Measure H invites Santa Cruz County voters to help solve the local housing crisis by providing woking families and vulnerable populations in the area with affordable housing. The $140 million bond issue would fund affordable housing for low and moderate income households, by providing grants to first-time home buyers or promoting the building of housing that is close to where people work.

If approved, an independent oversight committee made up of citizen representatives would help decide how the money will be allocated. One of the groups that could benefit includes local, seasonally-employed farmworkers.

(Dr. Ann Lopez) "We have slavery in our own backyards."

Dr. Anne Lopez, executive director of the non-profit Center for Farmworker Families, and local community activist insists that voting yes on the proposal will give one of the most vulnerable populations in the county access to the basic needs they deserve.

"Yes on H!"

To better understand the issues that farmworkers face, I attended the Center for Farmworker Families, "Farmworker Reality Tour," where I spoke with Ann as we walked through a budding strawberry field at Crystal Bay Agroecological Farm in Watsonville.

"We want new, affordable, farmworker housing. It's the least we can do for them since they support an industry on the Central Coast that's approximately $6 billion. It's the least we can do for them."

After leaving the farm, we went over to Buena Vista Migrant Camp where farmworkers shared stories about how lack of affordable, year-round housing impacts their families. Aida Gaillardo, a single mother who works 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, shares her concerns about how long work hours and lack of housing impacts her family.

"Hola