California 2023 2023-2024 Regular Session

California Senate Bill SB1212 Introduced / Bill

Filed 02/15/2024

                    CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 1212Introduced by Senator SkinnerFebruary 15, 2024 An act to add Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 745) to Title 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Civil Code, relating to real property. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 1212, as introduced, Skinner. Investment entities: purchasing, acquiring, or leasing interests in housing.Existing law provides that all property has an owner, whether that owner is the state and the property is public, or the owner is an individual and the property is private.This bill, on and after January 1, 2025, would prohibit an investment entity, as defined, from purchasing, acquiring, or leasing an interest, as defined, in a single-family dwelling or other dwelling that consists of one or 2 residential units within this state. The bill would provide that a purchase, acquisition, or lease of an interest in housing in violation of this prohibition is void. The bill would define investment entity as a real estate investment trust or an entity that manages funds pooled from investors and owes a fiduciary duty to those investors. The bill would exempt nonprofit organizations and other entities primarily engaged in the construction or rehabilitation of housing from the definition of investment entity.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY  Appropriation: NO  Fiscal Committee: NO  Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 745) is added to Title 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Civil Code, to read: CHAPTER 5. Corporate and real Estate Investment Trust Ownership of Housing745. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) California has a housing supply and housing affordability crisis of historic proportions. The consequences of failing to effectively and aggressively confront this crisis are hurting millions of Californians, robbing future generations of the chance to call California home, stifling economic opportunities for workers and businesses, worsening poverty and homelessness, and undermining the states environmental and climate objectives.(b) Lack of supply and rising costs are compounding inequality and limiting advancement opportunities for many Californians.(c) Home ownership has been a primary driver of household wealth, with homeowners holding over 40 times the median net worth of renters as of 2019.(d) Large corporations have purchased tens of thousands of homes in California and hundreds of thousands of homes across the globe, limiting the available supply of housing for purchase by individuals and families.(e) Investors purchased a record share of homes sold in the United States in 2021, purchasing nearly one out of every seven homes sold.(f) It is incredibly difficult for individuals and families to compete with large corporations when trying to purchase a home because corporations have the funds to purchase homes in cash, buy multiple homes at once, and pay above market rate prices.(g) Large corporate landlords are often less responsive to the needs of their tenants, raise rents more aggressively, and evict people more frequently than other types of landlords. These practices exasperate housing insecurity and fuel Californias homelessness crisis.(h) It is in the public and states interest to ensure that families and all Californians have a reasonable opportunity to purchase homes and to protect Californias housing market from monopolies. Large corporations purchasing family homes directly conflicts with those goals.745.1. For purposes of this chapter:(a) Interest means any estate, remainder, or reversion enumerated in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 761) of Title 2 of Part 2, or portion of the estate, remainder, or reversion, or an option pursuant to which one party has a right to cause legal or equitable title to housing to be transferred.(b) (1) Investment entity means both of the following:(A) A real estate investment trust as defined in Section 23000 of the Corporations Code.(B) An entity that satisfies both of the following conditions:(i) The entity manages funds pooled from investors.(ii) The entity owes a fiduciary to those investors. (2) Investment entity does not include either of the following:(A) An entity organized pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.(B) An entity primarily engaged in the construction or rehabilitation of housing, provided that the entity does not offer any of the units constructed or rehabilitated for rent.(c) Housing means a single-family dwelling or other dwelling that consists of one or two residential units. 745.2. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, on and after January 1, 2025, an investment entity shall not purchase, acquire, or lease any interest in housing in this state.(b) A purchase, acquisition, or lease of an interest in housing in violation of this section is void.

 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 1212Introduced by Senator SkinnerFebruary 15, 2024 An act to add Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 745) to Title 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Civil Code, relating to real property. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 1212, as introduced, Skinner. Investment entities: purchasing, acquiring, or leasing interests in housing.Existing law provides that all property has an owner, whether that owner is the state and the property is public, or the owner is an individual and the property is private.This bill, on and after January 1, 2025, would prohibit an investment entity, as defined, from purchasing, acquiring, or leasing an interest, as defined, in a single-family dwelling or other dwelling that consists of one or 2 residential units within this state. The bill would provide that a purchase, acquisition, or lease of an interest in housing in violation of this prohibition is void. The bill would define investment entity as a real estate investment trust or an entity that manages funds pooled from investors and owes a fiduciary duty to those investors. The bill would exempt nonprofit organizations and other entities primarily engaged in the construction or rehabilitation of housing from the definition of investment entity.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY  Appropriation: NO  Fiscal Committee: NO  Local Program: NO 





 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION

 Senate Bill 

No. 1212

Introduced by Senator SkinnerFebruary 15, 2024

Introduced by Senator Skinner
February 15, 2024

 An act to add Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 745) to Title 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Civil Code, relating to real property. 

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1212, as introduced, Skinner. Investment entities: purchasing, acquiring, or leasing interests in housing.

Existing law provides that all property has an owner, whether that owner is the state and the property is public, or the owner is an individual and the property is private.This bill, on and after January 1, 2025, would prohibit an investment entity, as defined, from purchasing, acquiring, or leasing an interest, as defined, in a single-family dwelling or other dwelling that consists of one or 2 residential units within this state. The bill would provide that a purchase, acquisition, or lease of an interest in housing in violation of this prohibition is void. The bill would define investment entity as a real estate investment trust or an entity that manages funds pooled from investors and owes a fiduciary duty to those investors. The bill would exempt nonprofit organizations and other entities primarily engaged in the construction or rehabilitation of housing from the definition of investment entity.

Existing law provides that all property has an owner, whether that owner is the state and the property is public, or the owner is an individual and the property is private.

This bill, on and after January 1, 2025, would prohibit an investment entity, as defined, from purchasing, acquiring, or leasing an interest, as defined, in a single-family dwelling or other dwelling that consists of one or 2 residential units within this state. The bill would provide that a purchase, acquisition, or lease of an interest in housing in violation of this prohibition is void. The bill would define investment entity as a real estate investment trust or an entity that manages funds pooled from investors and owes a fiduciary duty to those investors. The bill would exempt nonprofit organizations and other entities primarily engaged in the construction or rehabilitation of housing from the definition of investment entity.

## Digest Key

## Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 745) is added to Title 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Civil Code, to read: CHAPTER 5. Corporate and real Estate Investment Trust Ownership of Housing745. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) California has a housing supply and housing affordability crisis of historic proportions. The consequences of failing to effectively and aggressively confront this crisis are hurting millions of Californians, robbing future generations of the chance to call California home, stifling economic opportunities for workers and businesses, worsening poverty and homelessness, and undermining the states environmental and climate objectives.(b) Lack of supply and rising costs are compounding inequality and limiting advancement opportunities for many Californians.(c) Home ownership has been a primary driver of household wealth, with homeowners holding over 40 times the median net worth of renters as of 2019.(d) Large corporations have purchased tens of thousands of homes in California and hundreds of thousands of homes across the globe, limiting the available supply of housing for purchase by individuals and families.(e) Investors purchased a record share of homes sold in the United States in 2021, purchasing nearly one out of every seven homes sold.(f) It is incredibly difficult for individuals and families to compete with large corporations when trying to purchase a home because corporations have the funds to purchase homes in cash, buy multiple homes at once, and pay above market rate prices.(g) Large corporate landlords are often less responsive to the needs of their tenants, raise rents more aggressively, and evict people more frequently than other types of landlords. These practices exasperate housing insecurity and fuel Californias homelessness crisis.(h) It is in the public and states interest to ensure that families and all Californians have a reasonable opportunity to purchase homes and to protect Californias housing market from monopolies. Large corporations purchasing family homes directly conflicts with those goals.745.1. For purposes of this chapter:(a) Interest means any estate, remainder, or reversion enumerated in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 761) of Title 2 of Part 2, or portion of the estate, remainder, or reversion, or an option pursuant to which one party has a right to cause legal or equitable title to housing to be transferred.(b) (1) Investment entity means both of the following:(A) A real estate investment trust as defined in Section 23000 of the Corporations Code.(B) An entity that satisfies both of the following conditions:(i) The entity manages funds pooled from investors.(ii) The entity owes a fiduciary to those investors. (2) Investment entity does not include either of the following:(A) An entity organized pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.(B) An entity primarily engaged in the construction or rehabilitation of housing, provided that the entity does not offer any of the units constructed or rehabilitated for rent.(c) Housing means a single-family dwelling or other dwelling that consists of one or two residential units. 745.2. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, on and after January 1, 2025, an investment entity shall not purchase, acquire, or lease any interest in housing in this state.(b) A purchase, acquisition, or lease of an interest in housing in violation of this section is void.

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

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 745) is added to Title 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Civil Code, to read: CHAPTER 5. Corporate and real Estate Investment Trust Ownership of Housing745. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) California has a housing supply and housing affordability crisis of historic proportions. The consequences of failing to effectively and aggressively confront this crisis are hurting millions of Californians, robbing future generations of the chance to call California home, stifling economic opportunities for workers and businesses, worsening poverty and homelessness, and undermining the states environmental and climate objectives.(b) Lack of supply and rising costs are compounding inequality and limiting advancement opportunities for many Californians.(c) Home ownership has been a primary driver of household wealth, with homeowners holding over 40 times the median net worth of renters as of 2019.(d) Large corporations have purchased tens of thousands of homes in California and hundreds of thousands of homes across the globe, limiting the available supply of housing for purchase by individuals and families.(e) Investors purchased a record share of homes sold in the United States in 2021, purchasing nearly one out of every seven homes sold.(f) It is incredibly difficult for individuals and families to compete with large corporations when trying to purchase a home because corporations have the funds to purchase homes in cash, buy multiple homes at once, and pay above market rate prices.(g) Large corporate landlords are often less responsive to the needs of their tenants, raise rents more aggressively, and evict people more frequently than other types of landlords. These practices exasperate housing insecurity and fuel Californias homelessness crisis.(h) It is in the public and states interest to ensure that families and all Californians have a reasonable opportunity to purchase homes and to protect Californias housing market from monopolies. Large corporations purchasing family homes directly conflicts with those goals.745.1. For purposes of this chapter:(a) Interest means any estate, remainder, or reversion enumerated in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 761) of Title 2 of Part 2, or portion of the estate, remainder, or reversion, or an option pursuant to which one party has a right to cause legal or equitable title to housing to be transferred.(b) (1) Investment entity means both of the following:(A) A real estate investment trust as defined in Section 23000 of the Corporations Code.(B) An entity that satisfies both of the following conditions:(i) The entity manages funds pooled from investors.(ii) The entity owes a fiduciary to those investors. (2) Investment entity does not include either of the following:(A) An entity organized pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.(B) An entity primarily engaged in the construction or rehabilitation of housing, provided that the entity does not offer any of the units constructed or rehabilitated for rent.(c) Housing means a single-family dwelling or other dwelling that consists of one or two residential units. 745.2. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, on and after January 1, 2025, an investment entity shall not purchase, acquire, or lease any interest in housing in this state.(b) A purchase, acquisition, or lease of an interest in housing in violation of this section is void.

SECTION 1. Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 745) is added to Title 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Civil Code, to read:

### SECTION 1.

 CHAPTER 5. Corporate and real Estate Investment Trust Ownership of Housing745. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) California has a housing supply and housing affordability crisis of historic proportions. The consequences of failing to effectively and aggressively confront this crisis are hurting millions of Californians, robbing future generations of the chance to call California home, stifling economic opportunities for workers and businesses, worsening poverty and homelessness, and undermining the states environmental and climate objectives.(b) Lack of supply and rising costs are compounding inequality and limiting advancement opportunities for many Californians.(c) Home ownership has been a primary driver of household wealth, with homeowners holding over 40 times the median net worth of renters as of 2019.(d) Large corporations have purchased tens of thousands of homes in California and hundreds of thousands of homes across the globe, limiting the available supply of housing for purchase by individuals and families.(e) Investors purchased a record share of homes sold in the United States in 2021, purchasing nearly one out of every seven homes sold.(f) It is incredibly difficult for individuals and families to compete with large corporations when trying to purchase a home because corporations have the funds to purchase homes in cash, buy multiple homes at once, and pay above market rate prices.(g) Large corporate landlords are often less responsive to the needs of their tenants, raise rents more aggressively, and evict people more frequently than other types of landlords. These practices exasperate housing insecurity and fuel Californias homelessness crisis.(h) It is in the public and states interest to ensure that families and all Californians have a reasonable opportunity to purchase homes and to protect Californias housing market from monopolies. Large corporations purchasing family homes directly conflicts with those goals.745.1. For purposes of this chapter:(a) Interest means any estate, remainder, or reversion enumerated in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 761) of Title 2 of Part 2, or portion of the estate, remainder, or reversion, or an option pursuant to which one party has a right to cause legal or equitable title to housing to be transferred.(b) (1) Investment entity means both of the following:(A) A real estate investment trust as defined in Section 23000 of the Corporations Code.(B) An entity that satisfies both of the following conditions:(i) The entity manages funds pooled from investors.(ii) The entity owes a fiduciary to those investors. (2) Investment entity does not include either of the following:(A) An entity organized pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.(B) An entity primarily engaged in the construction or rehabilitation of housing, provided that the entity does not offer any of the units constructed or rehabilitated for rent.(c) Housing means a single-family dwelling or other dwelling that consists of one or two residential units. 745.2. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, on and after January 1, 2025, an investment entity shall not purchase, acquire, or lease any interest in housing in this state.(b) A purchase, acquisition, or lease of an interest in housing in violation of this section is void.

 CHAPTER 5. Corporate and real Estate Investment Trust Ownership of Housing745. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) California has a housing supply and housing affordability crisis of historic proportions. The consequences of failing to effectively and aggressively confront this crisis are hurting millions of Californians, robbing future generations of the chance to call California home, stifling economic opportunities for workers and businesses, worsening poverty and homelessness, and undermining the states environmental and climate objectives.(b) Lack of supply and rising costs are compounding inequality and limiting advancement opportunities for many Californians.(c) Home ownership has been a primary driver of household wealth, with homeowners holding over 40 times the median net worth of renters as of 2019.(d) Large corporations have purchased tens of thousands of homes in California and hundreds of thousands of homes across the globe, limiting the available supply of housing for purchase by individuals and families.(e) Investors purchased a record share of homes sold in the United States in 2021, purchasing nearly one out of every seven homes sold.(f) It is incredibly difficult for individuals and families to compete with large corporations when trying to purchase a home because corporations have the funds to purchase homes in cash, buy multiple homes at once, and pay above market rate prices.(g) Large corporate landlords are often less responsive to the needs of their tenants, raise rents more aggressively, and evict people more frequently than other types of landlords. These practices exasperate housing insecurity and fuel Californias homelessness crisis.(h) It is in the public and states interest to ensure that families and all Californians have a reasonable opportunity to purchase homes and to protect Californias housing market from monopolies. Large corporations purchasing family homes directly conflicts with those goals.745.1. For purposes of this chapter:(a) Interest means any estate, remainder, or reversion enumerated in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 761) of Title 2 of Part 2, or portion of the estate, remainder, or reversion, or an option pursuant to which one party has a right to cause legal or equitable title to housing to be transferred.(b) (1) Investment entity means both of the following:(A) A real estate investment trust as defined in Section 23000 of the Corporations Code.(B) An entity that satisfies both of the following conditions:(i) The entity manages funds pooled from investors.(ii) The entity owes a fiduciary to those investors. (2) Investment entity does not include either of the following:(A) An entity organized pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.(B) An entity primarily engaged in the construction or rehabilitation of housing, provided that the entity does not offer any of the units constructed or rehabilitated for rent.(c) Housing means a single-family dwelling or other dwelling that consists of one or two residential units. 745.2. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, on and after January 1, 2025, an investment entity shall not purchase, acquire, or lease any interest in housing in this state.(b) A purchase, acquisition, or lease of an interest in housing in violation of this section is void.

 CHAPTER 5. Corporate and real Estate Investment Trust Ownership of Housing

 CHAPTER 5. Corporate and real Estate Investment Trust Ownership of Housing

745. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) California has a housing supply and housing affordability crisis of historic proportions. The consequences of failing to effectively and aggressively confront this crisis are hurting millions of Californians, robbing future generations of the chance to call California home, stifling economic opportunities for workers and businesses, worsening poverty and homelessness, and undermining the states environmental and climate objectives.(b) Lack of supply and rising costs are compounding inequality and limiting advancement opportunities for many Californians.(c) Home ownership has been a primary driver of household wealth, with homeowners holding over 40 times the median net worth of renters as of 2019.(d) Large corporations have purchased tens of thousands of homes in California and hundreds of thousands of homes across the globe, limiting the available supply of housing for purchase by individuals and families.(e) Investors purchased a record share of homes sold in the United States in 2021, purchasing nearly one out of every seven homes sold.(f) It is incredibly difficult for individuals and families to compete with large corporations when trying to purchase a home because corporations have the funds to purchase homes in cash, buy multiple homes at once, and pay above market rate prices.(g) Large corporate landlords are often less responsive to the needs of their tenants, raise rents more aggressively, and evict people more frequently than other types of landlords. These practices exasperate housing insecurity and fuel Californias homelessness crisis.(h) It is in the public and states interest to ensure that families and all Californians have a reasonable opportunity to purchase homes and to protect Californias housing market from monopolies. Large corporations purchasing family homes directly conflicts with those goals.



745. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) California has a housing supply and housing affordability crisis of historic proportions. The consequences of failing to effectively and aggressively confront this crisis are hurting millions of Californians, robbing future generations of the chance to call California home, stifling economic opportunities for workers and businesses, worsening poverty and homelessness, and undermining the states environmental and climate objectives.

(b) Lack of supply and rising costs are compounding inequality and limiting advancement opportunities for many Californians.

(c) Home ownership has been a primary driver of household wealth, with homeowners holding over 40 times the median net worth of renters as of 2019.

(d) Large corporations have purchased tens of thousands of homes in California and hundreds of thousands of homes across the globe, limiting the available supply of housing for purchase by individuals and families.

(e) Investors purchased a record share of homes sold in the United States in 2021, purchasing nearly one out of every seven homes sold.

(f) It is incredibly difficult for individuals and families to compete with large corporations when trying to purchase a home because corporations have the funds to purchase homes in cash, buy multiple homes at once, and pay above market rate prices.

(g) Large corporate landlords are often less responsive to the needs of their tenants, raise rents more aggressively, and evict people more frequently than other types of landlords. These practices exasperate housing insecurity and fuel Californias homelessness crisis.

(h) It is in the public and states interest to ensure that families and all Californians have a reasonable opportunity to purchase homes and to protect Californias housing market from monopolies. Large corporations purchasing family homes directly conflicts with those goals.

745.1. For purposes of this chapter:(a) Interest means any estate, remainder, or reversion enumerated in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 761) of Title 2 of Part 2, or portion of the estate, remainder, or reversion, or an option pursuant to which one party has a right to cause legal or equitable title to housing to be transferred.(b) (1) Investment entity means both of the following:(A) A real estate investment trust as defined in Section 23000 of the Corporations Code.(B) An entity that satisfies both of the following conditions:(i) The entity manages funds pooled from investors.(ii) The entity owes a fiduciary to those investors. (2) Investment entity does not include either of the following:(A) An entity organized pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.(B) An entity primarily engaged in the construction or rehabilitation of housing, provided that the entity does not offer any of the units constructed or rehabilitated for rent.(c) Housing means a single-family dwelling or other dwelling that consists of one or two residential units. 



745.1. For purposes of this chapter:

(a) Interest means any estate, remainder, or reversion enumerated in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 761) of Title 2 of Part 2, or portion of the estate, remainder, or reversion, or an option pursuant to which one party has a right to cause legal or equitable title to housing to be transferred.

(b) (1) Investment entity means both of the following:

(A) A real estate investment trust as defined in Section 23000 of the Corporations Code.

(B) An entity that satisfies both of the following conditions:

(i) The entity manages funds pooled from investors.

(ii) The entity owes a fiduciary to those investors. 

(2) Investment entity does not include either of the following:

(A) An entity organized pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(B) An entity primarily engaged in the construction or rehabilitation of housing, provided that the entity does not offer any of the units constructed or rehabilitated for rent.

(c) Housing means a single-family dwelling or other dwelling that consists of one or two residential units. 

745.2. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, on and after January 1, 2025, an investment entity shall not purchase, acquire, or lease any interest in housing in this state.(b) A purchase, acquisition, or lease of an interest in housing in violation of this section is void.



745.2. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, on and after January 1, 2025, an investment entity shall not purchase, acquire, or lease any interest in housing in this state.

(b) A purchase, acquisition, or lease of an interest in housing in violation of this section is void.