After more than two hours of debate, the Santa Maria City Council declined to adopt an urgency ordinance imposing a temporary moratorium on the new and future use of any hotel, motel or efficiency unit to house temporary farm workers.
On Tuesday night, the council took no action regarding a possible ban for housing field workers in hotels, motels and efficiency units, similar to studio apartments.
The foreign workers come to the Santa Maria Valley under the highly regulated federal H-2A temporary ag employee program, helping solve growers’ labor shortages.
The topic landed before the council after two motels were renovated in recent years to house H-2A workers, and amid reports that someone planned to convert the Vandenberg Senior Residence into housing for H-2A workers.
Initial concerns that senior citizens might be displaced without the city having any say held prompt the push for the urgency proposal. However, officials said Tuesday night they could not confirm any purchase was planned and said research showed some city review would be needed if the use changed.
Questioning why the matter came up Tuesday night, Councilwoman Gloria Soto said that if H-2A workers were not housed in renovated motels, they likely would end up in residential neighborhoods.
“That’s yet to be decided,” Councilwoman Etta Waterfield said, referring to the council’s plan to consider H-2A housing rules for residential neighborhood during an April 16 meeting.
“So we’re jumping the gun,” Soto said. “Why are we talking about this?”
Mayor Alice Patino asked if the hotel, motel and efficiency unit aspect of the H-2A debate could be included in the talks about residential rules later this month.
While staff would bring initial ideas, Interim City Attorney Phil Sinco said the council should not expect a final recommendation due to the tight time frame.
“When we start talking about it, it does all come together as really one issue,” Patino said.
But Soto and Councilman Michael Moats supported handling residential and commercial aspects separately for now.
“I think we’re going to have plenty on our plate in two weeks dealing with residential,” Moats said.
“Maybe at that time we can give better direction on what we want,” Patino said, adding that she didn’t want to restrict their discussion regarding H-2A housing matters for the April 16 meeting.
Work on the rules for H-2A employee housing in residential neighborhoods has spanned more than a year and included multiple town hall meetings leading to a proposal headed to the council.
“At the end of the day farm workers, H-2A farm workers, are a part of our community, and they contribute to the economy,” Soto said.
But Waterfield said the city previously allowed long-term low-income residents at motels on North Broadway to keep them from becoming homeless.
“When did we become the city that has to take care of a business that is run in the county?” Waterfield asked, adding that she favored the urgency ordinance.
“My responsibility is to protect the city of Santa Maria and the residents and their investments,” she said, noting that the farmers could build housing in Santa Barbara County jurisdiction.
A planned farm labor camp approved several years ago apparently has been scrapped, council members were told last month.
A few weeks ago, some council members were irked to learn a city policy allowed the use of old motels for H-2A housing without city permission. Hancock Park residents showed up to complain H-2A workers would be housed in renovated rooms at 210 S. Nicholson Ave.
“I’m looking for some evidence to show that we shouldn’t have this project in our city,” Councilman Mike Cordero. “Calls for service have gone down for the Police Department. Essentially there are no complaints that we can attach specifically to H-2A.”
Before the council reached its consensus to abandon the moratorium, the topic drew approximately two dozen speakers, many representing the ag industry and motel operators who questioned the urgency.
Speakers warned about the urgency ordinance violating fair housing laws, and said the city failed to prove an immediate threat to the health, safety and welfare of residents.
Strawberry grower Kevin Gee said the H-2A program helps supply his workforce.
“Please don’t do a blanket moratorium on hotels and motels,” Gee said. “We depend on them.”
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.