Residential property: possession by declaration.

Until January 1, 2018, existing law permits an owner of specified residential property in the Cities of Palmdale and Lancaster in the County of Los Angeles or the City of Ukiah in the County of Mendocino to register vacant real property with the local law enforcement agency and to execute, under penalty of perjury, a Declaration of Ownership of Residential Real Property that may be filed with the local law enforcement agency of the jurisdiction in which the property is located. Existing law requires the local law enforcement agency with which the property is registered to respond as soon as practicable after being notified that an unauthorized person has been found on the property and take specified action, including requiring a person who is found on the property to produce written authorization to be on the property or other evidence demonstrating the person's right to possession, and notifying any person who does not produce that authorization or other evidence that the owner or owner's agency may seek to obtain a court order and that the person will be subject to arrest for trespass if he or she is subsequently found on the property in violation of that order. This bill would extend the sunset date for these provisions until January 1, 2020. The bill would also make its provisions applicable to the County of San Bernardino and its cities, if the county or city adopts an ordinance or resolution indicating the intent of the city or county to participate, as specified. By extending the sunset date, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program by extending the time in which cities currently subject to the program must continue to comply and by expanding the scope of the crime of perjury. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.