UNITY Act: affordable housing software.

The Permit Streamlining Act, among other things, requires each state agency and each local agency to compile one or more lists that specify in detail the information that will be required from any applicant for a development project and requires a public agency that is the lead agency for a development project to approve or disapprove that project within specified time periods. This bill would enact the UNITY Act (act) , which requires the development of UNITY software for purposes of rapidly processing affordable housing applications on a single, shared platform, among other purposes. The bill would require, upon appropriation by the Legislature of no more than $5,000,000 in the Budget Act or other statute, a state agency to develop and implement, or procure a contract for a third party to develop and implement, UNITY software pursuant to the act. The bill would require the UNITY software to be developed in 3 phases, as described, within one year of appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would require the state agency or third party developing the software to collaborate with real estate developers when developing the software.