Existing law establishes various housing programs administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development, including the Multifamily Housing Program, pursuant to which the department provides financial assistance in the form of deferred payment loans to pay for the eligible costs of development for specified types of housing projects. Existing law also establishes the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program, administered by the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, for the purpose of providing jurisdictions with one-time grant funds to support regional coordination and expand or develop local capacity to address their immediate homelessness challenges, as provided. Existing law requires that the California Workforce Development Board and each local workforce development board ensure that programs and services funded by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 and directed to apprenticeable occupations are conducted in coordination with apprenticeship programs approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, as specified. Existing law also establishes the Strategic Growth Council and, among other things, requires the council to manage and award grants and loans to support the planning and development of sustainable communities. Existing law also establishes the State Coastal Conservancy in the Natural Resources Agency with prescribed powers and responsibilities for implementing a program of agricultural land protection, area restoration, and resources enhancement within the coastal zone, as defined. Existing law establishes the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, known as "GO-Biz," within the Governor's office to serve the Governor as the lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth. This bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature, would make up to $2,000,000,000 available in each fiscal year for the purpose of providing emergency economic recovery and development, climate change, and disaster response. Of the amount made available for any fiscal year, the bill would require the Controller to allocate $1,808,000,000, or a proportional amount of the total available amount for the applicable fiscal year, among various housing programs administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program, and for distribution by the California Workforce Development Board among local agencies to participate in, invest in, or partner with new or existing preapprenticeship training programs established as described above. The bill would require the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency to establish deadlines for applications and submitting final reports under the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program with respect to moneys allocated to that program under the bill. Of the amount made available for any fiscal year under its provisions, the bill would require the Controller to allocate $192,000,000, or a proportional amount of the total available amount for the applicable fiscal year, to the State Coastal Conservancy, the Strategic Growth Council, and GO-Biz, to be used for the Climate, Sea Level, and Natural Disaster Program and the Community Economic Development Program. The bill would require the State Coastal Conservancy and the Strategic Growth Council, in consultation with the Office of Planning and Research or any other appropriate state agency, to allocate $100,000,000, or a proportional amount, under the Climate, Sea Level, and Natural Disaster Program among specified eligible entities for the purpose of protecting communities dealing with the effects of climate change, as specified. The bill would require GO-Biz, in consultation with the Department of Housing and Community Development and any other appropriate state agency, council, or department, to allocate $92,000,000, or a proportional amount, under the Community Economic Development Program among these specified eligible entities for various purposes relating to community development. The bill would require eligible applicants to comply with specified requirements, including submitting plans for outreach to, and retention of, women, minority, disadvantaged youth, formerly incarcerated, and other underrepresented subgroups and, subject to certain exceptions, certifying that a skilled and trained workforce, as defined, will be used to complete any project funded under those programs. By requiring the certification of certain information, thereby expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, the 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.
Sponsored bills
The Planning and Zoning Law requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for its physical development, and the development of certain lands outside its boundaries, that includes, among other mandatory elements, a housing element. Existing law requires that the housing element include, among other things, an inventory of land suitable and available for residential development. If the inventory of sites does not identify adequate sites to accommodate the need for groups of all households pursuant to specified law, existing law requires the local government to rezone sites within specified time periods and that this rezoning accommodate 100% of the need for housing for very low and low-income households on sites that will be zoned to permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily residential use by right for specified developments. This bill, the Neighborhood Homes Act, would deem a housing development project, as defined, an allowable use on a neighborhood lot, which is defined as a parcel within an office or retail commercial zone. The bill would require the density for a housing development under these provisions to meet or exceed the density deemed appropriate to accommodate housing for lower income households according to the type of local jurisdiction, including a density of at least 20 units per acre for a suburban jurisdiction. The bill would require the housing development to meet all other local requirements for a neighborhood lot, other than those that prohibit residential use, or allow residential use at a lower density than that required by the bill. The bill would provide that a housing development under these provisions is subject to the local zoning, parking, design, and other ordinances, local code requirements, and procedures applicable to the processing and permitting of a housing development in a zone that allows for the housing with the density required by the act. The bill would also require that a housing development under these provisions comply with public notice, comment, hearing, or other procedures applicable to a housing development in a zone with the applicable density. The bill would provide that the existing zoning designation applies if the existing zoning designation for the parcel allows residential use at a density greater than that required by these provisions. The bill would require a local agency to require that a rental of any unit created pursuant to the bill's provisions be for a term longer than 30 days. The bill would authorize a local agency to exempt a neighborhood lot from these provisions in its land use element of the general plan if the local agency concurrently reallocates the lost residential density to other lots so that there is no net loss in residential density in the jurisdiction, as provided. The bill would specify that it does not alter or affect the application of any housing, environmental, or labor law applicable to a housing development authorized by these provisions, including, but not limited to, the California Coastal Act, the California Environmental Quality Act, the Housing Accountability Act, obligations to affirmatively further fair housing, and any state or local affordability laws or tenant protection laws. The bill would require an applicant of a housing development under these provisions to provide notice of a pending application to each commercial tenant of the neighborhood lot. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by the Neighborhood Homes Act address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. The Housing Accountability Act, which is part of the Planning and Zoning Law, prohibits a local agency from disapproving, or conditioning approval in a manner that renders infeasible, a housing development project, as defined for purposes of the act, for very low, low-, or moderate-income households or an emergency shelter unless the local agency makes specified written findings based on a preponderance of the evidence in the record. That act states that it shall not be construed to prohibit a local agency from requiring a housing development project to comply with objective, quantifiable, written development standards, conditions, and policies appropriate to, and consistent with, meeting the jurisdiction's share of the regional housing need, except as provided. That act further provides that a housing development project or emergency shelter shall be deemed consistent, compliant, and in conformity with an applicable plan, program, policy, ordinance, standard, requirement, or other similar provision if there is substantial evidence that would allow a reasonable person to conclude that the housing development project or emergency shelter is consistent, compliant, or in conformity. The bill would provide that for purposes of the Housing Accountability Act, a proposed housing development project is consistent, compliant, and in conformity with an applicable plan, program, policy, ordinance, standard, requirement, or other similar provision if the housing development project is consistent with the standards applied to the parcel pursuant to specified provisions of the Neighborhood Homes Act and if none of the square footage in the project is designated for hotel, motel, bed and breakfast inn, or other transient lodging use, except for a residential hotel, as defined. The Planning and Zoning Law, until January 1, 2026, also authorizes a development proponent to submit an application for a multifamily housing development that is subject to a streamlined, ministerial approval process, as provided, and not subject to a conditional use permit, if the development satisfies specified objective planning standards, including a requirement that the site on which the development is proposed is zoned for residential use or residential mixed-use development, or has a general plan designation that allows residential use or a mix of residential and nonresidential uses, with at least 23 of the square footage of the development designated for residential use. Under that law, the proposed development is also required to be consistent with objective zoning standards, objective subdivision standards, and objective design review standards in effect at the time the development is submitted to the local government. This bill would permit the development to be proposed for a site zoned for office or retail commercial use if the site has had no commercial tenants on 50% or more of its total usable net interior square footage for a period of at least 3 years prior to the submission of the application. The bill would also provide that a project located on a neighborhood lot, as defined, shall be deemed consistent with objective zoning standards, objective design standards, and objective subdivision standards if the project is consistent with the applicable provisions of the Neighborhood Homes Act. The Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act of 1982 authorizes a local agency to establish a community facilities district to finance various services, including police protection, fire protection, recreation programs, and library services, and provides for the annexation of territory to an existing community facilities district. This bill would authorize an applicant seeking to develop a housing project on a neighborhood lot to request that a local agency establish a Mello-Roos Community Facilities District, or to request that the neighborhood lot be annexed to an existing community facilities district, as specified, to finance improvements and services to the units proposed to be developed. The bill would prohibit any further proceedings to be taken to annex the territory, or to authorize that annexation in the future, for a period of one year from the decision of the legislative body at the hearing on the annexation if a specified number or groups of persons, including 50% or more of the registered voters or 6 registered voters, whichever is more, residing within the territory proposed for annexation or proposed to be annexed in the future, file written protests with the legislative body. The bill would prohibit a local agency from imposing any development, impact, or mitigation fee, charge, or exaction in connection with the approval of a development project to the extent that those facilities and services are funded by a community facilities district established pursuant to these provisions. By imposing new duties on local agencies with regard to local planning and zoning, 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.
Existing law authorizes the Director of General Services, with the approval of the Adjutant General, to lease and sell real property held for armory purposes, subject to legislative approval. Under existing law, an armory shall be offered for sale to a local agency, as defined, before being offered for sale to private entities or individuals. Existing law requires the Department of General Services to maintain a list of armories authorized for sale on its internet website. Existing law establishes the Armory Fund and requires that the new proceeds from the sale or lease of armories be deposited into the fund, for use, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for specified purposes related to armories. This bill would direct the director, when an armory has not sold after being listed as available on the department's internet website for 2 years, and when requested and approved by the Adjutant General, to make an armory available for sale or transfer to a local agency for an amount determined by the Adjutant General to be in the best interests of the state.
The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 requires the Director of Transportation, upon consultation with the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, to review and modify all bid specifications relating to the purchase of paving materials and base, subbase, and pervious backfill materials using certain recycled materials. Existing law requires the specifications to be based on standards developed by the Department of Transportation for recycled paving materials and for recycled base, subbase, and pervious backfill materials. Existing law requires a local agency that has jurisdiction over a street or highway to either adopt these standards developed by the Department of Transportation or to discuss at a public hearing why the standards are not being adopted. Existing law requires the State Procurement Officer, when purchasing materials to be used in paving or paving subbase for use by the Department of Transportation and any other state agency that provides road construction and repair services, to contract for those items that use recycled material in those materials, unless the Director of Transportation determines that the use of the materials is not cost effective. This bill would authorize the department to conduct a study to assess the feasibility, cost effectiveness, and life-cycle environmental benefits of including recycled plastics in asphalt used as a paving material in the construction, maintenance, or rehabilitation of a highway or road. If the department determines that this use of recycled plastics is feasible and that recycled plastics can be included in asphalt in a manner that is cost effective and provides life-cycle environmental benefits, the bill would authorize the department to establish specifications for including recycled plastics in asphalt used as a paving material in the construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation of a highway or road. The bill would require the department to prepare and submit, on or before January 1 of each year, commencing January 1, 2022, an analysis to the Assembly Committee on Transportation and the Senate Committee on Transportation on its progress studying recycled plastics and its progress toward establishing specifications for recycled plastics, as described above. The bill would require a local agency that has jurisdiction over a street or highway to either adopt the specifications established by the Department of Transportation or discuss at a public hearing why the specifications are not being adopted. By increasing the duties of local 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.
The California Constitution establishes the Public Utilities Commission and authorizes the commission to exercise ratemaking and rulemaking authority over all public utilities, as defined, subject to control by the Legislature. The Public Utilities Act requires the commission to determine whether each proceeding is a quasi-legislative, an adjudication, a ratesetting, or a catastrophic wildfire proceeding. The act requires the commission, upon initiating an adjudication or ratesetting proceeding, to assign one or more commissioners to oversee the case, and requires the assigned commissioner to schedule a prehearing conference for the proceeding. This bill would authorize, rather than require, the assigned commissioner to schedule a prehearing conference for the proceeding. The bill would prohibit the assigned commissioner from waiving a prehearing conference when there is a disputed material issue of fact, law, or policy identified. If a prehearing conference is not scheduled, the bill would prohibit the commission from reducing or waiving the period for public review and comment on a proposed decision and would require the commission to allow an interested person to obtain party status within 10 days after the issuance of a proposed decision. The bill would require the commission to provide for remote participation in a prehearing conference when it is practicable. Existing law authorizes the commission, during certain periods of a ratesetting case or catastrophic wildfire proceeding, to establish a "quiet period" during which no oral or written ex parte communications, as defined, are permitted and during which the commission is authorized to meet in closed session. This bill would recast those quiet period provisions and would make changes relating to the establishment of a quiet period and the scope of closed session commission meetings during ratesetting cases and catastrophic wildfire proceedings. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act, or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because certain of the above provisions would be codified in the act and would require action by the commission, a violation of which would be a crime, 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.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations. Existing law requires an electrical or gas corporation to perform home weatherization services for low-income customers if the commission determines that a significant need for those services exists in the corporation's service territory, as specified. This bill would define "low-income customers" for those purposes to mean certain low-income persons and families under regulations established and published by the Department of Housing and Community Development. Because this bill would require the commission to impose new requirements on electrical and gas corporations and a violation of any part of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime, 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.
The California Constitution, pursuant to provisions enacted by the initiative Proposition 209 in 1996, prohibits the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting. The California Constitution defines the state for these purposes to include the state, any city, county, public university system, community college district, school district, special district, or any other political subdivision or governmental instrumentality of, or within, the state. This measure would repeal these provisions. The measure would also make a statement of legislative findings in this regard.
Existing law establishes various environmental and economic policies and programs. This bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature, would establish the Nature and Parks Career Pathway and Community Resiliency Act of 2020, which would require state conservancies and the Wildlife Conservation Board to establish independent grant programs to fund climate mitigation, adaptation, or resilience, natural disaster, and other climate emergency projects, as specified.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. The Moore Universal Telephone Service Act requires the commission to annually designate a class of lifeline service necessary to meet minimum residential communications needs, including the ability to originate and receive calls and the ability to access electronic information service, to set the rates and charges for that service, to develop eligibility criteria for that service, and to assess the degree of achievement of universal service, including telephone penetration rates by income, ethnicity, and geography. Lifeline telephone service program rates are required to be set at no more than 50% of either the basic rate for measured service or the basic flat rate service, as applicable, exclusive of federally mandated end user access charges that are available to the residential subscriber. This bill would require the commission to evaluate the extent to which federal reductions in lifeline telephone service subsidies and the lack of access to reliable, affordable broadband service would result in rates limiting access to basic voice service. If the commission finds that federal reductions could result in the loss of basic voice services by increasing costs to California lifeline telephone service subscribers for those services, the bill would require the commission to adjust the state-level subsidies for those services in a manner that ensures that California lifeline telephone service subscribers retain affordable access to basic voice services, as specified. Existing law requires the commission to develop and implement performance reliability standards, for backup power systems installed on the property of residential and small commercial customers by a facilities-based provider of telephony services, with implementation dependent upon the commission determining that the benefits of the standards exceed the costs. Existing law requires the commission, in consultation with the Office of Emergency Services, to open an investigative or other appropriate proceeding to identify the need for telecommunications service systems not on the customer's premises to have backup electricity to enable telecommunications networks to function and to enable the customer to contact a public safety answering point operator during an electrical outage, to determine performance criteria for backup systems, and to determine whether specified recommended best practices for backup systems have been implemented by telecommunications service providers operating in California. If the commission determines it is in the public interest, the commission is required to develop and implement performance reliability standards. This bill would require the commission, in an existing or a new proceeding, to direct every internet service provider, to file an annual emergency operations plan containing certain information with the commission. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and because a violation of an order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission implementing its requirements would be a crime, the 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 declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.