California Assembly Bill AB2441 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2441AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 18, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Thurmond FEBRUARY 19, 2016  An act to amend Section 16010.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to foster care.   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.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2441, as amended, Thurmond.  Foster care.   Housing: Workforce Housing in High-Cost Areas Pilot Program.   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.   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.   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.   This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that provision.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Chapter 17 (commencing with Section 50897) is added to Part 2 of Division 31 of the   Health and Safety Code   , to read:   CHAPTER 17. WORKFORCE HOUSING IN HIGH-COST AREAS PILOT PROGRAM 50897. 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. 50897.1. 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. 50897.2. (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.   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).