(1) Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) , establishes the Civil Rights Department to enforce civil rights laws with respect to housing and employment, as prescribed. The FEHA recognizes and declares to be a civil right the opportunity to seek, obtain, and hold employment and housing without discrimination because of a specified characteristic. The FEHA makes certain discriminatory practices based on those characteristics unlawful. The FEHA also declares that its purpose is to provide effective remedies that will eliminate these discriminatory practices. The FEHA defines terms used in connection with unlawful practices. These include "sex," which includes pregnancy or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or medical conditions related to childbirth, and breastfeeding or medical conditions related to breastfeeding. This bill would include perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause or other related medical conditions within the above definition of sex. The FEHA separately defines the term "medical condition" to mean either a health impairment related to or associated with a diagnosis of cancer or a record or history of cancer or specified genetic characteristics. The Unruh Civil Rights Act (Unruh Act) establishes that all persons within the jurisdiction of the state are free and equal and, regardless of their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments, as prescribed. The Unruh Act defines "sex" to include, among other things, pregnancy, childbirth, or medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. This bill would provide that "medical condition" as used in the definition of "sex" in FEHA and the Unruh Act includes, but is not limited to, the conditions included in the definition of "medical condition" in FEHA. (2) Existing law requires the Civil Rights Department to provide a poster on discrimination in employment to an employer or a member of the public upon request. Existing law requires the poster to be available at each office of the department and requires each employer to post the poster in a prominent and accessible location in the workplace, as prescribed. This bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2027, to update the poster to notify people of their rights and protections in regard to perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause, or related medical conditions. (3) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 51 of the Civil Code proposed by AB 2563 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2563 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 12926 of the Government Code proposed by AB 2563 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2563 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law makes void and unenforceable any covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any deed, contract, security instrument, or other instrument affecting the transfer or sale of any interest in real property that effectively prohibits or restricts certain land uses, including the installation or use of a solar energy system or construction or use of an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit on certain lots. Existing law authorizes a person who holds or is acquiring an ownership interest of record in property that the person believes is the subject of an unlawfully restrictive covenant, as specified, to record a restrictive covenant modification document. Before recording the document, existing law requires the county recorder to submit the modification document and the original document to the county counsel, who is required to determine whether the original document contains an unlawful restriction. This bill would make void and unenforceable against an interested party any covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any deed, contract, security instrument, lease, or other recorded or unrecorded instrument affecting the transfer or sale of any interest in real property that effectively prohibits or restricts the use of that property as a grocery store or supermarket, as defined, if a grocery store or supermarket either previously operated on the property and has ceased operations or is no longer in actual operation within a commercial project or shopping center and an approved restrictive covenant modification document has been recorded in the public record. The bill would entitle an interested party, as defined, to establish that an existing restrictive covenant is unenforceable by submitting a restrictive covenant modification document to the county recorder, in accordance with certain procedures, to allow the grocery store or supermarket development to proceed. The bill would prohibit a person or entity, beginning on January 1, 2027, from creating or recording any covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any deed, contract, security instrument, lease, or other recorded or unrecorded instrument affecting the transfer or sale of any interest in real property that effectively prohibits or restricts the use of that property as a grocery store or supermarket if a grocery store or supermarket either previously operated on the property and has ceased operations or is no longer in actual operation within a commercial project or shopping center, except as prescribed. By imposing additional duties on county officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would include findings and declarations relating to these provisions. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law establishes the Multifamily Housing Program, administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development, to provide financial assistance in the form of deferred payment loans to pay for the eligible costs of development of specified types of housing projects. Existing law requires that specified funds appropriated to provide housing for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness and who are inherently impacted by or at increased risk for medical diseases or conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other communicable diseases be disbursed in accordance with the Multifamily Housing Program for specified uses, including acquisition or rehabilitation of motels, hotels, hostels, or other sites, as provided. This disbursement program is referred to as Homekey. Existing law, upon appropriation, requires Homekey awards to be expended within 8 months of the date of the award, as provided. This bill would, for Homekey awards made on or after July 1, 2026, require the department to consider allowing applicants that utilize funds for adaptive reuse projects if the adaptive reuse involves substantial rehabilitation, reconstruction, or demolition of an existing structure, as defined and specified.
Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, among other things, provides for the creation by ordinance, or by ministerial approval if the local agency has not adopted an ordinance, of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in accordance with specified standards and conditions. Existing law requires fees charged for the construction of ADUs to be determined in accordance with specified provisions of the Mitigation Fee Act. Existing law prohibits a local agency, special district, or water corporation from imposing any impact fee upon the development of an ADU that has 750 square feet of interior livable space or less, and requires any impact fees charged for an ADU that has more than 750 square feet of interior livable space to be charged proportionately in relation to the square footage of the primary dwelling unit. This bill would require the charge for certain accessory dwelling units to be based only on the area in excess of 750 square feet of interior livable space. By changing the duties of local agencies with regard to calculating fees for ADUs, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The Permit Streamlining Act, among other things, requires public agencies to approve or disapprove of a development project within certain timeframes, as specified. The act requires public agencies to compile one or more lists that specify in detail the information that will be required from any applicant for a development project. The act requires a public agency, upon its determination that an application for a development project is incomplete, to include a list and a thorough description of the specific information needed to complete the application. This bill would provide that for the purposes of the Permit Streamlining Act, a housing development project or emergency shelter shall be deemed consistent, compliant, and in conformity with an applicable plan, program, policy, ordinance, standard, requirement, or other similar provision adopted or implemented by a public agency, as defined, if there is substantial evidence that would allow a reasonable person to conclude that the housing development project or emergency shelter is consistent, compliant, or in conformity, except as specified. By imposing additional duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The Planning and Zoning Law requires cities and counties to prepare, adopt, and amend general plans and elements of those general plans, as specified. After the legislative body has adopted all or part of a general plan, the law requires the planning agency to provide by April 1 of each year an annual report to specified entities that includes certain information, including the status of the plan and progress of its implementation. This bill would require the planning agency to include in that report, beginning with the report due by April 1, 2028, the number of temporary emergency shelter beds and the number of permanent housing units serving those experiencing or exiting homelessness in the jurisdiction in each of specified categories. By requiring planning agencies to include additional information in these annual reports, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development (department) and, pursuant to the Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 2025, which became effective on July 5, 2025, transfers the department to the California Housing and Homelessness Agency, effective July 1, 2026, for purposes of carrying out state housing policies and programs. Existing law, commonly referred to as the Surplus Land Act, prescribes requirements for the disposal of surplus land by a local agency, as defined, and requires, except as provided, a local agency disposing of surplus land to comply with certain notice requirements before disposing of the land or participating in negotiations to dispose of the land with a prospective transferee. As part of these procedures, existing law requires that the local agency send a notice of availability to housing sponsors, as defined, that have notified the department of their interest in surplus land, as specified. This bill would require the department to establish a dedicated social housing coordinator to lead social housing strategy and implementation. In leading social housing strategy and implementation, the bill would require the dedicated social housing coordinator to, among other things, inventory and prioritize surplus public land suitable for social housing development. The bill would define "social housing development" as housing developed pursuant to the bill's provisions that is owned by a public entity, provides housing affordable to a mix of household income levels, and preserves long-term affordability. The bill would require the dedicated social housing coordinator to compile findings for social housing strategy and implementation, as specified, and post the findings on the department's internet website. The bill would require the department, by January 1, 2028, to submit a report to the Legislature with actionable recommendations based on the social housing strategy and implementation program findings, as described above.
Existing law provides that in a civil action brought by a plaintiff to challenge a housing development project that meets or exceeds the requirements for low- or moderate-income housing, a defendant may seek an order requiring the plaintiff to furnish an undertaking as security for costs and damages that may be incurred by the defendant if the bringing of the action would result in preventing or delaying the project, as specified. Existing law limits the liability of the plaintiff who must furnish the undertaking to $500,000. Existing law also permits a defendant in a civil action challenging the approval or permitting of a priority housing development project, as defined, to bring a special motion to strike the pleading. Existing law requires the court to deny the motion to strike if the court determines, based on the pleadings, affidavits, and administrative record if applicable, that the plaintiff has established a probability of prevailing on the claim. This bill would increase the above-referenced liability limit to $1,000,000. The bill would also generally apply the above provisions to priority care developments, as defined, that provide supportive housing or other housing assistance in connection with behavioral health services and other specified purposes. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 529.2 of the Code of Civil Procedure proposed by SB 916 to be operative only if this bill and SB 916 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development and requires it to administer various programs intended to promote the development of housing, including the Multifamily Housing Program, pursuant to which the department provides assistance in the form of deferred payment loans to pay for the eligible costs of development of specified types of housing projects, as provided. This bill would establish the Affordable Housing Risk Reduction Program, administered by the department, to provide technical assistance and supportive resources to affordable housing providers to help them mitigate risk in their portfolio and secure more affordable insurance options. The bill would require the department to develop technical assistance to support affordable housing providers, and would authorize the department and third-party consultants to provide both individual technical assistance to affordable housing providers and develop technical assistance tools that can be made broadly accessible to those providers.
Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development and requires it to administer various programs intended to promote the development of housing, as specified, pursuant to which the department provides financial assistance in the form of deferred payment loans to pay for the eligible costs of development of specified types of housing projects. Existing law sets forth various general powers of the department in implementing these programs, including authorizing the department to enter into long-term contracts or agreements of up to 30 years for the purpose of servicing loans or grants or enforcing regulatory agreements or other security documents. This bill would permit the department to, subject to prescribed requirements, authorize the transfer of the department residual receipts share or excess reserves, as defined, from one rental housing development to another rental housing development with the same owner, as specified.
