(SACRAMENTO, CA) — Assembly Bill 1890 (AB 1890), authored by Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), was signed into law by Governor Newsom, strengthening housing for the farmworkers who help keep California’s agricultural economy moving. The new law increases state matching funds for Napa County’s year-round farmworker housing centers, helping ensure workers have access to stable, affordable housing in one of the nation’s most important agricultural regions. The impact extends well beyond Napa County. The Napa Valley wine industry generates an estimated $9.4 billion in local economic activity and $34 billion nationally, supporting jobs, businesses, and communities throughout California and across the country.
“Farmworkers are essential to both the California and national economies, and they need access to safe, stable, and affordable housing,” said Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry. “Napa County has created a proven model that meets a unique year-round need, and AB 1890 ensures the state continues to be a partner in supporting the workers who help power our agricultural industry.”
Unlike most state agricultural labor centers, which generally operate for up to 180 days a year, Napa County’s three centers operate for up to 11 months. Residents pay a subsidized nightly rate, which includes meals, laundry, internet access, and immigration services. Napa growers already contribute approximately $650,000 annually through a vineyard acreage self-assessment—more than twice the state’s previous contribution. However, rising operating costs and inflation have created persistent funding gaps.
AB 1890 builds on AB 317 (Aguiar-Curry, 2018), which established the state’s partnership with Napa County to support its unique year-round farmworker housing model. The new law doubles the state’s annual matching funds to $500,000, authorizing the California Department of Housing and Community Development to provide funding to the Napa County Housing Authority for the financing, maintenance, and operation of the housing centers. AB 1890 received bipartisan support from urban and rural members. The investment was included in the 2026 California State Budget and will help keep these critical housing resources affordable and available to the agricultural workforce.
“Local growers and Napa County have been stepping up and doing their part. But these housing centers serve farmworkers from across the region, not just people who live in Napa,” said Aguiar-Curry. “I’m thankful Governor Newsom has signed AB 1890 into law, and the state is doing its part so we can keep this affordable, year-round housing available to the workers who help keep our local, regional, state, and national agricultural economies going.”
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Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry represents California’s 4th Assembly District, which includes all of Lake, Colusa, Napa, and Yolo Counties, and part of Sonoma County. She serves as the Assembly Majority Leader and Chair of the California Women’s Legislative Caucus.
