Amended in Assembly March 18, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2441

Introduced by Assembly Member Thurmond

February 19, 2016

begin delete An act to amend Section 16010.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to foster care. end delete begin insert An act to add Chapter 17 (commencing with Section 50897) to Part 2 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to housing. end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2441, as amended, Thurmond. begin delete Foster care. end delete begin insert Housing: Workforce Housing in High-Cost Areas Pilot Program. end insert

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Existing law, among several affordable housing programs, establishes the Local Housing Trust Fund Matching Grant Program, administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development, for the purpose of supporting local housing trust funds dedicated to the creation or preservation of affordable housing. Existing law authorizes the department to make matching grants available to cities and counties, or a city and county, and existing charitable nonprofit organizations that have created, funded, and operated housing trust funds.

end insert begin insert

This bill would create the Workforce Housing in High-Cost Areas Pilot Program, pursuant to which the department would award grant funding to eligible cities or cities and counties located in a high-cost counties, as specified, for the predevelopment costs, acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation of rental housing projects or units within rental housing projects, the affordability of which shall be restricted for a period of at least 55 years. The bill would require the department, on or before December 31st of each year in which funds are awarded, to provide a report to the Legislature regarding the number of grants awarded, a description of the projects funded, the number of units funded, and the amount of matching funds received. The bill would require the pilot program to operate until all appropriated funds have been awarded. The bill would require that upon the depletion of appropriated funds, the department shall submit a report to the Assembly and Senate committees on appropriations evaluating the need for housing of persons and families of low and moderate income in cities or cities and counties that received grant funds and a recommendation on whether the pilot program should continue.

end insert begin delete

Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to develop a plan for the ongoing oversight and coordination of health care services for a child in a foster care placement in consultation with pediatricians, other health care experts, and experts in, and recipients of, child welfare services. Existing law requires the plan to ensure a coordinated strategy to identify and respond to the health care needs of foster children, consistent with federal law.

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This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that provision.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert . State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Chapter 17 (commencing with Section 50897) is
added to Part 2 of Division 31 of the end insert begin insert Health and Safety Code end insert begin insert , to
read: end insert

begin insert

 

Chapter   begin insert 17. end insert Workforce Housing in High-Cost Areas
Pilot Program

 

begin insert 50897. end insert   

It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter
to ensure that funds allocated to cities and administered by the
Department of Housing and Community Development be of
maximum benefit in meeting the needs of persons and families of
low or moderate income. It is the intent of the Legislature to
support Californians residing in high-cost areas where housing
prices have risen to levels that are unaffordable for those
individuals whose income is above 60 percent of area median
income. The Legislature intends that these funds be provided to
eligible cities in high-cost areas that are experiencing a rise in
home prices and rental prices so that they may assist individuals
who are not able to live where they work.

begin insert 50897.1. end insert   

As used in this chapter:

(a) “Eligible city or city and county” means a city that resides
within a county that is defined by the United States Department
of Housing and Urban Development as a “high-cost” county.

(b) “Notice of funding availability” or “NOFA” means a public
announcement that an estimated amount of funding will be awarded
by a department program according to specified criteria and
schedules.

(c) “Persons and families of low or moderate income” means
persons and families whose income exceeds 60 percent of the area
median income, adjusted for family size, but no higher than 120
percent of area median income.

(d) “Department” means the Department of Housing and
Community Development.

begin insert 50897.2. end insert   

(a) There is hereby established the Workforce
Housing in High-Cost Areas Pilot Program.

(b) Subject to the availability of funding, the department shall
award grant funding pursuant to the issuance of a notice of funding
availability (NOFA) to eligible cities or cities and counties that
apply for financing. The department shall determine the
appropriate amount of the grant for the purposes of accomplishing
the intent of the Legislature.

(c) An eligible city or city and county shall do all of the
following:

(1) Use the grant funds awarded to it for the predevelopment
costs, acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation of rental housing
projects or units within rental housing projects. The affordability
of all units assisted shall be restricted for a period of at least 55
years.

(2) Hold a public hearing to discuss and describe the project
that will be financed pursuant to this chapter. The meeting shall
be held pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9
(commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title
5 of the Government Code).

(3) File periodic reports with the department regarding the use
of funds provided pursuant to this chapter.

(d) On or before December 31 of each year in which funds are
awarded pursuant to this chapter, the department shall provide a
report to the Legislature regarding the number of grants awarded,
a description of the projects funded, the number of units funded,
and the amount of matching funds received.

(e) The program shall operate until all appropriated funds have
been awarded.

(f) (1) Upon the depletion of appropriated funds and the
termination of the pilot program pursuant to subdivision (e), the
department shall submit a report to the Assembly and Senate
committees on appropriations. The report shall evaluate the need
for housing of persons and families of low and moderate income
in cities or cities and counties that received funds pursuant to this
chapter. The report shall also include, but not be limited to, a
recommendation on whether the pilot program should continue.

(2) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under this
subdivision is inoperative four years after the report becomes due.

(g) The reports to be submitted pursuant to subdivisions (d) and
(f) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the
Government Code.

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begin delete

SECTION 1.  

Section 16010.2 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code is amended to read:

16010.2.  

The department, in consultation with pediatricians,
other health care experts, including public health nurses, and
experts in, and recipients of, child welfare services, including
parents, shall develop a plan for the ongoing oversight and
coordination of health care services for a child in a foster care
placement. The plan shall ensure a coordinated strategy to identify
and respond to the health care needs of foster children, including
mental health and dental needs, consistent with Section 205 of the
federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions
Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-351).

end delete