SANTA PAULA : 44 Apply for Aid at Disaster Relief Office

Having trouble finding farm workers in Ventura and Oxnard who lost their jobs from December’s freeze, disaster relief officials on Wednesday went to Santa Paula where the freeze caused some of the heaviest crop damage.

State and federal officials signed up 44 individuals and families for housing assistance. The officials will be in a temporary office in Santa Paula through Friday signing up unemployed farm workers for federal disaster aid to cover rent or mortgage payments.

Those who lost their jobs because of the freeze could qualify for housing assistance authorized April 17 by President Bush.

County growers suffered an estimated $128 million in crop damage from a series of sub-freezing nights in December. County officials estimate that the damage cost 1,200 farm workers their jobs.

But so far, federal and state disaster relief officials have collected 21 applications in Ventura and 135 in Oxnard.

Officials have received 1,489 applications in Tulare County and 640 in Fresno County, where crops also suffered heavy damage in the cold snap.

“There was some thought in Ventura County that a lot of harvesters had migrated to Ventura to look for jobs and we would catch them there,” said Connie Smith, a spokeswoman with the state office of emergency services. “But we were wrong.”

Disaster workers will be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Friday at the Services United building, 951 E. Main St., Santa Paula.

After Friday, farm workers should call (800) 525-0321 for details about federal assistance.