to find those living in the shadows, who need help. This work will ensure that every farmworker is living in a safe, healthy, and legally permitted home.”
