State of California Housing Agency Act.

(1) Existing law establishes various agencies within the executive branch of state government, including the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. Under existing law, the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency is comprised of the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Department of Business Oversight, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board, the California Horse Racing Board, and the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission. Existing law establishes, within the Department of Housing and Community Development, the California Housing Finance Agency which is administered by a board of 13 voting members, including the Secretary of Business, Consumer Services, and Housing. Under existing law, the Department of Consumer Affairs includes, among other entities, the Contractors' State License Board, the Bureau of Real Estate, and the Structural Pest Control Board. This bill would establish in state government the Housing Agency, comprised of the Department of Housing and Community Development; the Bureau of Real Estate, which this bill would redesignate as the Department of Real Estate; the Contractors' State License Board; the Structural Pest Control Board; and the Department of Real Estate Finance, which this bill would also establish. The bill would redesignate the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency as the Business and Consumer Services Agency, transfer certain duties of that agency to the Housing Agency, and make other conforming changes. (2) Existing law establishes in state government the Bureau of Real Estate, headed by a Real Estate Commissioner appointed by the Governor. Existing law requires the Real Estate Commissioner to enforce, among other laws, the Real Estate Law, which provides for the licensure of real estate brokers and salespersons. This bill would establish the Department of Real Estate Finance, headed by a Director of Real Estate Finance appointed by the Governor. The bill would require the director to execute the Real Estate Appraiser's Licensing and Certification Law, the Escrow Law, provisions of the California Finance Lenders Law as they pertain to mortgage loan origination services and housing purchase and refinance lending activities, the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act, specified provisions pertaining to title and mortgage insurance, and laws regulating business activities as those laws pertain to the activities of home warranty companies. The bill would make various conforming changes to these laws. (3) This bill would provide that its provisions shall be known, and may be cited, as the State of California Housing Agency Act. The bill would make various findings and declarations.