BILL ANALYSIS
AB 725
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 725 (Lieber and DeVore)
As Amended January 24, 2008
Majority vote
HOUSING 6-0 APPROPRIATIONS 11-5
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|Ayes:|Saldana, Garcia, Bass, |Ayes:|Leno, Caballero, Davis, |
| |Hancock, Mullin, Swanson | |DeSaulnier, Huffman, |
| | | |Karnette, Krekorian, |
| | | |Lieu, Ma, Nava, Solorio |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | |Nays:|Walters, Emmerson, La |
| | | |Malfa, Nakanishi, Sharon |
| | | |Runner |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Creates a mandatory universal rental housing
application to be used if the housing provider receives certain
state financial assistance. Specifically, this bill :
1)Provides that a rental housing provider that receives a grant
or loan from the California Department of Housing and
Community Development (HCD) or the California Housing Finance
Agency (Cal HFA), or tax credits or bond authority must
provide a universal rental housing application.
2)Requires HCD to develop a universal rental application by
April 1, 2009.
3)Requires the housing provider to make the application
available on its Web site and to make it available to the
public.
4)Requires certain specified information to be included such as
name, age, student status, not less than two years housing
history, detailed income information including income and
employment history for the past five years.
5)Requires HCD to consider the format used by the Tax Credit
Allocation Committee.
AB 725
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6)Requires a 30-day review and public comment prior to adoption
of the application.
7)Requires the application to be made available to tenants, by
housing providers, on and after July 1, 2009.
8)Requires HCD, California Housing Finance Agency (Cal-HFA), Tax
Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC), and California Debt Limit
Allocation Committee (CDLAC) to notify housing providers of
the new universal application as well as any future revisions.
EXISTING LAW requires the California State Housing Plan to
include a housing strategy that coordinates housing assistance
and activities of state and local agencies.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee:
1)One-time General Fund costs of around $60,000 for one staff to
coordinate development of the universal application, including
reviewing public comments. Absorbable costs to update the
form as needed.
2)Minor one-time special fund costs of $5,000 each for Cal-HFA,
TCAC, and CDLAC to notify past recipients of the requirement
to use universal application. Ongoing costs to inform new
recipients would be minor.
COMMENTS : Because there is such an acute shortage of affordable
housing in California, low-income renters seeking housing
assistance often must apply to several providers simultaneously.
According to the author, it can be challenging to determine
whether vacancies exist or to even locate an application. When
there are vacancies, applicants must fill out a different
application for each development, even though nearly identical
information is requested for each unit.
According to the author, this lack of uniformity increases the
amount of time and inconvenience that prospective renters face.
A standardized application, argues the author, would streamline
the process of finding affordable housing.
Supporters note that this bill would allow renters to complete
just one application which can be used to apply at multiple
AB 725
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communities, ensuring that prospective residents have the best
possible opportunity to access housing.
This bill requires HCD to create a universal affordable housing
application to streamline the process and minimize barriers to
applying for affordable housing. In order to ensure that the
application include all necessary information, the department
shall consult with rental housing providers, not-for-profit
housing assistance and social justice organizations, public
agencies and others.
Though this bill requires all affordable housing providers to
use the universal application, it does not prohibit individual
organizations from collecting additional information from
applicants.
This bill also requires the application be made available on the
Internet.
Analysis Prepared by : Hubert Bower / H. & C.D. / (916)
319-2085
FN: 0003894