This article focuses on the impacts of poor housing and presents a worker-informed proposal to address the housing needs of migrant workers in Western NC, emphasizing privacy, safety, and comfort through innovative design that incorporates direct input from farmworkers, setting a new standard for farmworker housing.
North Carolina’s agricultural and agribusiness sectors generate over $111 billion in revenue making agriculture a top industry. Yet the people working in the agriculture sector – planting, harvesting, and processing food – often face dire working and living conditions. Agricultural labor is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. Workers suffer from unsafe housing, high rates of accidents, exposure to pesticides, physical isolation, and lack of access to health care. Migrant farmworkers work long hours in extreme weather conditions and face additional hardships such as food insecurity and poor housing. Most farmworkers earn less than $20,000 annually, putting many families below the federal poverty line.
The state of farmworker housing in North Carolina has remained largely unchanged over the years, posing significant threats to the health and well-being of migrant farmworkers. This project aims to improve the living conditions for migrant workers in North Carolina by designing and advocating for humane, sustainable housing.
Migrant farmworkers are defined as workers who have traveled from their permanent residence to work in agriculture. These workers live for months at a time away from their families in temporary housing often in farmworker labor camps, isolated from local communities and not visible from roads.
“Visiting labor camps over the last decade that continue to have screen doors for shared bathrooms, exposed toilets, overcrowded bedrooms, and no AC or ventilation is disheartening and infuriating.”
A New Housing Standard for Migrant Workers
Learn more about the efforts to establish a new housing standards that prioritizes the well being of migrant workers.
Research studies have determined that migrant workers have increased risks of injury, disease, and mental illness due to the poor state of housing they live in. In collaboration with architects and other advocacy groups, SAF focused on creating a housing model based on the specific needs and preferences of the workers.
This project seeks to establish new housing standards that prioritize the well-being of migrant workers, ultimately benefiting both the workers and the agricultural industry as a whole.
This initiative is led by Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF) in collaboration with architects, migrant workers, and other advocacy groups.
Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF)
is a 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights and well-being of farmworkers and their families.
Farmworker Advocacy Network (FAN)
is a North Carolina statewide coalition that has worked with SAF in pushing for improvements in farmworker housing and advocating for better policies and practices in the agricultural sector.
Farmworkers
Farmworkers are vital stakeholders to this project, as their experiences and input directly shaped the housing design and they are in the best position to advocate for their own needs and rights.
Katherine Hogan Architects (KHA)
is an architectural firm that collaborated in the conduction of participatory workshops with migrant workers to assess their needs and preferences.
Dogwood Health Trust (DHT)
is a private foundation from Western North Carolina that provided funding for this project and supports efforts to improve the health and well-being of communities in North Carolina.
Farms and Farmers
Farmworker and Farmers are needed stakeholders for the success of this project as their willingness is necessary to invest in and implement the new housing designs.
The Process and Visions for Better Housing
SAF's second attempt to build model housing: Partnering with Katherine Hogan Architect (KHA), SAF received a grant to develop a new farmworker housing prototype. The feasibility study included farm visits, reviewing existing housing examples, discussion site options, exploring floor plans, reviewing project schedules, analyzing budgets with contractors, and most importantly gathering feedback from farmworkers.
Farmworkers Input
SAF and KHA worked with the farm to understand their vision, values, and housing needs. SAF and KHA conducted a series of participatory workshops with workers from Gaia Herbs without the presence of staff or management personnel to encourage open sharing of insights.
The workshops included a farm visit, looking at examples of existing housing, establishing values for the project, discussing various site options, multiple floor plan options, and project schedule, and reviewing schemes based on feedback from the farmworkers and based on budget feedback provided by the general contractor.
The Need for Privacy
Workers shared suggestions that mainly centered on their need for more privacy. Workers at this farm spend the entire day together. They also have different practices at night after work; some workers like to stay up late and listen to music, others want to call their families, and others like to go to bed early.
Therefore, a private bedroom was the most desired attribute of the new housing we heard from workers. Privacy was also the main factor in providing workers with a safe living space.
Workers provided key suggestions such as:
- Bathroom beside the bedroom
- Small single bedroom for personal space versus a larger shared room with one or two roommates
- Space for personal items in each bedroom that could be locked
- Kitchen and living room together with TV
- Table and chairs in common area
- No carpet in the living room, prefer vinyl floor for durability
- Shower separate from toilet and sink and have additional sink
- Air conditioning
- No keys
- Wi-Fi
- Place to put shoes/wash up before entering house
- Porch & open area for soccer
The housing designs were adapted to accommodate the workers' preferences. The final design uses interlocking housing units that each include 6 individual rooms, a bathroom per 3 bedrooms or per 3 workers, a common area for living, cooking, and eating, and an outdoor porch that serves as a division between units. The materials to be used were durable products that could last through the Western NC winters and that could accommodate 30 workers who lived in the facility seasonally.
Ultimately, the farm did not build the housing, noting that the cost was more than they had budgeted. Unfortunately, like many other employers, they chose a quicker, less durable, and more affordable option that did not respond to farmworkers' needs.
Despite this, SAF moved forward with adapting this design into one that was more appropriate for the typical size of farms in Western NC (3-6 workers).
Model Housing for Migrant Workers in NC
The current design adaptation is suited for 6 farmworkers, with the opportunity for expansion or more units if required by the farm.
*this is in comparison to the current migrant housing standards in NC.
1 toilet
per 3 workers vs 15*
1 shower
per 3 workers vs 10*
1 sink
per 1.5 workers vs 6*
The current design adaptation is suited for 6 farmworkers, with the opportunity for expansion or more units if required by the farm. Each worker has a private bedroom with lockable storage, air conditioning, and an operable window. Each unit has two bathrooms, shared between 3 workers. The bathroom includes a shower, toilet, and sink. Bedrooms and living spaces are separated in the plan to ensure that sleeping areas are quiet. Communal spaces include a kitchen, living and dining areas, laundry room, and covered porch, which separates the living and sleeping spaces. The kitchen, living, and dining areas are all open to each other, with direct access to the porch and laundry. The primary entry is under a covered porch area with access to the laundry room. This allows the farmworkers to keep the house's interior clean, with a place to put muddy boots, clothing contaminated with pesticides, and other dirty laundry before entering the house.
The design is executed as a modular system, with self-contained bedroom, bathroom, and laundry modules to be built offsite and transported. This means cost effectiveness when the design is repeated, and flexibility should more bedrooms be added to the unit. Achieving a higher level of construction completion prior to module delivery reduces the cost of trade work onsite at rural farm locations. The modular nature of the design creates a structurally robust building which sits on a slab-on-grade foundation. Materials such as metal siding and roof are specified to ensure longevity of the building and lower maintenance.
Migrant Housing Standards
at glance comparisonThe design and documentation of this project are currently supported by the Dogwood Health Trust, a private foundation committed to improving the health and well-being of all people and communities in the 18 counties and Qualla Boundary of Western NC.
The project also received an award from the American Institute of Architects South Atlantic Region and the American Institute of Architects Triangle Region for Design Excellence. It also received an unbuilt award from the Architects Newspaper Best of Design Awards. KHA has lectured about the project in NC, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania, expanding awareness of the necessity to improve farmworker housing in our country.
Investing in humane and sustainable housing
The dire state of farmworker housing in North Carolina threatens the health and well-being of farmworkers despite their essential contributions to the agricultural sector. The efforts by SAF and its partners underscore the urgent need for humane and sustainable housing solutions that address these workers' specific needs and preferences. The current living conditions, characterized by inadequate facilities and unsafe environments, highlight a glaring oversight in an industry that generates billions in economic impact.
Health Crisis due to Housing Conditions
The efforts by SAF and its partners underscore the urgent need for humane and sustainable housing solutions that address these workers' specific needs and preferences.
The current living conditions, characterized by inadequate facilities and unsafe environments, highlight a glaring oversight in an industry that generates billions in economic impact.
Impact of Climate Change
Rising temperatures pose additional threats to farmworkers, who are especially vulnerable to heat-related illnesses.
Inadequate cooling options in overcrowded, poorly ventilated housing make it difficult for workers to recover from the day's heat.
Studies reveal that many farmworker sleeping quarters experience heat indexes exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit during summer months.
Urgent Call for Change
The dire state of farmworker housing in North Carolina threatens the health and well-being of farmworkers despite their essential contributions to the agricultural sector.
Initiatives by organizations like SAF and its partners highlight the urgent need for humane and sustainable housing solutions tailored to the specific needs of farmworkers.
The current inadequate living conditions represent a significant oversight in an industry that generates billions in economic impact.
