BILL NUMBER: SB 194INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Florez FEBRUARY 23, 2009 An act relating to community development. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 194, as introduced, Florez. Community development: disadvantaged communities. Existing law provides for the allocation of funds for various economic development projects and programs administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. This bill would make several findings and declarations of the Legislature relating to disadvantaged unincorporated communities. The bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to encourage investment in these communities. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following: (1) There exist in California hundreds of disadvantaged unincorporated communities, commonly referred to as "colonias." There are more than 200 of these communities in the San Joaquin Valley alone. Many of these communities are geographically isolated islands, surrounded by the city limits of large and medium-sized cities. (2) The conditions within these disadvantaged unincorporated communities evidence a distinct lack of public and private investment that presents a threat to the health and safety of the residents and fosters economic, social, and educational inequality. Many of these communities lack basic infrastructure, including, but not limited to, streets, sidewalks, storm drainage, clean drinking water, and adequate sewer service. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to encourage investment in these communities and to address the complex legal, financial, and political barriers that contribute to regional inequity and infrastructure deficits within disadvantaged unincorporated communities.