Wednesday, Jan 19 2011 2:09PM
Migrant workers in Washington are a major part of the state's $5.3 billion agricultural industry.
A new housing complex for migrant workers in Washington State is almost ready for residents, reported the Tri-City Herald, which said builders predict the apartments will be ready to welcome tenants by March 1.
The bunkhouse-style project on Ringold Road will give sorely needed housing assistance to Franklin County, which the newspaper said attracts about 5,000 migrant workers during harvest season.
While farmers are technically responsible for housing their employees, the $3.25 million complex will provide 96 beds for those who cannot afford to build worker housing, or who don't need the space long enough to make the cost feasible. For example, David Manterola, a member of the Washington Farm Labor Association, told the paper that cherry harvest season requires a large number of workers, but only for about a month.
Farmers will be able to rent beds for workers at the complex, which will also keep 10 percent of beds open for individual migrant workers who periodically need them, Lorraine Stephens, general manager of the Washington Farm Labor Association, said in an interview with the newspaper.
According to the state Department of Commerce, 170,000 workers are needed annually to sustain the state's $5.3 billion agricultural industry. Increased availability of affordable housing assistance is necessary for migrant workers and their families, who often resort to camping illegally or living in overcrowded spaces.