Affordable rental and owner-occupied housing: equity in state and local programs.

Existing law establishes various programs and incentives intended to promote the development of affordable housing, including, among others, the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program. Existing law establishes the Strategic Growth Council and sets forth its powers and duties relating to developing and administering a program for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through projects that implement land use, housing, transportation, and agricultural land preservation practices to support infill and compact development and that support other related and coordinated public policy objectives, including, among others, preserving and developing affordable housing for lower income households. Existing law specifies the types of projects eligible for funding under the program, including, among others, certain affordable housing projects. Existing law requires the council to develop guidelines and selection criteria for the implementation of the program, as specified. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to the equitable treatment of home ownership in state and local affordable housing programs for a specified reason. The bill would specify that the affordable housing referenced by those provisions includes rental and owner-occupied units. The bill would require the council to adopt guidelines or selection criteria that include both affordable housing rental units and owner-occupied affordable housing units. The bill, for notices of funding availability released after July 1, 2022, would authorize the council to include guidelines or criteria for the award of funds to projects that provide home ownership opportunities for low-income individuals.