Zoning laws have been modified by the County of San Diego to allow a greater number of agricultural employers to house their workers on-site. The majority of single men were extremely reluctant to participate in a 1995 City of San Diego program designed to move workers from camps to apartments or dormitories. Others want to save money to purchase farmland in their country of origin. It is much more expensive to live in an apartment or dormitory than in a camp. For this reason, many are reluctant to leave their temporary camp accommodations.
Workers also find comfort, camaraderie, and security in the community atmosphere of the camps.
There has been greater success in programs that relocate families from camps to apartments. Parents are more willing to confront additional expense and uncertainty if it means improving the lives of their children. However, immigrants without proper identification generally remain isolated outdoors. They are ineligible for services without proper documentation, and are reluctant to move into an apartment or dormitory for fear of being discovered. According to the San Diego County Farm Bureau, there are approximately 35,000 agricultural jobs in San Diego County among its members, in addition to the jobs provided by small, family-owned farms that are not Farm Bureau members.