WATSONVILLE, CA, May 23, 2025—New residents, elected officials, and public- and private-sector partners celebrated the grand opening today of Cienega Heights, a development by MidPen Housing.
The community’s 80 apartment homes, including 39 designated for farmworker families, serve residents earning up to 30-60% of Area Media Income (AMI), or approximately $38,040-$108,660, depending on household size. Cienega Heights is the second phase of a three-phase effort to create affordable homes on nearly 15 acres of city and unincorporated county land; MidPen completed the first phase of 46 homes at Pippin Orchards Apartments in 2018.
At Cienega Heights, residents enjoy a community room, learning center, a landscaped courtyard for play and recreation, and an outdoor amphitheater for meetings, theater, and music. MidPen Services coordinates on-site services for residents, such as after-school programming, financial capabilities classes, and health and well-being programs. Located within walking distance of grocery stores, shopping, and bus lines, the all-electric community deploys sustainability measures including photovoltaic panels and a water-efficient irrigation system.
“Cienega Heights is more than new housing—it’s an investment in working families and farmworkers who are the backbone of this community,” said Santa Cruz County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez. “This project reflects what we can accomplish when local governments and partners come together with a shared commitment to creating stability and opportunity for the people who live and work here.”
“It is critical to the health of families and communities, and the future of our great state, that people can live and send their children to school in the places where they work,” said Gustavo Velasquez, Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. “Projects like Cienega Heights relieve the burden of housing affordability for people who labor at low-wage jobs for the benefit of our state and nation and provide hard-earned housing stability for their families.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome 80 families home to Cienega Heights, including farmworkers who contribute to an essential sector of the regional economy,” said Matthew O. Franklin, President and CEO of MidPen Housing. “We applaud all of our local, state, and private-sector partners for their vision and commitment to bringing much-needed affordable housing to southern Santa Cruz County.”
Financing for Cienega Heights was provided by the County of Santa Cruz; Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz; California Department of Housing and Community Development Joe Serna Jr., Farmworker Housing Grant Program; California Tax Credit Allocation Committee; Central Coast Community Energy; Land Trust of Santa Cruz County; California Community Reinvestment Corporation; and Wells Fargo. The architect is DAHLIN Group, Inc., and the general contractor is L&D Construction Co., Inc.
Learn more about MidPen Housing at www.midpen-housing.org.