KUNIA, Oahu, Hawaii -- State lawmakers are trying to come up with ways to help 700 Del Monte pineapple workers, who will be laid off, keep their homes.

The workers, many with limited educational backgrounds and incomes, fear they will have a difficult time finding new homes in today's tight rental market.

Lawmakers think taxpayers should help out with rental subsidies and low-interest loans.

Del Monte is planting its last pineapple crop ever at Kunia. In the plantation camp below, workers and their families worry about having to move out.

Eleven family members of pineapple worker Juanito Omnes have lived in their home. The rent is $330 a month for four bedrooms.

While the familie are worried about finding something similarly priced in the outside market, it is the memories of three generations in the home that they do not want to leave behind.

"It's really sad. I cannot even explain how sad we are if that would happen if we would lose the house," one worker said.

State senators on Thursday gave first-round approval to a bill to use state money to help laid-off Del Monte workers purchase their homes with 3 percent annual interest loans.

"I think there are many people in our community who feel we have a moral obligation in this case," Sen. Ron Menor said.

Menor said the situation is particularly dire because many of the workers have limited educational backgrounds and slim hope of finding housing.

Lawmakers want to help not only those living at the Kunia camp, but also Del Monte workers who are renting or trying to buy houses on the open market. They are workers who are certain to have difficulty making payments when they are laid off.

The lawmakers are proposing mortgage and rental subsidies to help the displaced workers.