Housing

Existing law, the Mobilehome Residency Law, governs the terms and conditions of residency in mobilehome parks and prescribes the content of a rental agreement for a tenancy. Existing law requires that a copy of the Mobilehome Residency Law be provided as an exhibit and incorporated into the rental agreement by reference, as specified. Existing law also requires that a copy of a specified notice containing the rights and responsibilities of homeowners and park managers be included in the rental agreement and requires management to provide a copy of the notice to all homeowners each year, as specified. Existing law requires these and other notices required by the Mobilehome Residency Law to be either personally delivered to the homeowner or sent by mail, as specified, to the homeowner, unless otherwise provided. Existing law allows all notices required by the Mobilehome Residency Law to be delivered before February 1 of each year to be combined into one notice, as specified. This bill would, instead, require notices required by the Mobilehome Residency Law to be delivered to both the homeowner and resident of the mobilehome. The bill would also authorize the notices required by the Mobilehome Residency Law to be delivered prior to February 1 of each year to be delivered by electronic mail if the homeowner or resident has provided affirmative, written consent, as defined. The bill would allow a homeowner or resident to revoke their consent to receive notices by electronic mail at any time, without any fee, charge, or penalty, and without any impact to the terms of their tenancy, as specified. The bill would require management to deliver personally or by mail to the homeowner or resident a notice stating that the homeowner or resident has agreed to receive notices by electronic mail and may revoke this agreement, as provided. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes reflective of existing law, as provided.

Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, establishes the Civil Rights Department within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and sets forth its powers and duties relating to enforcement of civil rights laws and assistance to communities in resolving disputes, disagreements, or difficulties relating to discriminatory practices. This bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature and commencing on or before the later of either July 1, 2026, or one year after the date of the appropriation, would require the department to create and implement statewide and regional radio, social media, and television campaigns for the purposes of discouraging discrimination. The bill would require the department to convene a working group to develop a plan to implement the campaigns above. The bill would exempt the working group from the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.

Existing law regulates the terms and conditions of residential tenancies, including generally limiting the amount of security that a landlord may demand or receive to an amount or value equivalent to one month's rent, as provided, and allowing a landlord to claim of the security only those amounts as are reasonably necessary for specified purposes. Existing law defines a security for these purposes as any payment, fee, deposit, or charge, including any payment, fee, deposit, or charge, except as specified, that is imposed at a tenancy's beginning to reimburse a landlord for costs associated with processing a new tenant or that is imposed as an advance payment of rent, used for any purpose. Existing law requires a landlord to provide a tenant a copy of an itemized statement, as specified, and return the security's remaining portion to the tenant by personal delivery or by first-class mail, postage prepaid, no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant has vacated the premises, as specified. Existing law authorizes a landlord and tenant to mutually agree to have the landlord deposit electronically the security's remaining portion to a bank account or other financial institution designated by the tenant or provide a copy of the itemized statement to an email account provided by the tenant. This bill would revise these provisions to generally require the landlord to return the security by personal delivery or by check made payable to the tenant. If the landlord received the security or rental payments from the tenant electronically, the bill would instead require the landlord to return the remainder of the security electronically, as specified, unless the landlord and tenant designated another method of return, by written agreement. If the landlord received the security or rental payments from the tenant electronically, the bill would require the landlord to notify the tenant in writing of the tenant's right to receive the security electronically pursuant to these provisions, as specified. The bill would also instead authorize the landlord and tenant to mutually agree, as specified, to provide the itemized statement by either email to an email account provided by the tenant or mail by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to an address provided by the tenant. If multiple adult tenants reside in the unit, the bill would require the landlord to return the remainder of the security by a check made payable to all adult tenants, as specified, and provide the itemized statement by personal delivery or first-class mail, postage prepaid, to any one of the adult tenants chosen by the landlord, unless the landlord and all adult tenants, at the commencement of the tenancy or at any time during or after the tenancy, enter into a mutual written agreement containing specified provisions.

The California Coastal Act of 1976, which is administered by the California Coastal Commission, requires a person wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone to obtain a coastal development permit. The act provides for the submission and approval of long-range land use development plans as an alternative to project-by-project review to promote greater efficiency for the planning of public works or state university or college or private university development projects and provides for amendments to those plans. The act places limits on the conditions the commission may impose on projects contained in a plan that has been certified by the commission. The act authorizes the commission to, after a public hearing, by regulation, adopt procedures for the issuance by the executive director of the commission of waivers from coastal development permit requirements for any development that is de minimis, as specified. This bill would require the commission to defer to the state university or college or private university in determining the number of vehicle parking spaces necessary for residents of student, faculty, or staff housing facilities, as provided. The bill would authorize the executive director to determine that a proposed amendment to a public works plan or long-range development plan is de minimis and would provide the procedures for the determination and approval of amendments that are de minimis. The bill would require the commission to track and publish on a public portion of its internet website any public works plans or long-range development plans, amendments to public works plans or long-range development plans, and notices of impending development submitted by a state university or college or private university to the commission for approval, as specified.

Existing law, the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, authorizes specified adult persons to petition a civil court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or a court-ordered CARE plan and implement services, to be provided by county behavioral health agencies, to provide behavioral health care, including stabilization medication, housing, and other enumerated services, to adults who are currently experiencing a severe mental illness and have a diagnosis identified in the disorder class schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, and who meet other specified criteria. Existing law authorizes a specified individual to commence the CARE process, known as the original petitioner. Existing law authorizes the court to dismiss a case without prejudice when the court finds that a petitioner has not made a prima facie showing that they qualify for the CARE process. Existing law requires the court to take prescribed actions if it finds that a prima facie showing has been made, including, but not limited to, setting the matter for an initial appearance on the petition. Existing law requires the court, if it determines the parties have entered or are likely to enter into a CARE agreement, to either approve or modify the CARE agreement and continue the matter at a progress hearing in 60 days, or continue the matter for 14 days to allow the parties additional time to enter into an agreement. Existing law prohibits a person from being tried or adjudged to punishment while that person is mentally incompetent. Existing law requires the court to, for a person found mentally incompetent and not charged with certain offenses, among other things, determine whether restoring the person to mental competence is in the interests of justice. Existing law requires the court to, if restoring the person to mental competence is not in the interests of justice, conduct a hearing, as specified, and determine the person's eligibility for diversion. Under existing law, if the court determines, at the first hearing, that the person is ineligible for diversion, the court is required to hold a hearing to determine the person's other options, including the CARE program. Existing law authorizes a court to refer an individual from, among other things, assisted outpatient treatment or conservatorship proceedings, as specified, to CARE Act proceedings. Existing law provides that if the individual is referred from assisted outpatient treatment, the county behavioral health director or their designee shall be the petitioner, whereas if the referral is from conservatorship proceedings, the conservator or proposed conservator is the petitioner. This bill would allow the court to make a prima facie determination without conducting a hearing. The bill, in the first hearing to determine competence to stand trial, would authorize the court to consider the petitioner's eligibility for both diversion and the CARE program. The bill would authorize the court to refer the petitioner to the CARE Act court if the defendant or counsel for the defendant agrees to the referral and the court has reason to believe the petitioner may be eligible for the CARE program. If the petitioner is not accepted into the CARE program or if the CARE Act court refers the petitioner back to criminal court, as specified, the bill would require the criminal court to conduct a hearing to determine whether the petitioner is eligible for a diversion program. The bill would authorize the county behavioral health agency and jail medical providers to share confidential medical records and other relevant information with the court for the purpose of determining likelihood of eligibility for behavioral health services and programs. The bill would authorize the court to call additional progress hearings after 60 days. The bill would also include persons suffering from bipolar I disorder with psychotic features, except for psychosis related to current intoxication, in the disorder class. The bill would additionally authorize a court to refer an individual from felony proceedings, as specified, to the CARE Act program. The bill would authorize a CARE Act court to consider a referral as a petition for participation in the CARE program if certain requirements are met. The bill would make additional technical and conforming changes. Existing law requires the Judicial Council to develop a mandatory form for use to file a CARE process petition with the court, and requires the petition to be signed under penalty of perjury and include either an affidavit of a licensed behavioral health professional, as defined, or evidence that the respondent was detained for a minimum of 2 intensive treatments, as specified. The bill would additionally include a nurse practitioner and physician assistant as a licensed behavioral health professional for purposes of individuals authorized to prepare an affidavit supporting a CARE process petition. By increasing various duties on county behavioral health agencies, this bill would impose 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

(1) Existing law, the Bergeson-Peace Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank Act, establishes the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (I-Bank) in the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development. Existing law, among other things, authorizes the I-Bank to issue bonds, make loans, and provide financial assistance for various types of projects that qualify as economic development or public development facilities. This bill would enact the Community Stabilization Act. The bill would require the I-Bank to develop and administer a program to issue a security, and to cease issuing a security on January 1, 2030. The bill would specify that the purpose of the program is to help stabilize property values in disaster-affected areas by allowing qualified investors, as defined, to purchase tradable securities, with the funding allocated to qualifying investment entities that purchase and manage residential land until it can be resold at fair market value. The bill would require profits from the land investments to be shared among investors and the I-Bank according to certain percentages, with qualifying investment entities being reimbursed for their administrative costs. This bill would establish various requirements for the security, including that it be tradeable, comply with specified municipal bonding requirements, and that it be funded by investments made by qualified investors using funds available pursuant to the federal Community Reinvestment Act of 1977. The bill would require the security to repay the investment upon a liquidity event and within 7 years of the purchase of an investment property, and would describe a liquidity event as the refinance or sale of the investment property. This bill would require funds raised from the purchase of the security to be deposited in the Community Stabilization Fund, which would be created by the bill, and would require all moneys in the fund to be continuously appropriated to the I-Bank. The bill would require the I-Bank to allocate moneys in the fund to qualifying investment entities to be invested in the Counties of Los Angeles and Ventura and in those areas that are covered by a state of disaster declared by the Governor. The bill would require a qualifying investment entity to meet prescribed requirements, including that it be a specified entity, including, among others, a nonprofit organization, as provided. The bill would also impose various requirements on the qualifying investment entity relating to the purchase, maintenance, and sale of the investment property, including, among other things, limiting the purchase of property to residential property that has been damaged or destroyed by the wildfires that began on January 7, 2025, in the Counties of Los Angeles and Ventura, as specified. The bill would require the I-Bank to submit a final report on the program to the Legislature, the Governor, and the Department of Finance no later than January 1, 2034, as specified. By establishing a new continuously appropriated fund, the Community Stabilization Fund, this bill would make an appropriation. (2) This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Los Angeles and Ventura. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Under existing law, a "heritage school" is a school that, among other things, offers education or academic tutoring, or both, in a world language and education on the culture, traditions, or history of a country other than the United States to children who are at least 4 years and 9 months of age and no older than 18 years of age and who attend a public or private full-time day school. Existing law exempts a heritage school from licensure by the State Department of Social Services as a child day care center, as specified. This bill would expand the definition of "heritage school" to also include a school that provides services to children younger than 4 years and 9 months of age who are enrolled in kindergarten, including transitional kindergarten, or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires a heritage school, upon a pupil's enrollment in a heritage school, to provide a notice to the pupil's parent or guardian stating that the heritage school is exempt from childcare licensure and that attendance at a heritage school does not satisfy California's compulsory education requirements. This bill would require a heritage school, upon a pupil's enrollment in a heritage school, to also provide notice that the State Department of Education has no regulatory authority over heritage schools and does not monitor heritage school operations or instruction.

Existing law establishes the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program of 2019 (program) , which requires the Department of Housing and Community Development, upon appropriation of funds by the Legislature, to establish and administer a grant program to allocate those funds to eligible applicants to fund capital improvement projects that are an integral part of, or necessary to facilitate the development of, a qualifying infill project, qualifying infill area, or catalytic qualifying infill area. Existing law requires the department to administer a specified competitive application process for capital improvement projects for large jurisdictions, as defined. For these purposes, existing law defines a qualifying infill project to include a residential or mixed-use residential project located within an urbanized area on a vacant site where at least 75% of the perimeter of the site adjoins parcels that are developed with urban uses. This bill would expand the definition of qualifying infill project to include a residential or mixed-use residential project located within an urbanized area on a vacant site where at least 75% of the perimeter of the site adjoins parcels that have been previously developed with urban uses. Existing law requires the department to administer an over-the-counter application process for grants for capital improvement projects for small jurisdictions, as provided. For these purposes, existing law defines the term "qualifying infill area" as a contiguous area located within an urbanized area that meets one of specified alternative conditions, including that the capital improvement project for which funding is requested is necessary, as specified, to make the area suitable and available for residential development or to allow the area to accommodate housing for additional income levels, and that the area may be included on an inventory of land in the housing element, as specified. This bill would expand the definition of "qualifying infill area" to additionally include a contiguous area located within an urbanized area for which the capital improvement project for which funding is requested under the program, as described above, is necessary and integral to make the area suitable and available for residential development pursuant to the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022, which subjects a housing development to streamlined, ministerial approval under certain circumstances, as specified. Existing law requires the department, in its review of applications, to rank affected qualifying infill areas and catalytic qualifying infill areas based on specified criteria, including the qualifying infill area's or catalytic qualifying infill area's inclusion of, or proximity to, a train station or major transit stop and the proximity of housing to existing or planned parks, employment or retail centers, schools, or social services. This bill would revise these provisions to require the department to additionally rank applications, as described above, based on the qualifying infill area's inclusion of, or proximity or accessibility to on-demand transit services, as specified, or walkability to essential services or businesses and based on the catalytic qualifying infill area's inclusion of, or proximity or accessibility to walkability to essential services or businesses. The bill would additionally revise these provisions to require the department's ranking to be based on the proximity of housing to services, rather than social services. Existing law requires a qualifying infill project, qualifying infill area, or catalytic qualifying infill area for which a capital improvement project grant can be awarded under the program to meet specified conditions, including, among others, being located in an area designated for mixed-use or residential development, as specified. This bill would additionally allow the project to be located in an area that allows for mixed-use or residential development pursuant to a housing development that is in compliance with certain provisions deeming a housing development an allowable use or subject to streamlined, ministerial approval. Existing law defines various terms for the purposes of the program, including, "capital improvement project," "catalytic qualifying infill area," "eligible applicant," "urbanized area," and "urban uses." This bill would revise these definitions. The bill would additionally define the terms "on-demand transit service," "major transit stop," and "walkability."

Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which is permitted to adjudge children who have suffered abuse or neglect to be dependents of the court under certain circumstances, and prescribes various hearings and other procedures for these purposes. Existing law requires the county welfare department to submit reports at the first regularly scheduled review hearing after a dependent minor has attained 16 years of age and at the last regularly scheduled review hearing before a dependent minor attains 18 years of age, and at every regularly scheduled review hearing thereafter, verifying that the county welfare department has provided certain information, documents, and services to the minor or nonminor. Existing law prohibits the court from terminating dependency jurisdiction over a nonminor dependent until the county welfare department has submitted a report verifying specified information, documents, and services have been provided to the nonminor, including the nonminor's family history and placement history. This bill would additionally require the above-described assistance include providing the minor or nonminor the last known whereabouts of their parents and siblings and the last known contact information for them. The bill would require that the minor or nonminor have the option to decline this information. By increasing the duties of county welfare departments, this bill would impose 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. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 391 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 2764 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2764 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Existing law, the Sargent Shriver Civil Counsel Act, requires legal counsel to be appointed to represent low-income parties in civil matters involving critical issues affecting basic human needs in courts selected by the Judicial Council. The act requires the Judicial Council to develop one or more programs to provide competitive grants to provide legal counsel to low-income persons who require legal services in civil matters involving specific types of civil matters, including, among others, housing-related matters, probate conservatorships, guardianships, and domestic violence and civil harassment restraining orders. Existing law requires the Judicial Council to consider various factors, including, among others, the unmet need for legal services in the geographic area to be served, in selecting and renewing participating programs. Existing law requires program applicants to, among other things, describe how the program would be administered and the means by which the program would serve the particular needs of the community, such as by providing representation to limited-English-speaking clients. This bill would require courts to provide the Judicial Council each month with information regarding unlawful detainer cases, as specified, aggregated by ZIP Code. The bill would require the Judicial Council to make that information publicly available online every 4 months.