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2000 Housing Related Legislation

Following is a list of chaptered bills that were of interest to the Department of Housing and Community Development during the 2000 legislative year. All bills, unless otherwise specified, are effective January 1, 2001.

BUILDING STANDARDS

SB 1242/Ortiz, Ch. 989
DISABLED PERSONS

Requires buildings, structures, and facilities that are leased, rented, contracted, sublet, or hired by any municipal, county, or state division of government or any special district be made accessible to, and usable by, persons with disabilities.


SB 1434/Alarcon, Ch. 49
BUILDING PERMITS

Provides that a properly executed declaration for the issuance of a building permit may include a declaration signed and transmitted by facsimile or other electronic means. Also, provides that an application for a building permit shall be construed as a "transaction" and all declarations required shall be construed as records under the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.


SB 1545/Costa, Ch. 702
EMPLOYEE HOUSING

Requires a local building or health department, within 60 days, to approve or deny an application or permit request for rehabilitation of improvements, which is or will be employee housing. If the approval or denial does not occur within 60 days, the Department of Housing and Community Development may approve the application or permit request if it determines that the plans are consistent with all applicable building codes and health and safety requirements.

DISCRIMINATION/FAIR HOUSING

AB 1493/Nakano, Ch. 291 Effective 9/5/00
RECORDING DOCUMENTS: RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS

Requires recording documents that contain restrictive language to include a statement that lawful restrictions under state and federal law on the age of occupants in senior housing or housing for older persons shall not be construed as restrictions based on familial status.

FARMWORKER AND EMPLOYEE HOUSING

AB 1811/Reyes, Ch. 311 Effective 9/7/00
TAX CREDIT

Makes several changes to the farmworker housing tax credit that is allowed for the construction or rehabilitation of qualified farmworker housing. The changes are intended to make the farmworker housing tax credit more consistent with the low-income housing tax credit.


AB 2306/Flores, Ch. 312 Effective 9/7/00
FARMWORKER FAMILY WELLNESS PROGRAM

Renames the Department of Housing and Community Development's existing Farmworker Housing Grant Program to the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program, enacts the "Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Family Wellness Program" and requires HCD to establish a task force to assist with development of the farm labor housing assistance plan.


SB 1545/Costa, Ch. 702
EMPLOYEE HOUSING

See Building Standards for description.

FEDERALLY ASSISTED/SUBSIDIZED HOUSING

SB 1572/Alarcon , Ch. 666
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS

Clarifies the language in the notices that owners are required to give to tenants and affected public entities when they choose to terminate their participation in a federal subsidized housing assistance program.

HOMELESS

AB 1954/Jackson, Ch. 958
ARMORIES AND HOMELESS SHELTERS

Revises the list of armories to be made available, for use by homeless persons, from December 1 through March 15 each year for emergency shelter purposes as a temporary measure to allow adequate time for governmental entities to make other homeless shelter arrangements. Also, authorizes the Adjutant General, subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act, to increase or decrease the number of days of operation among the armories to meet cold weather demands.


AJR 39/Washington, Resolution Ch. 67
HOMELESSNESS

Supports a comprehensive national plan to end homelessness and urges the President of the United States, Congress, and other relevant federal agencies to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to end homelessness. Also, requests the President of the United States to convene a National Commission on Homelessness to develop a comprehensive strategic plan for addressing homelessness nationwide.


SB 1593/Alarcon, Ch. 667
EMERGENCY HOUSING AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Expands the application and scope of the Department of Housing and Community Development's Emergency Housing and Assistance Program and the Multifamily Housing Program to include mentally ill homeless. Also, makes changes to the Department of Mental Health's Supportive Housing Program.

HOUSING ELEMENTS, LAND USE AND PLANNING

AB 943/Dutra, Ch. 687
CALIFORNIA DEBT AND INVESTMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION

Requires each city, county, or city and county to submit copies of its second and fourth quarterly reports, as well as the statement of investment policy, to the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission. The bill also exempts a city from the reporting requirement if it has maintained 100% of its investment portfolio in the county treasury, the Local Agency Investment Fund, or other specified investments.


AB 1744/Longville, Ch. 117 Effective 7/10/00
HOUSING ELEMENT DEADLINE EXTENSION

Extends the deadline date from June 30, 2000 to December 31, 2000 for local governments within the region of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), and from June 30, 2001 to December 31, 2001 for local governments within the region of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), by which they must revise the housing element of their general plans.


AB 2008/Assembly Committee on HCD, Ch. 471
OMNIBUS ACT 2000

Enacts an omnibus measure for non-controversial amendments to State housing laws including making technical changes to laws regulating building standards, the mobilehome and mobilehome park industries, and publicly financed housing programs. Changes the periods of time related to the submission and review of draft housing element amendments and adopted housing elements and adopted amendments. (B-00-23).


AB 2054/Torlakson, Ch. 665
JOBS-HOUSING BALANCE IMPROVEMENT

Creates the Jobs-Housing Balance Improvement Account as a special fund to be administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development to provide funding for the Jobs-Housing Balance Improvement Program. Also requires the Inter-Regional Partnership State Pilot Project to work in collaboration with other regional entities to ensure achieving optimal inter-regional growth.


AB 2430/Wiggins, Ch. 358
REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS, NAPA COUNTY

Permits the County of Napa to meet up to 20 percent, instead of 15 percent, of its regional housing needs for lower income households by using funds collected by the county for the purpose of constructing affordable housing units in one or more cities within the county.


AB 2755/Bock, Ch. 556
DENSITY BONUSES FOR RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION

Requires local governments to grant density bonuses to developers who propose to substantially rehabilitate commercial buildings being converted to residential use or to substantially rehabilitate multifamily rental complexes.


AB 2864/Torlakson, Ch. 80
JOBS-HOUSING BALANCE IMPROVEMENT

Establishes the Jobs-Housing Balance Improvement Program within the Department. Contains the Community Amenities and Development Program proposed by the Administration, renamed as a component of the Jobs-Housing Balance Improvement Program.


AJR 58/Firebaugh, Resolution Ch. 102 Effective 8/10/00
BROWNFIELD SITES REMEDIATION

Memorializes the President and the Congress of the United States to amend the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the use of tax-exempt private activity bonds to finance the assessment, acquisition, and remediation of brownfield sites.


SB 329/Peace, Ch. 764
SAN DIEGO REGIONAL GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY COMMISSION

Establishes the San Diego Regional Government Efficiency Commission, which is required to develop a plan for the consolidation of regional agencies within the San Diego region, and submit that plan to the Legislature before August 1, 2001. Requires an election by the voters to implement the Commission's plan.


SB 453/O'Connell, Ch. 26 Effective 5/24/00
CONDOMINIUM CONVERSIONS

Makes the voting requirements for owner approval consistent between the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act and the Subdivision Map Act, when converting community apartment projects and stock cooperatives to condominiums.


SB 1350/Senate Committee on Local Government, Ch. 506
OMNIBUS ACT 2000

Changes the date by when local planning agencies are to submit their annual report to their legislative bodies, the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, from July 1 to October 1.


SB 1966/Brulte, Ch. 496
COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL INITIATIVE MEASURES

Authorizes a governing entity to refer a proposed initiative measure to any county or city agency for a report on the effect of the measure on the ability of the county or city to meet its regional housing needs, the impact on funding for infrastructure, the community's ability to attract and retain business employment, the use of land, and the availability and location of housing.

HOUSING FINANCE

AB 905/Dutra, Ch. 10 Effective 4/6/00
MORTGAGE GUARANTEE INSURANCE

Allows mortgage guaranty insurance coverage on loans secured by first or junior liens to be increased from 97 percent to 100 percent of the loan amount.


AB 2033/Torlakson, Ch. 724
JOINT POWERS AGREEMENTS

Requires a copy of a resolution adopted by an authority authorizing bonds be sent by certified mail to the Attorney General and the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission not later than 5 days after the adoption of the authority.


AB 2157/Lowenthal, Ch. 553
MORTGAGE LOANS

Expands the definition of mortgage loan to include any loan that is made for financing that creates or preserves the long-term affordability of a housing development or residential structure.


AB 2865/Alquist, Ch. 81 Effective 7/5/00
HOMEBUYERS DOWN-PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Establishes the California Homebuyers Down-Payment Assistance Program, a program that authorizes the California Housing Finance Agency to provide low?interest rate, deferred payment junior mortgages to low and moderate-income first-time homebuyers.


SB 2197/Soto, Ch. 307
HOME PURCHASE ASSISTANCE

Repeals requirements of the Roberti-Greene Home Purchase Assistance Program; specifically, that the amount of home purchase assistance not exceed the amount necessary to make the total debt financing affordable to eligible households; that the principal and interest that is due be reduced if the proceeds of a sale are insufficient to reimburse the original down payment; and that not more than 50 percent of the assistance be provided for homes not previously occupied.

LANDLORD - TENANT

ACR 136/Oller Resolution, Ch. 86 Effective 6/29/00
AMERICAN FLAG

Makes a declaration that the California State Legislature encourage all homeowner associations and landlords to obey the law and allow residents and tenants to exercise their lawful rights to display the flag of the United States and that reasonable allowance be made to permit these displays.


SB 1745/Burton, Ch. 680
LANDLORD NOTIFICATION, RENT INCREASE

Requires that a landlord must notify tenants 60 days instead of 30 days of a proposed rent increase of more than 10 percent; simplifies the notification process that landlords are required to use when notifying tenants; and, sunsets on January 1, 2006.


SB 2143/Bowen, Ch. 234
NOTICE OF PEST CONTROL

Requires the landlord of a residential dwelling unit to provide each new tenant that occupies the unit with a copy of the notice provided by a registered structural pest control company if a contract for periodic pest control service has been executed. Also, requires the notice provided by the structural pest control company to contain information about the frequency of treatment if a contract for periodic pest control has been executed.

LOAN AND GRANT PROGRAMS

AB 1382/Lowenthal, Ch. 664
CODE ENFORCEMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM

Establishes a Community Code Enforcement Pilot Program, within the Code Enforcement Incentive Program, under which the Department of Housing and Community Development awards grants for localities to develop and implement an interdepartmental code enforcement program. Makes minor, clean-up amendments to the Code Enforcement Incentive Program (established by AB 2867/Lowenthal, Ch. 82/2000) to improve the implementation of the program.


AB 1901/Steinberg, Ch. 957
PREVAILING WAGE RATES

Requires prevailing wage rates be paid for the construction of projects that are funded by the Multifamily Housing Program or the Downtown Rebound Program.


AB 2008/Assembly Committee on HCD, Ch. 471
OMNIBUS ACT 2000

Enacts an omnibus measure for non-controversial amendments to State housing laws including making technical changes to laws regulating building standards, the mobilehome and mobilehome park industries, and publicly financed housing programs. Repeals the requirements for HCD to administer the Century Freeway Housing Program. (B-00-23)


AB 2867/Lowenthal, Ch. 82
CODE ENFORCEMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM

Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development, upon a legislative appropriation, to administer a locally matched grant program for cities and counties to expand staffing for building code enforcement efforts.


AB 2870/Cedillo, Ch. 83
DOWNTOWN REBOUND PROGRAM

Establishes the Downtown Rebound Program to provide financing to revitalize downtown and neighborhood areas, reduce development pressure on agricultural and open space resources, and provide working families with options to live close to their jobs.


SB 1593/Alarcon, Ch. 667
EMERGENCY HOUSING AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

See Homeless for description.


SB 1656/Alarcon, Ch. 84
CALHOME PROGRAM

Establishes the CalHome Program within the Department of Housing and Community Development to provide funds so that low- and very low-income households can become or remain homeowners. Also, specifies that the existing California Housing Trust Fund in the State Treasury be capitalized and used for investing in securities that would deliver the greatest rate of return.

MOBILEHOMES/MOBILEHOME PARKS

AB 984/Correa, Ch. 23
MOBILEHOMES AND MANUFACTURED HOUSING: REGISTRATION DECALS

Deletes the requirement that the registration decal provided by the Department of Housing and Community Development for manufactured homes, mobilehomes and commercial coaches have provisions for indicating the current status of any registration fee. (B-00-21)


AB 1912/Torlakson, Ch. 566
PARK TRAILERS

Changes, among other things, the definition of a park trailer.


AB 2008/Assembly Committee on HCD, Ch. 471
OMNIBUS ACT 2000

Enacts an omnibus measure for non-controversial amendments to State housing laws including making technical changes to laws regulating building standards, the mobilehome and mobilehome park industries, and publicly financed housing programs. (B-00-23)


AB 2015/Dickerson, Ch. 542
CAMPING CABINS

Permits camping cabins to be rented out or leased in recreational vehicle and state parks.


AB 2256/Correa, Ch. 555
MOBILEHOME DEALERS LICENSES

Allows a combination of experience patterns to qualify a candidate for a manufactured home dealer's license; clarifies that certain education and experience prerequisites apply only to a manufactured home dealer's license; and raises the maximum amount that may be paid to a defrauded claimant from the Manufactured Home Recovery Fund from $40,000 to $75,000. (B-00-24)


SB 1627/Dunn, Ch. 433
MOBILEHOME PARKS: FIRE PROTECTION

Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development , in consultation with local firefighting agencies, to adopt and implement regulations that require regular maintenance, periodic inspection, and periodic testing of fire hydrants in mobilehome parks; and permits a city, county, city and county, or special district to enforce specified parts of its fire prevention code in mobilehome parks.

MOBILEHOME RESIDENCY LAW

AB 860/Thomson, Ch. 551
PETS, MOBILEHOMES AND COMMON INTEREST DEVELOPMENTS

Provides that no lease agreement made on or after January 1, 2001, shall prohibit a mobilehome owner or the owner of a separate interest within a common interest development from keeping a pet, subject to reasonable rules or regulations of the park or homeowner's association.


AB 862/Correa, Ch. 423
MOBILEHOME PARKS, LANDSCAPING AND DRIVEWAYS

Clarifies the responsibilities of mobilehome park management and mobilehome owners related to the maintenance of and costs related to maintenance of trees and driveways in mobilehome parks.


AB 2239/Corbett, Ch. 554
MOBILEHOMES SALES AND TRANSFERS

Limits the types of repairs or improvements that park management of a mobilehome park can require when the mobilehome owner is selling or transferring the mobilehome; and provides that management may only require repairs or improvements to a mobilehome that are based upon a local ordinance or state statute or regulation.


SB 1612/Chesbro, Ch. 232
MOBILEHOME PARKS, LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS

Extends the price limit mobilehome park management can charge a park resident for liquefied petroleum (LP) gas, to mobilehome parks where federal, state or local law prohibits tenants from purchasing their own LP gas supply tanks.

REDEVELOPMENT

AB 950/Thomson, Ch. 469
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE RETENTION PROGRAM

Extends the sunset date from January 1, 2001 to January 1, 2006, that authorizes the redevelopment agencies for the County of Solano and the Cities of Fairfield, Suisun City, and Vacaville to expend tax increment funds generally designated for low- and moderate-income housing within territorial limits and to develop housing outside those entities' territorial jurisdictions in order to implement the Travis Air Force Base Retention Program.


AB 1855/Lowenthal, Ch. 756
EXTENDS SUNSET DATE

Extends the sunset date until January 1, 2002 for redevelopment law provisions pertaining to redevelopment agencies' production of inclusionary units. Also, allows Contra Costa County Redevelopment Agency to use low- and moderate-income housing funds anywhere in the unincorporated territory.


AB 2041/Dutra, Ch. 552
JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY

Permits redevelopment agencies to create and participate in a joint powers authority for the purpose of pooling local low- and moderate-income housing funds for affordable housing uses outside the jurisdiction of the redevelopment agency.


SB 766/Escutia, Ch. 766 Effective 9/27/00
CITY OF SOUTH GATE

Exempts the adoption of a redevelopment plan for a specified area of the City of South Gate from various requirements pertaining to a remedy to remove hazardous substances. Also, requires the city to create a citizens' advisory committee to advise the redevelopment agency on development of the project area.


SB 2113/Burton, Ch. 661
DEADLINE EXTENSION: SAN FRANCISCO

Authorizes the Redevelopment Agency of the City and County of San Francisco to continue to borrow funds exclusively for Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund activities until January 1, 2014 or until the agency replaces all of the housing units demolished prior to the requirement for replacement housing obligations.

SENIOR HOUSING

AB 1493/Nakano, Ch. 291 Effective 9/5/00
RECORDING DOCUMENTS: RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS

See Discrimination/Fair Housing for description.


AB 1846/Lowenthal, Ch. 797
INFORMATION AND SUPPORT CENTER

Establishes the Senior Housing Information and Support Center within the California Department of Aging for the purpose of providing information and training relating to specified subjects, including housing options and home modification alternatives designed to support independent living, and available innovative resources and senior services.


SB 2011/Escutia, Ch. 1004
SENIOR HOUSING

Revises the definition of senior citizen housing development for all counties except the County of Riverside to mean a residential development that has at least 35 dwelling units. Also, revises the definition of senior citizen housing development for the County of Riverside to mean a residential development developed with more than 20 units as a senior community by its developer and zoned as a senior community by local governmental entities.

SMART GROWTH

AB 2054/Torlakson, Ch. 665
JOBS-HOUSING BALANCE IMPROVEMENT

See Housing Elements, Land Use and Planning for description.


AB 2864/Torlakson, Ch. 80
JOBS-HOUSING BALANCE IMPROVEMENT

See Housing Elements, Land Use and Planning for description.

TAX CREDITS

AB 1626/Torlakson, Ch. 3 Effective 2/23/00
LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT

Increases the dollar ceiling on the amount of the state's low-income housing tax credits that may be allocated annually from $35 million to $50 million for the 1999 calendar year and each calendar year thereafter.


AB 1811/Reyes, Ch. 311 Effective 9/7/00
FARMWORKER TAX CREDIT

See Farmworker and Employee Housing for description.


AB 2060/Steinberg, Ch. 331
FEDERAL TAX CREDITS: HOUSING FOR TEACHERS

Makes a legislative declaration that a substantial public benefit is served by providing federal tax credits or reduced interest rate mortgages to assist teachers, principals, vice principals, and assistant principals who are willing to serve in low performing schools to purchase a home. Also, authorizes the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee to establish the Extra Credit Teacher Home Purchase Program to provide federal mortgage credit certificates and reduced interest rate loans funded by mortgage revenue bonds to eligible teachers, principals, vice principals, and assistant principals who agree to teach or provide administration in a low performing school.

TAXATION

AB 858/Kuehl, Ch. 106 Effective 7/10/00
VEHICLE LICENSE FEE OFFSETS

Accelerates vehicle license fee offsets with a final due date in 2001 or 2002, to include an additional offset that is equal to the difference between an offset of 67.5% and the greater of a 35% offset or the percentage offset applicable under current law.


AB 2229/Wiggins, Ch. 606
PROPERTY TAXATION: SALE OF DEFAULTED PROPERTY

Revises and recasts procedures and provisions allowed a county tax collector to prohibit a sale of tax-defaulted property after the filing of an objection and application by a public agency, and requires that a nonprofit organization file an objection and application to a sale of tax-defaulted property before the giving of notice of sale under a specified statute.


SB 2084/Polanco, Ch. 861 Effective 9/29/00
REMOVAL OF TRAILERS, VEHICLE LICENSE FEE LAW

Enacts the Commercial Vehicle Registration Act of 2001, removes trailers and semitrailers from the Vehicle License Fee Law and exempts from personal property taxation, a commercial motor vehicle or commercial trailer or semitrailer.

MISCELLANEOUS

AB 1740/Ducheny, Ch. 52 Effective 6/30/00
2000-01 BUDGET

Establishes budgets and appropriations for all state agencies and departments.


AB 2778/Jackson, Ch. 548
CHILD CARE FACILITIES

Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to contract with a nonprofit organization that has staff with expertise in financing and capital expansion, are knowledgeable about the child care field, and have the ability to develop and implement a plan to increase the availability of financing to renovate, expand, and construct child day care facilities. Requires the superintendent to submit the report and any comments or recommendations by the State Department of Education to the policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature and to the Governor by September 30, 2001.