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FeedHousing loan requirements
Loans from the Washington State Department of Commerce have funded a variety of housing styles for seasonal farmworkers, including these manufactured units.
Washington State provides low- and no-interest loans to growers and technical assistance to support development and preservation of on-farm housing for migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
Eligible projects must:
• Be located within Washington State
• Be owned, operated, and managed by the borrowing grower
• Be used only for seasonal occupancy by migrant and seasonal farmworkers who earn at least $3,000 annually
• Meet Department of Health's temporary worker housing licensing standards, the Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard (which includes criteria to be energy efficient, conserve water, etc.), and all applicable codes and regulations
• Operate on a not-for-profit basis (fees charged cannot exceed actual operating expenses)
Loan terms:
• Grower must match loan funds at least dollar for dollar; match may include dollars spent on construction or repair of housing.
• Housing must be kept in use as licensed temporary farmworker housing for the term of the loan, normally 15 years.
• Loans may be made for repair of infrastructure for existing housing or for installation of infrastructure for new housing.
• Loan funds may be used for on-site infrastructure improvements or other site work necessary for development or preservation of on-farm housing; construction of on-farm housing or service facilities; or rehabilitation or replacement of substandard housing or service facilities.
For infrastructure projects:
• Loans are 15-year deferred loans, 0% interest. (Payments are deferred. If the project remains in compliance over the term of the loan, the entire loan is forgiven at the end of 15 years.)
• Infrastructure financing may not exceed 50 percent of the total project cost.
For construction and rehabilitation projects:
• A maximum of $150,000 can be loaned per borrower per year.
• Loans are amortized over 15 years with 0 to 1 percent interest, depending on the grower's contribution to project.
• Loan payments are due annually.
To learn more about the program or to obtain a loan application, contact Pat Arnold at (509) 395-2341; e-mail
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