On a bright warm December day in a rural area of southern Hillsborough County, Florida, the Department of Housing and Urban Development unveiled a new generation of affordable storm-resistant housing for migrant farm workers.  HUD joined the University of Florida to present the HUD Migrant Worker Prototype House at the Florida Agriculture Expo in Balm, Florida.   

Inez Banks-DuBose, Director of HUD's Office of Departmental Operations and Coordination Dr. Jimmy Cheek, Vice President, University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Science.

The HUD-funded prototype is the result of two years of work by Florida producers and others to develop quality, cost-effective housing that can withstand the unpredictable Florida weather.

"These homes are built to withstand a category 4 hurricane," said Palmetto-based tomato grower Jay Taylor, who helped spearhead the effort.  "After the 2004 hurricanes, we wanted to begin the process of bringing a new generation of safe, secure and comfortable housing to our workforce."

Taylor originally brought the idea to the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) after watching a presentation about the homes while he was chairman of the board of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.  "I was impressed, and I wanted to see if this was something we could make happen," he said.

Completed home

"HUD believes this prototype housing may have multiple uses beyond the Gulf Coast communities suffering from recent hurricanes," said Inez Banks-DuBose, Director of HUD's Office of Departmental Operations and Coordination.  "This safe, efficient prototype also illustrates how public and private entities can successfully partner to develop innovative and affordable housing.  We firmly believe the concept house and the working relationship employed here can be replicated almost anywhere in the U.S."

The prototype house features many interesting details in its construction. It has two bedrooms and can comfortably house five workers.  It also offers superb fire protection, is easy to construct, and costs less than $100 per square foot

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