Article 4 — Farm Worker and Employee Housing

The Employee Housing Act allows for flexibility in housing types for employee housing, including conventional and nonconventional structures, such as: living quarters, boardinghouse, tent, bunkhouse, mobilehome, manufactured home, recreational vehicle, and travel trailers. The laws and regulations governing these structures depend on the housing type; however, all qualified employee housing must comply with the Employee Housing Act (California Health and Safety Code Section 17000 et seq.) and the Employee Housing Regulations (California Code of Regulations Title 25 , Division 1, Chapter 1, Subchapter 3 — Employee Housing), which outline specific requirements for the construction of housing, maintenance of grounds, buildings, sleeping space and facilities, sanitation and heating; and the provisions of this section. Under Health and Safety Code Section 17021.6 , the permitted occupancy in employee housing in a zone allowing agricultural uses (RCO and UR Zones) shall include agricultural employees who may or may not work on the property where the employee housing is located.

(Ord. 26-479, 3/9/2026)

"Farm worker and employee housing" means employee housing defined in California Health and Safety Code Section 17008 , even if the housing accommodations or property are not located in a rural area, as defined by California Health and Safety Code Section 50101 . (Ord. 26-479, 3/9/2026)

• A. Farm worker and employee housing for seven or more employees shall be considered an agricultural use and shall not require any discretionary approval not required of other agricultural activity in the same zone, provided that:

  1. The farm worker and employee housing should not consist of more than 36 beds in a group quarters or 12 units or spaces designed for use by a single family or household.

  2. All temporary or permanent structures that contain farm worker and employee housing shall meet the setback, lot coverage, height, and other development standards applicable to the zone in which it is located.

  3. Parking shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 17.76 of the Lathrop Municipal Code, unless the applicant provides substantial evidence demonstrating that the actual parking need is lower, subject to the approval of the Community Development Director.

  4. Farm worker and employee housing shall comply, as applicable, with the following: (1) Employee Housing Act (California Health and Safety Code Sections 17000 through 17062 ); (2) Mobilehome Parks Act (California Health and Safety Code Sections 18200 through 18700 ); and Special Occupancy Parks Act (California Health and Safety Code Sections 18860 through 18874 ), as may be amended from time to time.

  5. Farm worker and employee housing shall be reviewed and approved subject to the same requirements as other agricultural uses within the same zone.

  6. Farm worker and employee housing—seven or more employees shall be removed or converted to another permitted use at such time as the agricultural activity to which it relates ceases operation for more than 12 consecutive months.

• B. Farm worker and employee housing providing accommodations for six or fewer employees, pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 17021.5 , shall be deemed a single-family dwelling and is allowed in residential zones. Farm worker and employee housing for six or fewer employees is subject to all City of Lathrop municipal codes, regulations, and other standards generally applicable to other residential dwellings of the same type in the same zone.

• (Ord. 26-479, 3/9/2026)