this afternoon, we are focusing on the efforts to make affordable housing more available for senior farmworkers in half moon bay. the need has been in the spotlight ever since the shootings of the two farms last year exposed the poor conditions many farmworkers are living in right now. joining me today is state senator josh becker who represents much of san mateo county. thank you for joining us. >> thank you for having me. >> first let's get your reaction to the latest approval from the planning commission and the recommended changes they are hoping for. >> this is great news. it was a

lot of work by a lot of people and a bit of a long time coming but everyone came together to support this project, which will be many units for farmworkers and even senior farmworkers and these are people who have been working in our community for, in some cases, decades. essential workers, working through the pandemic and now many of them will have a place to call home. >> let's talk about the desperate need for this type of housing for this group of people who are an integral part of the half moon bay community. >> the pandemic exposed some of this but really it was the shooting that exposed the really dire living conditions of many farmworkers in our community. not many people always remember that there is still a very vibrant agriculture community on the san mateo county. thousands of farmworkers and we all get a

view into the really difficult living conditions. >> what is the ideal timeline? win do you hope this location will be done? >> i'm very proud of this. i thought for this with assembly member mark berman. for half moon bay and specifically for this project. it's great news it's going forward. the planning commission has now approved it so now it will go to city councils next step. if the council approves it we are off and running. >> there has been some resistance to the project especially reservations about the size and scope of where it's located. do you think after the planning commission said yes to the project, are there other projects in the works? does this open the door for more affordable housing? >> there were already a couple very specific farmworker projects that are already moving along. one with modular units it's going to be produced very quickly and so,

there is another big plot of land that the county is looking at purchasing that the county has been a great actor in all of this so there's a number of other things moving forward and some of the concerns raised are legitimate things that you have to consider for any project. this also was sometimes, there is a component where people may be worry a little too much about size of certain things that once it's actually built, i think everyone's going to love the project. it's really a beautiful project. >> the mayor of half moon bay says improving farmworker housing is one of his main priorities because he knows the key role farmworkers play in that community and others. we caught up with him as he took the post this year as the city's first mexican immigrant mayor. >> reporter: take a walk with joaquin jiminez you're in a and chances are you will have to stop a few times along the

way. congratulations still in order for jiminez as he is the first mexican immigrant to become mayor of half moon bay. >> it is an honor to represent half moon bay. he immigrated from mexico to half moon bay when he was 13. his parents were farmworkers here who lived in a home near the corner of johnston and -- >> these are first families in half moon bay. >> reporter: he has become a half moon bay historian over the course of his 30 years here. >> i love half moon bay. i love the community. >> reporter: the coastal city is home to 12,000 people a third of the population is latino. aside from picturesque views of the california coast, you will also find a lot of farms here because half moon bay was originally an agricultural outpost. >> we are a farming community. that's our heritage. >> reporter: keeping that

intact , says the mayor, is a must but like many california cities, affordability and half moon bay is a challenge, here, especially, for many farmworkers. >> if we don't give them a decent place to stay to live, they are going to move out. >> reporter: improving farmworker housing has been a priority for a while. but it became a major priority for the city and state after tragedy struck last year, when a gunman went on a shooting spree and murdered seven people at two half moon bay farms. the world saw the dire conditions that many farmworkers were living in. a reality jiminez hopes to change. >> i want to see the first farmworkers moving in to farm working housing. something that any of us could actually move into. it is very realistic. >> reporter: another priority, continue to be an approachable leader which is why you will find him taking daily walks through town or riding on horseback through town. although he is proud to give

latinos representation, he is honored to represent everyone of half moon bay. he hopes to inspire a future generation of leaders as well. >> i'm very interested in having young adult becoming more involved in the city. help us make decisions. help us see what we don't see. >> reporter: turning back the clock, becoming mayor wasn't something jiminez saw in his future. it was something neither he nor others thought possible. >> that is my office. >> reporter: so he has no plans to take that opportunity and responsibility for granted. >> what a story. he became the first mexican immigrant to serve on half moon bay city council in 2021. half moon bay chooses one of its five

councilmembers to serve as mayor each year on a rotating basis. another community figure has been providing much-needed support to the farmworker community for years. we first introduced you to her in 2020 when she won a bay area award. the farmworker many call an angel. >> reporter: she shines a bright light in a time of unimaginable grief . >> so many threads of love. >> reporter: belinda and her nonprofit alas leapt into action after a deadly shooting a year ago in a case of suspected workplace violence. belinda and her team knew the families and they have led the way in supporting the farmworker community. >> it feels shorter than a year. it feels like it just happened and so, for us, and

for so many and for the victims, the emotions are still very fresh in our hearts. >> reporter: belinda and alas, rays of comfort from their home base. a sunshine colored house. today, they are serving twice as many people. 2000 per week. not only what the basics from food to health care and education, but with mental health counseling. the need has doubled after the shooting, so belinda and alas launched new art and music therapy programs that help people walk and talk through their trauma and shared cultural experiences. >> we have to be there to think about, how do we heal together, collectively? >> reporter: for example, participants performed for an audience of hundreds over the holidays. they showcase what they learned in accordion lessons they've taken from

music therapy. belinda also provides a space for self-expression. where martinez can share songs he's written about his long life as a farmworker. his music helped a recent audience feel they are not alone in their struggles. >> people were crying when he sang that night. >> reporter: for belinda, a licensed mental health clinician embracing the coast side farmworker community brings her healing as well. >> that collective strength, the care, and my personal faith has helped us to say we will get through this one day at a time. >> reporter: one day, one hug at a time. >> a study from uc merced shows between one third and one half of farmworkers reported having

at least one chronic condition and 49% are without health insurance. the study also says 14% reported feeling depressed or hopeless. still ahead, more support for farm workers while they are out on the job . - lift the clouds off of... - virtual weather, only on kpix and pix+.

this afternoon, we are focusing on the challenges facing our bay area farm workers and the community members providing much-needed support. about a year ago we told you about some high school students from concord who teamed up to focus on solutions for farmworkers in their community. they handbuilt a rest station. a place where farmworkers can take their breaks. it includes an umbrella for jade -- shade and charging stations. >> [ speaking in a global language ] >> the students said their goal is to expand their work beyond the county. an organization in the community of byron helped farm workers get the supplies they needed ahead of this school year. the nonprofit

stopped by a farm to drop items like backpacks, notebooks, and highlighters. jeanette peña works with the group and says she knows what this means for farmworker families, since she, herself used to work in the fields with her mom. >> [ speaking in a global language ] >> she went on to say she thinks these efforts motivate students to continue studying after high school and take advantage of opportunities their parents may not have had. other efforts to support and celebrate farmworkers are happening elsewhere in our state as well. this is video in coachella in riverside county. this happened last month. it is a festival featuring local produce and live music and also free medical services for farm workers. things like blood pressure checks and information

about heat related illness. >> a lot of people come to coachella and they say it's so hot, it's so dusty and they acknowledge farmworkers work in these conditions every day yet, what are we doing for them when they are feeding all of us? >> this year they saw almost double the amount of vendors as last year's event. we will be right back.

70 years after the supreme court ruling that shattered segregation in schools, the district at the forefront is tackling a new challenge. immigration. with unique policies and a welcome mat that reflects the lessons learned. i'm in topeka kansas. that story is ahead on the cbs evening news. tonight at 5:00, san francisco's market neighborhood has a new business with the mission. how it's helping young people get the

skills they need to enter the workforce. that story and more with ryan yamamoto and myself tonight at 5:00. and thank you for joining us for today's conversation about farmworker housing in half moon bay. we would love to hear what you think and what's going on in your communities. post your thoughts online using the hashtag kpix. cbs evening news is next. local news continues on our streaming service cbs news bay area. i will see you at 5:00. >> and we wanted? >> now! >> maurice: new arrest at pro-palestinian demonstrations palestinian demonstrations on college campuses at the height of graduation season. as president biden prepares to make a commencement speech at a georgia college, the school says it will halt sunday's ceremony