Housing


Finance and Development
Mobilehomes
Miscellaneous

 

 

 

Finance and Development

SB 50* (Greene-D) School facilities: bonds: developer fees

Authorizes a $9.2 billion K-12 school and higher education bond to be presented to the voters November 3, 1998. Revises developer fee and mitigation procedures for school facility purposes and reforms the state program that distributes state bond funds to K-12 school districts.

Chapter 407, Statutes of 1998

SB 256 (Costa-D) Local planning: housing elements

Extends the deadlines for cities and counties to revise their housing elements in order for the State Department of Housing and Community Development, the oversight agency for housing element compliance, to determine each Council of Government region's share of statewide housing need.

Chapter 819, Statutes of 1998

SB 302 (Costa-D) Farmworker housing

Makes technical changes in the farmworker housing tax credit, and conforms the definition of eligible costs to the definition used by the Internal Revenue Service for the low-income housing.

Chapter 371, Statutes of 1998

SB 888* (Costa-D) Neighborhood development corporations

Establishes authority for the State Department of Community Services and Development to charter up to 30 neighborhood development corporations. Provides that these entities would be formed in distressed neighborhoods for the purpose of establishing a "focal point of responsibility" for implementing federal welfare reform.

(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)

SB 1138 (Johannessen-R) Veterans farm and home purchase program

Requires that all purchasers participating in the Veterans Farm and Home Purchase Program also participate in the Veterans Indemnity Fund, as specified.

Chapter 371, Statutes of 1998

SB 1236 (Johannessen-R) Regional housing needs

Makes changes in the legislative findings and declarations concerning the creation of availability of decent housing and addressing of regional housing needs by state and local government.

(Died in Senate Housing and Land Use Committee)

SB 1557* (Johnson-R) Redevelopment: Tustin Marine Corps Air Station

Allows the City of Tustin to assume the State Historic Preservation Officer's (SHPO) federal regulatory duties for purposes of applying the National Historic Preservation Act at the Tustin Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) redevelopment project, even if the SHPO has not delegated those duties to the city. Requires that when assuming these duties, the city explore through a marketing and solicitation process whether it is feasible to reuse two blimp hangars on the MCAS in their historic condition.

Chapter 989, Statutes of 1998

SB 1615* (Lockyer-D) Redevelopment: military base: environmental impact report

Extends by 12 months the time local officials have to certify the environmental impact reports for the Alameda Naval Air Station, Hunter's Point Shipyard, and the San Diego Naval Training Center redevelopment plans.

Chapter 586, Statutes of 1998

SB 1721 (Kopp-I) Redevelopment: tax increment funds

Prohibits redevelopment officials from using property tax increment revenues to pay for the development of city halls or county administration buildings.

(Failed passage in Senate Local Government Committee)

SB 1760 (Haynes-R) Development: fees and charges

Requires local water and sanitation agencies to account separately and publicly for their use of charges imposed for the expansion of the capacity of water or sewer systems.

Chapter 644, Statutes of 1998

SB 1945 (Karnette-D) State Teachers' Retirement System: benefits

Repeals the current State Teachers' Retirement System (STRS) home loan program and establishes a new program that includes a 100% financing member home loan program to assist STRS members in obtaining homes in California.

Chapter 419, Statutes of 1998

SB 1950 (Sher-D) Housing: Emergency Housing and Assistance Program

Appropriates $5 million for allocation to the Emergency Housing and Assistance Fund within the State Department of Housing and Community Development. The funds will be used exclusively for the acquisition, conversion, rehabilitation or construction of permanent homeless shelter facilities. Establishes criteria for the issuance of forgivable loans to acquire, convert, or construct permanent homeless shelters.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 168* (Torlakson-D) Tax credit: low-income housing

Increases the amount of low-income housing credits that could be allocated annually by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, from $35 million to $50 million for each of calendar years 1998 and 1999.

Chapter 9, Statutes of 1998

A similar bill was AB 1265* (Torlakson) which died in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

AB 1696* (Alquist-D) First-time home buyers downpayment assistance program

Establishes a downpayment loan assistance program for first-time homebuyers (i.e., persons who purchase housing units they will occupy and have not had an ownership in a principal residence three years prior to the date of the loan execution). Persons receiving assistance must have an income that does not exceed 80% of the median income for the county in which the applicant will reside.

Appropriates $10 million from the General Fund to the State Controller for allocation to counties in proportion to population for downpayment assistance loans.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1697 (Torlakson-D) Housing finance

Transfers $1 million appropriated in the Budget Act of 1998 for Self-Help Housing from the General Fund to the California Housing Trust Fund and for housing programs that serve low and very low income households.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1701 (Alquist-D) Housing assistance: termination: notice

Strengthens notice requirements to tenants and local governments for multi-family developments facing termination or expiration of federal housing subsidy contracts.

Chapter 341, Statutes of 1998

AB 1760 (Baldwin-R) Redevelopment: low- and moderate-income dwelling units

Exempts from specified fair share housing provisions, a redevelopment agency that has provided 150 percent or more of its fair share obligation of regional housing needs, as specified in the approved housing element of the jurisdiction in which the agency is located, but would prohibit the agency from reducing its fair share obligation by more than 80% of the vacancy rate within the agency's jurisdiction.

(Died in Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee)

AB 1826 (McClintock-R) Housing: Community Land Chest Law

Repeals the Community Land Chest Law which permits the creation of corporations that provide low-income housing in rural and suburban areas.

Chapter 173, Statutes of 1998

AB 1841* (Baldwin-R) Income taxes: credits: mortgage savings accounts

Enacts the Homes for Families Act, which authorizes individuals who have never purchased a principal residence and are at or below the county median income as established by the State Department of Housing and Community Development, to claim a 10% credit for deposits to a mortgage savings account.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 2653* (Ducheny-D) Farmworker housing

Requires the State Department of Housing and Community Development to establish or develop a proposal for creating a nonprofit regional foundation with expertise in agricultural land use and farmworker housing issues.

(Died in Senate Local Government Committee)

AB 2737 (Aroner-D) Supportive housing

Provides a sunset of January 1, 2005, for the Supportive Housing Program Council which will assist the State Department of Mental Health in implementing the Statewide Supportive Housing Initiative intended to encourage local communities to enter into partnerships that expand housing opportunities for very low-income persons with disabilities.

Chapter 808, Statutes of 1998

Mobilehomes

SB 111 (Craven-R) Mobilehome parks: rules and regulations

Makes void or unenforceable, as specified, any rule or regulation of mobilehome parks that prohibits the installation or use of a video or television antenna, including a satellite dish.

(Died in Senate Housing and Land Use Committee)

SB 399 (Kelley-R) Mobilehomes

Provides that the specified time periods covering procedures for management of a mobilehome park to obtain a judgment of abandonment of a mobilehome and conduct a public sale of the mobilehome and its contents be tabled until any of specified events occurs if the homeowner files for bankruptcy.

(Died in Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 485 (Craven-R) Mobilehome parks: inspections

Extends the statewide Mobilehome Inspection Program administered by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) from January 1, 1999, to January 1, 2000. Specifies changes in the inspection cycle and in HCD's reporting requirements to the Legislature.

Chapter 773, Statutes of 1998

SB 801 (Craven-R) Mobilehomes: affordable housing

Includes mobilehomes and spaces occupied by mobilehomes within the definition of "multi-family units"; states that a mobilehome park is deemed to be a rental housing development, if its construction is assisted by a redevelopment agency's low- and moderate-income housing fund; and specifies how such a mobilehome park's affordable rent is calculated.

(Died in Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee)

SB 1954 (Peace-D) Mobilehome parks

Provides that it is the intent of the Legislature to review the Mobilehome Residency Law.

(Died in Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 1987 (Craven-R) Mobilehome parks: responsible persons: emergency plans

Requires the responsible person in every mobilehome park to be available by telephonic or like means or in person and to reasonably respond in a timely manner to any emergencies; and allows park management to adopt an emergency preparedness plan, as specified.

Chapter 667, Statutes of 1998

SB 1988 (Craven-R) Disclosures: mobilehomes

Postpones for one year the effective date of the requirement that the seller of a used manufactured home that is classified as personal property shall provide the purchaser with a "Manufactured Home and Mobilehome Transfer Disclosure Statement".

Chapter 693, Statutes of 1998

SB 2095 (Polanco-D) Mobilehome Residence Act

Makes several changes to the Mobilehome Residency Act. aIs intended to ensure mobilehome park tenants who have received a notice to terminate tenancy continue to maintain the mobilehome space until tenancy is terminated, and to reduce mobilehome park owners' costs in disposing of abandoned mobilehomes.

Chapter 542, Statutes of 1998

SCA 2 (O'Connell-D) Local controls on mobilehome parkspace rents

Provides that a local entity may enact, amend or repeal a mobilehome park space rent control law, not subject to state preemption, so long as the local law provides a just and reasonable return on the investment of the mobilehome park owner.

(Died on Senate Inactive File)

AB 275 (Papan-D) Mobilehomes: notice

Requires the notice concerning the nature of the zoning and use permit under which the mobilehome park operates to also be given to each homeowner on an annual basis; requires the notice to include the name, address and telephone number of the lessor, if any; and makes clarifying changes.

(Died in Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee)

AB 759 (McClintock-R) Real estate: subdivisions

Makes technical, nonsubstantive changes to provisions within the Business and Professions Code relating to the definition of subdivided lands.

Chapter 11, Statutes of 1998

AB 1227 (Granlund-R) Mobilehome parks: landscaping

Requires mobilehome park management to be responsible for the trimming of all trees within the mobilehome park and the disposal or removal of those trimmings.

(Died in Senate Local Government Committee)

AB 1478 (Sweeney-D) Mobilehomes and manufactured housing: deficiency judgments

Provides mobilehome owners the same protection against deficiency judgments given to owners of conventional housing and floating homes (houseboats).

(Failed passage in Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee)

AB 1888 (Honda-D) Mobilehome parks: termination of tenancy

Allows a mobilehome owner to prevent eviction of a resident if the owner pays the space rent owing after the owner receives notice of termination by the mobilehome park. Provides that a park resident's fourth default within a 12-month period may be cured by the mobilehome owner if he/she did not receive a copy of any default notice within that 12-month period.

Chapter 427, Statutes of 1998

AB 1984 (Miller-R) Recreational vehicles: manufacture: standards

Eliminates the State Department of Housing and Community Development inspection program on new and used recreational vehicles. Requires recreational vehicles to be constructed in accordance with specified standards of the American National Standards Institute.

Chapter 293, Statutes of 1998

AB 2016 (Brown-D) Mobilehomes: liquid propane butane sales

Prohibits mobilehome park management from charging mobilehome park residents more than the actual cost of liquid propane butane, plus a separate monthly charge for specified costs, when residents are not permitted to purchase the propane from any other source. Requires management to post the actual price paid for propane in a visible location.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 2384 (Aguiar-R) Property taxation: mobilehomes

Repeals the January 1, 2000, sunset date for providing the change-in-ownership reassessment exemption to the conversion of mobilehome parks to tenant ownership, thus extending that exemption indefinitely. Provides that if, on or after January 1, 1998, a park is acquired by an entity that did not attain an initial tenant participation level of at least 51% on the date of the transfer, the entity shall have up to one year after the date of the transfer to attain a tenant participation level of at least 51%.

Chapter 139, Statutes of 1998

Miscellaneous

SB 71* (Kelley-R) Natural hazards: disclosure

Delays the effective date of portions of AB 6X (Torlakson), Chapter 7, First Extraordinary Session of 1997, until June 1, 1998. AB 6X requires a seller and/or the seller's agent to provide prospective buyers a "Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement" disclosing whether the residence in question is located within a specified natural hazard zone.

Chapter 2, Statutes of 1998

SB 254 (Lee-D) Common Interest Development Brochure

Requires the State Department of Real Estate to develop, produce, update, and make available to the public at a reasonable cost, an informational publication entitled the "Common Interest Development Brochure." Requires the owner of a common interest development to provide any prospective purchaser with a copy of the "Common Interest Development Brochure."

(Died in Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee)

SB 258 (Kopp-I) Redevelopment agencies: reporting requirements

Improves the substance and procedures for community redevelopment agencies to report on their affordable housing activities. Revises redevelopment agencies' annual reporting deadlines and increases penalties of repeated failure to file financial reports. Contains nearly all the recommendations of the 1997 Task Force on Redevelopment Agencies' Affordable Housing Reports.

Chapter 39, Statutes of 1998

SB 339 (Sher-D) Housing: construction: liability

Provides that any person who builds, develops, constructs, or supervises the construction of specified residential projects shall be licensed as a general building contractor at all times during construction. Authorizes the managing association of a common interest development to bring an action on behalf of its members under specified conditions. Specifies legislative intent to overturn the holding in the case of Morris v. Horton (1994).

(Died in Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 414 (Maddy-R) Real estate contracts

Provides that parties to a real estate contract who bring claims based upon specified patent or latent deficiencies are subject to unspecified mandatory mediation provisions.

(Died in Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 487 (Solis-D) Families Moving to Work Program

Renames the Family Housing Demonstration Program as the Families Moving to Work Program and makes various, minor changes to update the program.

(Died on Assembly Inactive File)

SB 488 (Kopp-I) Redevelopment agencies: annual report

Revises the requirements for redevelopment agencies' annual audits to meet current professional standards for government audits. Implements the recommendations of the Controller's Technical Working Group to Improve Annual Audits of California Redevelopment Agencies, convened at the request of the Senate Housing and Land Use Committee.

Chapter 40, Statutes of 1998

SB 636 (Calderon-D) Real property

Provides that the original developer of a residence, sold after January 1, 1998, is required to provide the original buyer with specified information; specifies liability and remedies.

(Died in Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 909 (Lee-D) Neighborhood Family Services Organization Act

Establishes the Neighborhood Family Services Organization Act to institute six pilot neighborhood family service organizations in selected inner city communities, to consolidate and improve the quality of health, education, public safety, economic and other programs within the community.

(Died in Senate Health and Human Services Committee)

SB 1109 (Costa-D) Housing: rent control

Provides that an owner who establishes a rental rate that is equal to, or less than, the existing maximum permissible rent level shall not be deemed to have established an initial rental rate and shall remain entitled to establish the initial rental rate after a qualifying vacancy, as specified. Provides that an owner who establishes an initial rental rate in any amount which exceeds the maximum permissible rent level that otherwise could be charged at the time of the re-rental pursuant to local law, shall be deemed to have established that initial rental rate. Provides that an owner who establishes an initial rental rate prior to January 1, 1999, shall notify the incoming tenant in writing of the maximum permissible rent level at the time of the hiring of the unit or dwelling.

(Died in Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 1156 (Costa-D) Relocation Assistance Act

Makes various changes to the statute governing temporary relocation benefits. Applies the provisions relating to persons temporarily displaced from multifamily housing projects of four or more units, to persons displaced for not more than one year as part of a rehabilitation of a qualified affordable housing preservation project, as defined, having two or more units, as specified.

Chapter 422, Statutes of 1998

SB 1348 (Senate Business And Professions Committee) Real estate appraisers

Allows the director of the State Office of Real Estate Appraisers to issue citations that impose continuing education requirements. Allows an administrative judge to assess a fine at an administrative hearing of a real estate appraiser. Allows an enforcement cost recovery program for the State Office of Real Estate Appraisers.

Chapter 790, Statutes of 1998

SB 1362 (Senate Housing And Land Use Committee) Housing and Land Use Omnibus Act of 1998

Enacts the "Housing and Land Use Omnibus Act of 1998" which makes non-controversial changes to state laws affecting housing and land use issues.

Chapter 689, Statutes of 1998

SB 1388 (Knight-R) Real property: eminent domain

Overturns a recent California Supreme Court case to provide that in a partial takings case an owner is entitled to compensation for injury to the remainder of the property, reduced only by "special benefits" to the remainder.

(Failed passage in Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 1405 (Polanco-D) Security bars: fire safety: regulations

Increases the public safety of burglar bars through public education, statewide standards, and the removal of illegal burglar bars.

Chapter 730, Statutes of 1998

SB 1554 (Kopp-I) Real estate brokers

Makes various clarifying and substantive changes to the regulatory structure and process for licensed real estate brokers, mortgage brokers, property managers, agents or sales persons, and other specified licensees. Enacts comprehensive consumer protection regulations of persons involved in real estate secured transactions.

Chapter 641, Statutes of 1998

SB 1683 (Rosenthal-D) Title insurance

Requires the State Insurance Commissioner to develop and provide a brochure for consumers who are required to buy title insurance, as specified, and to display the brochure on the Internet.

Chapter 732, Statutes of 1998

SB 1730 (Burton-D) Housing

Prohibits a property owner from using financial or income standards in evaluating a prospective tenant in renting resident property if those standards are used in a specified manner. Provides that any person invited by an occupant onto residential real property for the purpose of providing information regarding tenants' rights shall not be liable in any criminal or civil action for trespass, as specified.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

SB 1779 (Haynes-R) Private property rights: taking impact analysis

Requires (1) agencies to conduct a private property taking impact analysis before issuing any regulation or taking any action which may significantly impair the use of private property; (2) agencies to minimize the number of decisions which interfere with the use of private property; and (3) that mitigation obligations imposed by agencies shall have a "direct relationship" to the burdens imposed by the proposed activity, and must be roughly proportional in nature and extent to the impact of the proposed activity.

(Failed passage in Senate Judiciary Committee)

SB 1819 (Craven-R) Housing elements

Provides that specified general plan housing element requirements shall not be construed to require, with respect to emergency shelters and transitional housing and other components of an inventory of sites, the identification of specific parcels of land by parcel number or address.

(Died in Senate Local Government Committee)

SB 1835 (Johnston-D) Land use: Williamson Act contracts

Clarifies and makes changes to provisions of the Williamson Act relating to contracts, in the areas of (1) city annexations, (2) open space easements, (3) lot line adjustments, and (4) public improvements.

Chapter 690, Statutes of 1998

SB 1884* (Johannessen-R) Veterans: farm and loan purchases: insurance

Extends the annual reporting date from July 1 to September 1 for the State Department of Veterans Affairs to submit to the Legislature a report regarding insurance coverage, as specified.

Chapter 209, Statutes of 1998

SB 1944 (Sher-D) Landlord-tenant

Allows local governments, for a two-year period, to enact local ordinances requiring landlords to provide tenants 60 days notice, instead of 30 days notice, of rent increases.

(Died on Assembly Inactive File)

SB 1989 (Polanco-D) Real property disclosure: registered sex offenders

Imposes an obligation on sellers, lessors, and brokers to provide notice about the State Department of Justice data base of registered sex offenders.

Chapter 645, Statutes of 1998

AB 80* (Ducheny-D) Local government: substandard housing

Disallows California income tax deductions taken on housing or vacant property in serious, safety-threatening violation of state law or local building codes.

Chapter 646, Statutes of 1998

AB 108 (Morrow-R) Shake Roof Replacement Bond Act of 1998

Authorizes a measure to be placed on the June 1998 ballot for voter approval of an unspecified amount of general obligation bond authority to establish the Shake Roof Replacement Bond Act of 1998 for financing loans to replace shake roofs with fire retardant roofs. Gives priority to low-income homeowners, as specified.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 109* (Kaloogian-R) Tax deduction: roof replacement

Provides a tax deduction to a homeowner for the cost of replacing an existing roof with one with a higher fire resistance rating.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 438 (Torlakson-D) Adequate housing sites and regional housing needs

Allows local jurisdictions to fulfill a portion of their region's affordable housing needs by providing either substantially rehabilitated units, market-rate units that have been converted to affordable units, or federally assisted multi-family units whose affordability has been extended for 40 years.

Chapter 796, Statutes of 1998

AB 469 (Cardoza-D) Limited liability partnerships: architecture

Permits architects, until January 1, 2002, to operate as a limited liability partnership when the partnership meets specified insurance requirements.

Chapter 504, Statutes of 1998

AB 474 (Murray-D) Landlord-tenant: eviction

Provides for an expedited process in cases alleging that a tenant or occupant committed a nuisance involving the sale or use of illegal drugs.

(Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee)

AB 583 (Davis-D) Residential real property: trespass: rent skimming

Prohibits phony adverse possession schemes. Adds a new provision to Penal Code trespass provisions and adds a clarification to the Civil Code rent skimming definition to prohibit rent skimming by phony adverse possession schemes in which rental companies rent unoccupied houses or apartments belonging to others, without permission, under claims of right by adverse possession.

Chapter 193, Statutes of 1998

AB 630 (Richter-R) Tenancies: unclaimed personal property

Allows a landlord to keep for his or her own use, or to sell and retain the sale proceeds of, personal property left behind by a vacating tenant if the landlord reasonably believes the property is worth less than $400. Current law allows this action if the property is reasonably believed to be worth less than $300. For property worth over $300, the landlord must sell the property at public sale and remit the net proceeds of the sale (after deducting sales costs) to the county treasury for possible claim by the tenant or property owner.

(Failed passage in Senate Judiciary Committee)

AB 707 (Ackerman-R) Real property: restrictions

Amends sections of the Civil Code relating to the law of property to reflect modern practice and sets time limits on the validity and enforcement of restrictions imposed on privately-owned land, as specified.

Chapter 14, Statutes of 1998

AB 746 (Miller-R) Liability

Defines more specifically a "construction defect" as it relates to liability and reduces the statute of limitations for most latent construction defects from ten years to six years.

(Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee)

AB 759 (McClintock-R) Real estate: subdivisions

Makes technical, nonsubstantive changes to provisions within the Business and Professions Code relating to the definition of subdivided lands.

Chapter 11, Statutes of 1998

AB 887 (Ortiz-D) Firearms: insurance study

Requires insurers to provide data to the Insurance Commissioner on firearms and injuries, and requires insurers to send a designated notice to policyholders of homeowners insurance.

(Died in Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 941* (Miller-R) Real estate: disclosures by consultants

Allows a seller or an agent to give a prospective buyer a new "Property Disclosure Consultant's Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement" in lieu of the existing Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement if the seller or agent also delivers an expert report prepared by a licensed engineer, surveyor, geologist, or other expert.

(Died in Senate Local Government Committee)

AB 1069* (Cardoza-D) Housing for elderly relatives

Allows the Legislature to grant a property tax exemption of up to $50,000 of new construction to an owner-occupied home for the purpose of creating living quarters for an elderly relative.

(Died in Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee)

Its companion measure, ACA 6 (Cardoza), also died in Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee.

AB 1175 (Shelley-D) Building standards: City and County of San Francisco

Authorizes the City and County of San Francisco to make other changes or modifications to the requirements published in the California Building Standards Code relating to fire and panic safety that are reasonably necessary because of specified local conditions. Requires any changes or modifications that are less restrictive than the California Building Standards Code to meet a reasonable degree of fire and panic safety and not be less restrictive than the requirements in effect on December 31, 1983.

(Died in Senate Local Government Committee)

AB 1195* (Torlakson-D) Real estate: disclosures

Enacts the Real Estate Hazardous Disclosure form created last year in AB 6X. That bill mandated that sellers and their agents in real estate transactions must disclose known natural hazards on a single form. Requires the disclosures for the following hazards: earthquake fault zone; seismic hazard zone; FEMA flood zone; dam failure inundation zone; wildland fire area; and very high fire hazard area.

Chapter 65, Statutes of 1998

AB 1203 (Kuykendall-R) Real estate

Clarifies existing practice to allow transactions by various institutional investors (i.e., lenders), including licensed mortgage bankers, to engage in specified commercial transactions known as "table funding."

Chapter 26, Statutes of 1998

AB 1268 (Granlund-R) Common interest developments: motorcycles

Prohibits a common interest development's governing documents from banning residents or homeowners from using motorcycles to travel to their residences within the development. Declares that governing documents prohibiting the use of motorcycles are "void and unenforceable."

(Died in Senate Local Government Committee)

AB 1309 (Machado-D) Liability insurance: construction defects

Provides that a general liability insurance policy issued to a contractor or real estate developer may not cover any injury or progressive damage that results from a defect in construction that was reported to or discovered by the contractor or developer prior to issuance of the policy.

(Died in Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 1414 (Cardenas-D) Real estate transactions: disclosure

Permits the State Department of Real Estate to approve a supplement to a statutory disclosure form and to establish by regulation a procedure for requesting approval of those materials. Provides that if a transferee is given a supplement, the information shall be deemed to be adequate to inform the transferee on the information therein, and a seller or broker would not be required to provide any additional information.

(Died in Senate Judiciary Committee)

AB 1516 (Vincent-D) Real estate brokers: licensing

Allows real estate licensees to act on behalf of title insurers and to be compensated for doing so.

(Died in Assembly Insurance Committee)

AB 1585 (Aroner-D) National Guard armories

Extends the sunset date for the National Guard Armory Temporary Emergency Shelter Program for two more years, until March 15, 1999.

(Died on Assembly Inactive File)

AB 1615 (Papan-D) Land use: transit village plans

States the intent of the Legislature to encourage and promote the construction of housing within transit villages. Transit villages are aimed at maximizing transit ridership by concentrating housing and commercial development close to rail stations.

(Died in Senate Rules Committee)

AB 1616* (Lempert-D) Security window bars

Establishes a state matching fund program for retrofitting existing security window bars without safety release mechanisms and requires homes to be retrofitted with safety release mechanisms before they can be sold, leased, or rented.

(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1658* (Leach-R) Real estate

Makes minor, technical and clarifying changes in a mortgage broker's duties to clients. Is clean-up legislation from SB 795, Chapter 540, Statutes of 1997.

Chapter 145, Statutes of 1998

AB 1737 (Torlakson-D) Multifamily assisted housing

Requires a federally-designated administrative agency to report annually by January 5, beginning in 1999, to the Legislature on mortgage restructuring activities of federally-assisted multifamily housing mortgages identified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Creates a housing preservation component of an existing multi-family housing assistance program within the State Department of Housing and Community Development.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 1770 (Kuykendall-R) Real estate licensure

Revises the conditions under which a real estate broker license issued to a corporation may be suspended or revoked, and makes other technical changes related to real estate licenses.

Chapter 507, Statutes of 1998

AB 1855 (Oller-R) Real property transactions: licensees

Eliminates the existing law's prohibition against real estate licensees (brokers and agents) providing a prospective borrower any gift or object of value as an inducement for making a real estate loan.

Chapter 126, Statutes of 1998

AB 1950 (Torlakson-D) Liability: construction defects: insurance

Revises the procedures and timeline for the pre-litigation process in construction defect suits (i.e., SB 1029 (Calderon), Chapter 864, Statutes of 1995) designed to encourage settlement of such suits between a builder of a common interest development and a homeowners' association

Chapter 856, Statutes of 1998

AB 2020 (Thomson-D) Civil rights: housing: pets

Stops homeowner associations in common interest developments from prohibiting homeowners from having pets, if such homeowners are disabled or regarded by a licensed physician or psychologist as needing a pet and that such homeowners abide by reasonable rules and regulations, as specified.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 2032 (Cardoza-D) Development fees

Requires a local agency to determine that the amount of a development fee is roughly proportional in extent to the projected impact of the project on the community.

(Died in Assembly Local Government Committee)

AB 2089 (Ackerman-R) Relocation assistance: illegal aliens

Conforms state relocation law to recently enacted federal law requiring states to deny relocation assistance to illegal aliens.

(Failed passage in Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee)

AB 2096* (Margett-R) Veterans: Cal-Vet loans

Reduces the down payment required under the Cal-Vet Program from 5% to 2% of the selling price. Implements recommendations of the Legislative Analyst report, "Rethinking the Cal-Vet Loan Program," and is intended to make it easier to obtain property loans and provides for greater security on obtained loans.

Chapter 530, Statutes of 1998

AB 2097* (Margett-R) Veterans farm and home purchases

Requires the State Department of Veterans Affairs to report to the California Veterans Board and the Veterans Finance Committee of 1943 regarding the recommended rate of interest payable on the remaining unpaid amount on any veteran purchaser's Cal-Vet home contract executed after January 1, 1999. Allows the State Department of Veterans Affairs to modify interest rates to be paid, either fixed or variable, on Cal-Vet home purchase contracts executed after January 1, 1999.

Chapter 362, Statutes of 1998

AB 2098 (Cardenas-D) Real estate: disclosure

Permits the State Commissioner of Real Estate to approve brochures relating to statutorily required disclosures in real estate transactions.

(Died in Assembly Consumer Protection, Governmental Efficiency, and Economic Development Committee)

AB 2220 (Napolitano-D) Redevelopment: Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund

Provides that the Community Development Commission of the City of Santa Fe Springs shall not be required to repay specified borrowed funds.

(Died in Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee)

AB 2244 (Baldwin-R) Real estate appraisers

Authorizes the director of the Office of Real Estate Appraisers to take disciplinary action against licensees who fail to pay previously assessed administrative fines or required installment payments. These actions are in addition to existing interest and penalty fines. Authorizes the Office of Real Estate Appraisers to settle any administrative allegation of violations.

Chapter 366, Statutes of 1998

AB 2278 (Kuykendall-R) Real estate appraiser license fee

Allows licensed real estate appraisers to continue practicing during the processing period for license renewal, under specified conditions. Authorizes the State Office of Real Estate Appraisers to accept personal checks for license renewal.

(Died on Senate Inactive File)

AB 2354 (Olberg-R) Development: fees

Makes any fee collected in connection with a development agreement between a city, county, or city and county and any person having a legal or equitable interest in real property subject to existing law provisions related to the deposit of fees in specified accounts.

(Died in Assembly Local Government Committee)

AB 2421 (Honda-D) Housing: nonprofit

Expands the definition of "nonprofit" to include charitable organizations and general or limited partnerships, and exempts them from determining an applicant's eligibility for assisted housing based on the person's citizenship status.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 2491 (Martinez-D) Attorney General: redlining report

Directs the Attorney General to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature no later than March 31, 2000, that documents any complaints or formal charges of redlining and examines the impact of a standardized credit scoring system used by financial institutions. Limits the report to specific areas of the state. Requires state agencies and departments to provide information and assistance upon request of the Attorney General.

Vetoed by the Governor

AB 2631 (Baugh-R) Limitation of actions: real property

Extends liability protection to cities and counties against claims of property damage arising out of latent defects.

(Failed passage in Assembly Judiciary Committee)

AB 2697* (Ducheny-D) Building standards

Requires the State Trade and Commerce Agency to provide an independent economic review of the housing cost impact of a proposed modification of the residential building standards if the impact review is requested by either the staff of the California Building Standards Commission or other interested parties of the modification. Contains follow-up to SB 873 (Vasconcellos) of last year, which ensured that persons using publicly accessible swimming pools are not jeopardized by faulty light fixtures.

Chapter 426, Statutes of 1998

AB 2780* (Gallegos-D) Housing: mentally ill

Establishes the California Statewide Supportive Housing Initiative Act to provide housing, and supportive and independent living arrangements for low-income individuals with mental illness or other special needs.

Chapter 310, Statutes of 1998

AB 2797* (Cardoza-D) Senior Citizen Property Tax Assistance

Applies inflation adjustment factors to the household income amounts that determine the amount of assistance a claimant receives in Senior Citizen Property Tax Assistance and Renters' Assistance Program.

Chapter 322, Statutes of 1998

ACR 160 (Aroner-D) Affordable Housing Week

Proclaims the week of June 7, 1998, to June 14, 1998, as Affordable Housing Week, and calls upon all Californians to learn about and honor the contributions of affordable housing by participating in activities held to commemorate this observance.

Resolution Chapter 72, Statutes of 1998

AJR 35 (Aguiar-R) Department of Housing and Urban Development: foreclosure

Memorializes Congress and the President to make specified changes in the policies by which the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development handles foreclosure properties.

(Died in Assembly Rules Committee)

AB 8X* (Martinez-D) Disaster relief: supplemental relief: tax amnesty

Establishes the Supplemental Individual Assistance Program Account in the Natural Disaster Assistance Fund for a grant program for individuals with specified low-income levels to cover damages caused to residential or personal property by a natural disaster. Requires the State Franchise Tax Board and the State Board of Equalization to conduct a tax penalty amnesty program.

(Died in Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee)