Farmworker housing: streamlined, ministerial approval: Counties of Fresno, Madera, and Merced.

Assembly Member Soria's agricultural worker housing legislation expands streamlined approval processes to Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties while increasing the maximum allowable units in eligible developments from 36 to 150 in these jurisdictions. The measure builds upon existing provisions that currently apply only to Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.

Under the bill's provisions, developments must be located within 15 miles of designated farmland or grazing areas and cannot be situated on sites where more than one-third of the square footage is dedicated to industrial use. Local governments retain authority to apply objective standards related to utilities, road access, parking requirements, and health and safety measures. The approval process includes specific timelines - 30 days for developments of 50 or fewer units and 60 days for larger projects.

The legislation maintains existing protections by prohibiting development in environmentally sensitive areas including coastal zones, wetlands, high fire hazard zones, and flood plains. Agricultural employee housing approved through this process must be maintained by certified affordable housing organizations and include 55-year affordability covenants ensuring units remain accessible to lower-income households. Local agencies can levy fees and assessments to cover costs associated with reviewing and processing these developments.

The bill's authors note in their findings that unique housing needs in Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties necessitate these targeted changes to state law. While expanding local government responsibilities, the measure allows jurisdictions to fund implementation through existing fee authority rather than requiring state reimbursement.