Half Moon Bay affordable housing for senior farmworkers to go before voters

• By: Bay City News

• Published: 22 July, 2026

555 Kelly Ave. affordable housing project in Half Moon Bay, Calif.

(BCN) — The Half Moon Bay City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to put an ordinance authorizing the lease and construction of an affordable housing complex for senior farmworkers up for a popular vote.

Councilmembers already approved the ordinance 3-2 in May after a yearslong process that survived an appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval of the project and involved multiple delays in securing authorization for its construction, drawing the ire of Gov. Gavin Newsom and state housing officials along the way.

The proposed five-story housing complex at 555 and 535 Kelly Ave. would include 40 units of affordable supportive housing for retired or older local farmworkers, office space for property managers and a farmworker resource center.

Councilmembers debated late changes to the wording of the ballot measure requested by one of its backers. They agreed to add language around the financial details but not the building’s height, which had been one of opponents’ biggest objections.

The exact wording of the measure will be finalized by an attorney hired by the city and will go on November’s ballot.

Opponents of the project created a ballot measure campaign committee called Let Half Moon Bay Voters Decide and launched a signature gathering effort to put the ordinance before voters, forcing the city council to send the process through one more step–a vote–or withdraw the plan altogether.

Multiple supporters turned up at the City Council meeting Tuesday to voice support for the project. It will need a simple majority to pass.