Policy & Legislation
New Housing Legislation in 2008 (Part I)
February 21, 2008Eleven Housing California-supported bills were enacted into law this year. This is the first of five articles summarizing these laws and their effect on the development of affordable homes and homelessness in California.
Housing California supported California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, is intended to encourage the production of affordable homes by decreasing upfront costs.
Housing California successfully teamed up with AARP and other senior advocacy organizations to pass AB 927 (Saldaña) and -- over the California Department of Housing and Community Development's (HCD) objections -- convinced the governor to sign it. This new law requires funds from the Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) to be expended for senior rental homes in proportion to the number of senior households in the lower-income renter population. Funds in MHP’s homeless youth and supportive housing (homes with services) sub-programs will not be included in the calculation. For additional information,
The author and co-sponsors will meet with HCD staff in the spring to discuss implementation of the new law.
HCD sponsored SB 707 (Ducheny). This bill authorizes HCD to extend the term of existing multifamily housing loans made under the Rental Housing Construction Program, the Special User Housing Rehabilitation Program, and the Deferred Payment Rehabilitation Loan Program. It also requires the borrower to provide to the department a report showing all existing tenants, their incomes, and the rents charged each tenant and to agree to a rent schedule that ensures that homes remain affordable to renters earning less than 60 percent of the area median income. This will become operative July 1, 2008.
Contact: Narisha Bonakdar, (916) 447-0503 x 109 or .
