Coachella’s Challenge of Obtaining Affordable Housing: Increasing Coachella’s housing affordability through awareness Bita Kamoei, University of California, San Diego, Urban Studies and Planning Program 10 March 2011, USP 187 – Senior Sequence Significance/Background: Affects of the real estate market over the past years has resulted in attaining homes for many people difficult. Therefore, providing more awareness tactics about the importance of affordable housing will create more opportunity at obtaining cost efficient homes. Underrepresented as a public concern Predominantly low income residents Median household income is $38,762 Over 90 percent of Coachella residents are Hispanic and a large number that includes migrant farm workers  Approximately 30 percent of all farm workers fall below the national poverty line Carmeli, Abraham and Lynndee Kemmet “Exploring Fit in Public Sector Organizations. Public Money & Management.” 26(1): Googlemaps.com “Coachella Information” Pacheco, Vivian “Si Se Puede: Developing Farmworker Housing in the 12th District.” Community Investments. 9-12, 29. Bender, Steven W Tierra Y Libertad: Land, Liberty and Latino Housing. New York & London: New York University Press. Conclusion: While there are constant home redevelopments and new housing projects in the area, this research focuses on the importance of awareness. Having affordable housing is important for everyone; however, awareness is key to allowing more opportunities in obtaining an affordable home. Some topics that I suggested during a city council meetings was improving awareness by having more seminars at public spaces, spreading it throughout schools, the YMCA, boys and girls club, radio advertisements and also at the community recreational center. These advertisements allow more consciousness. This study focuses on making affordability attainable. Spreading awareness leads to the city receiving more subsidies, funding, and also allows people to become more aware of their current options and alternatives. Affordable Housing Complex: Home-buyers in Coachella Neighborhood: The majority of the ten respondents agreed that housing affordability is not advertised thoroughly. Though eight out of the ten used a realtor to find a home, the process of finding a home was difficult and that there were not enough advertisements. Three out of the ten were seasonal farm workers. Because seasonal farm workers do not reside year round in the city, it is difficult for them to attain a place to live in when they do come. “Other Coachella Valley cities, such as Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, and Coachella, are still struggling to discover such elements and develop them. Not surprisingly, all three of these cities are in financial difficulty. Coachella, which is perhaps the least urbanized of the region’s cities, has a long way to go in developing strategic resources” (Carmeli 2006, 77). Methods Used: Interviews Surveys/Questionnaires Participant observations The research methods provide background information on real estate in the Coachella Valley, while they also add to findings about the challenges residents face trying to obtain a home in Coachella. Since most of its occupants have low income wages and are migrant farm workers, these findings help improve attainability of housing. Findings: Abstract: Research studies demonstrate the recent real estate crisis and its affects on the housing market. Because properties have shown a rapid increase in foreclosures, private investments have flourished, affecting the affordability of housing due to new inflated prices. However, there is a lack of action and public awareness in this matter. This proposal examines the following question: how can public awareness and advertising increase attainability of affordable housing? The research design focuses on interviews conducted with bank owned property realtors while also including gathered survey responses from Coachella Valley residents and farm workers. In addition, participant observation was incorporated as an intern for one of the leading bank owned realtors of the desert. As a result of providing more awareness tactics such as gaining additional city support and publicizing the importance of affordable housing, there has been more opportunity at obtaining cost efficient homes. Because Coachella is an agricultural city that consists of predominantly low income residents and farm workers, the achievement of affordable housing is essential. Moreover, the results have been shared with community housing markets and public officials which have provided awareness and improved housing affordability.