What kind of power does it take to build affordable housing? “People power,” said Dolores Huerta. The storied Civil Rights leader spoke last week at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new property by Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation, a NeighborWorks® America network organization.
The development, Dolores Huerta Gardens Apartments, is named for Huerta and brings 58 new affordable apartment homes
for farmworkers, veterans and families in Ventura County. Located in the heart of Oxnard, California, the apartments were completed after two years of planning and construction. Providing a safe and sustainable living environment is how Cabrillo EDC is working to address the affordable housing crisis.
Huerta, who also participated in the project’s groundbreaking ceremony in 2023, is co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association and the United Farm Workers Association. The daughter of a farm worker, miner and legislator, she has worked to protect farm workers since the 1950s. During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, she said it feels good “to know that we can celebrate something that is very giving and very strong and is going to make things right for so many people. 
“I am so honored. I want to say thank you so much for naming this beautiful, beautiful building in my name. … I wish all the happiness to the people who live here.”
Safe, affordable housing can be created for farm workers and other families who earn lower incomes, she said. “But it takes the will of the community and it takes the will of organizations like the Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation to make it happen!”
Cabrillo EDC was founded in 1981, during a time when agriculture workers were in dire need of safe homes and communities, leaders shared. The organization has provided comprehensive housing services and community economic development opportunities in Ventura County and Santa Barbara County ever since.
“Dolores Huerta Gardens is a foundation for families to build brighter futures,” said Victoria Brady, CEO of Cabrillo EDC. “This community reflects our deep commitment to providing safe, affordable housing for those who need it most, and to creating spaces where residents can truly thrive.”
Local and state leaders also spoke during the ceremony, emphasizing that the apartment complex opens as the region faces rising housing pressures due to a widening affordability gap. The need to support families is urgent. The development of Dolores Huerta Gardens is another example of how NeighborWorks network organizations work to create homes and build America.
“We’ve seen firsthand the overwhelming demand for affordable homes,” Cabrillo EDC's Director of Real Estate Development Derrick Wad said in a news release. “Our work goes beyond bricks and mortar – we're building places where seniors can age with dignity, farm workers can rest after a hard day’s work, and families can build better
futures.”
NeighborWorks’ Western Region Vice President Lisa Hasegawa attended the event, along with NeighborWorks General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Nakeasha Sanders-Small, Senior Vice President of Communications & Marketing Renee Joe, and Relationship Manager Donna Wright.
“The Dolores Huerta Gardens has a special meaning for me personally as my family's strawberry farm is just down the road,” Hasegawa said. “It was wonderful to be able to celebrate with the community and see these new homes for farm workers and veterans become a reality after a long journey to completion.”
