Residential care facilities for the elderly.

Existing law, the California Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly Act (act) , requires the State Department of Social Services to license, inspect, and regulate residential care facilities for the elderly and imposes criminal penalties on a person who violates the act or who willfully or repeatedly violates any rule or regulation adopted under the act. Under existing law, whether or not unrelated persons are living together, a residential care facility for the elderly that serves 6 or fewer persons is considered a residential use of property, as specified. Existing law makes certain violations of the act a crime. This bill would revise those provisions by deleting the restriction to facilities that serve 6 or fewer and instead referring to residential care facilities for the elderly that are licensed by the State Department of Social Services and provide onsite services. The bill would also require that such a facility that has greater than 6 beds reserve a minimum of 30% of the additional beds for low-income individuals or recipients of specified benefits. By expanding the number of facilities subject to the provisions of the act, thereby expanding the crimes associated with the act, and by creating a new crime this bill would establish a state-mandated local program. 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.