Coordinated Entry System: study.

All Health and Safety Code provisions were removed, including Sections 50199.26, 50675.15.5, and Chapter 20 (Section 50899.8.1 et seq.), which established the DASH designation for supportive housing units.

Removed Welfare and Institutions Code Section 5849.8.5 from the bill's scope; the enrolled act now only adds Section 8257.5 to the WIC.

Removed the requirement that housing sponsors notify DHCD or the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee of a unit's eligibility for DASH designation beginning July 1, 2027.

Removed expedited compliance documentation standards for prospective tenants referred to DASH units, including the requirement to accept self-certification of homelessness via an affidavit signed under penalty of perjury.

Removed the expansion of the crime of perjury that would have been triggered by the self-certification affidavit provision.

Removed the requirement for the California Housing and Homelessness Agency to complete a comprehensive review of DASH compliance documentation by January 1, 2028, submit a report to the Legislature by April 1, 2028, and implement revised requirements by July 1, 2028.

The entire 'alternative referral' mechanism is removed. Previously, housing sponsors could accept referrals from outside the coordinated entry system after a 180-day waiting period if no pending CES referrals existed. This included provisions in Sections 50199.27, 50675.15.7, and 5849.8.7 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

A new Section 8257.5 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code requiring the California Interagency Council on Homelessness to complete a comprehensive statewide study of the Coordinated Entry System by July 1, 2028. The study must evaluate CES operation, effectiveness, capacity, and outcomes; identify barriers; assess equitable access for vulnerable populations; analyze delays in the placement process; and identify opportunities for state agencies to simplify requirements. The council must consult with geographically representative stakeholders including continuums of care, local governments, service providers, developers, tribal governments, and individuals with lived experience.

The DASH unit criteria in Section 50899.8.2 are changed: the requirement that a unit 'receives referrals through a coordinated entry system or an equivalent referral system for the first 180 days per vacancy' is simplified to simply 'receives referrals through a coordinated entry system or an equivalent referral system,' removing the 180-day limitation.

The compliance documentation review in Section 50899.8.3 now requires only the California Housing and Homelessness Agency (not the agency and committee jointly) to complete the review, submit the report, and implement revised requirements by July 1, 2028.

The state-mandated local program determination changes from 'yes' to 'no,' and the digest language about expanding the crime of perjury imposing a state-mandated local program is removed. This means the bill no longer triggers state reimbursement obligations to local agencies under Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.

Sections 50199.27 and 50675.15.7 were removed from the bill. These sections established an 'alternative referral' mechanism allowing housing providers to accept referrals from outside the coordinated entry system after a 180-day waiting period, with conditions such as first-come-first-served processing and record-keeping requirements.

Section 50199.26(e)(4) was restructured: the prohibition on requesting housing history or landlord/personal references now applies only 'as a component of the tenant screening or leasing process.' A new subparagraph (B) explicitly permits providers to request this information after a tenant has been accepted, including when creating a housing services plan or providing supportive services.

Section 50899.8.3(a) was modified regarding who conducts the comprehensive compliance review by January 1, 2028. The language appears to shift the review responsibility from 'the agency and committee' to just the agency (California Housing and Homelessness Agency), though the report submission and implementation of revised requirements still reference both the agency and committee.

Section 50899.8.2(c) had the word 'system' appended to the end of the sentence about units receiving referrals through a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system for the first 180 days per vacancy, likely a drafting correction.

New subdivision (c) added to Section 50199.27 (Health and Safety Code) stating that nothing in the section limits a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system to a single referral per vacant unit, and requiring such systems to refer multiple prioritized households for each available unit to the extent practicable, with the stated purpose of minimizing vacancy time and maximizing successful placements.

Identical new subdivision (c) added to Section 50675.15.7 (Health and Safety Code), extending the same multi-referral requirement to units funded under that chapter, including Sections 50675.1.1 or 50675.1.3.

Assembly Member Quirk-Silva added as a coauthor of the bill.

The amendment to Section 50675.1.3 (Homekey disbursement provisions) was removed entirely from the bill, along with its reference in the legislative digest title.

New condition: tenants selected through alternative referrals must meet all eligibility criteria for the unit (Sections 50199.27 and 50675.15.7).

New record-keeping requirement: sponsors must maintain records of correspondence with the coordinated entry system regarding unsuccessful referrals, including documentation of why each referral was unsuccessful, available to the department upon request.

New rule: when a tenant who moved in via an alternative referral vacates a unit, that unit reverts to requiring a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral to be filled. Successive alternative referrals are permitted.

New provision allowing the coordinated entry system administrator to authorize alternative referrals earlier than the 180-day waiting period if the referring entity has exhausted its potential applicant pool, to prevent vacant units.

New definitions added for 'Alternative referral' (a referral from outside the coordinated entry system) and 'Referral waiting period' (the 180-day window from notification of a vacant unit).

Fiscal committee vote changed from 'no' to 'yes' and state-mandated local program designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the new record-keeping and reporting obligations impose costs on local agencies requiring state reimbursement analysis.

Coauthors added: Assembly Members Caloza, Haney, Harabedian, and Zbur.

Establishes the California Direct Access to Supportive Housing (DASH) designation in a new Chapter 20 of the Health and Safety Code, applicable to units funded through the low-income housing tax credit program, the Multifamily Housing Program (including Homekey), and the No Place Like Home Program.

The bill now covers three major housing programs (low-income housing tax credits, Multifamily Housing Program/Homekey, and No Place Like Home) rather than only making nonsubstantive changes to the Homekey section of the Multifamily Housing Program.

Defines DASH unit criteria: no federal capital or operating subsidy requiring HUD compliance, restricted to occupancy by those at risk of or experiencing homelessness, and receiving referrals through a coordinated entry system for the first 180 days per vacancy.

Allows sponsors to accept and process referrals from sources outside the coordinated entry system if more than 180 days have passed since initially notifying the system of an available unit, provided no earlier pending referrals exist. Outside referrals after 180 days are fulfilled on a first-come-first-served basis.

Beginning July 1, 2027, sponsors must notify the relevant agency or committee when a unit meets DASH criteria. The agency/committee must apply expedited compliance standards including: no third-party documentation of homelessness status required, self-certification (affidavit under penalty of perjury) accepted, and no housing history or landlord/personal references may be requested.

Falsified self-certification of homelessness constitutes just cause for eviction. The sponsor is held harmless for regulatory compliance purposes if a tenant falsified their certification.

Requires the California Housing and Homelessness Agency and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee to complete a comprehensive review of compliance documentation barriers by January 1, 2028, submit a report to the Legislature by April 1, 2028, and implement revised compliance requirements by July 1, 2028.

Requires agencies to adopt implementing regulations by June 30, 2027, one month before DASH provisions take effect on July 1, 2027.

Fiscal committee determination changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now has fiscal implications. State-mandated local program also changed from 'no' to 'yes' due to the perjury-related provisions.