In 2005, CCRH successfully achieved legislation preventing rural water and sewer districts from denying services for affordable housing. We also played a lead role in efforts to identify a dedicated source of revenue for a State housing trust fund, gain prevailing wage reform, promote smart growth, preserve at-risk housing, bridge the rural digital divide, and train a new generation of affordable housing developers. In 2006, CCRH was able, together with other advocates, to convince the State Legislature and Governor to place a $2.85 million bond initiative for housing on the November 2006 ballot, the Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act or Proposition 1C. If approved by the voters, Prop 1C will provide a critical infusion of new State funding for first-time homebuyers, renters, farm workers, and others.

Formed in 1976 following a farmworker housing conference, CCRH is one of the oldest state low-income housing coalitions in the country. Through advocacy, organizing, research, and technical assistance, our goal is to make the case for rural housing improvement and strengthen the capacity of the nonprofit and public sectors to provide affordable housing and related facilities. Members are primarily community-based nonprofit and public developers, including the largest self-help housing producers in the United States, as well as local government officials, and local activists concerned about rural quality of life.

CCRH currently operates the following programs:

1. Inclusionary Housing Advocacy: Inclusionary Housing (or inclusionary zoning) is defined as a mandatory requirement or voluntary goal to reserve a certain percentage of housing units for lower-income households in new residential developments. The affordable units are often expected to be dispersed throughout the development in an effort to include a mix of income levels within the new residential areas.
2. Smart Growth: Research, information, education, and advocacy on the nexus between "Smart Growth" and affordable rural housing.
3. Farmworker Housing Education and Advocacy: Research, information, education, and advocacy around the need for funding, regulatory reform, community acceptance, and innovation in the production and preservation of housing for permanent and migrant farmworkers.
4. Rural Housing Summit: Annual "think tank" and retreat on policy and program issues affecting rural housing and community development.
5. Tenant Organizing and Education Project: Provides ongoing organizing, technical assistance and education to assist residents and communities preserve subsidized housing that is at-risk of market conversion.
6. Rural California Internship Program for Diversity in Nonprofit Housing and Community Development: Provides an intensive year-long paid internship experience in the field of nonprofit housing and community development for culturally and linguistically diverse university students who represent rural California's minority, immigrant and/or farm worker communities."
7. Neighborhood Knowledge California (NKCA): A free and user-friendly internet-based Geographic Information System (GIS) designed for ease of use without the extensive training requirements and complexity of use that are typical of GIS software. NKCA Distributed Community Platform was developed by the UCLA Advanced Policy Institute to build on the latest innovations in web technology to spur community improvements, encourage new banking opportunities, impact government, public policy and neighborhood planning efforts, and contribute to new development projects and opportunities for local business.
8. Technical Assistance and Research: CCRH has collaborated with a number of organizations in California and across the country to offer technical assistance in support of various projects.
9. California Rural Assistance Technology Education (CRATE) Project: The CRATE Project has been designed to support affordable housing and community facilities programs and projects in rural areas of the state, with an emphasis on promoting opportunities for homeownership, especially for low-income and minority families.