CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2005

Introduced by Assembly Member Ward

January 31, 2024

An act to add Part 14.3 (commencing with Section 53610) to Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to housing.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2005, as introduced, Ward. California State University: faculty and employee housing.
Existing law, the Teacher Housing Act of 2016, authorizes a school district to establish and implement programs that address the housing needs of teachers and school district employees who face challenges in securing affordable housing, as specified. The act provides that the purpose of the act is to facilitate the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation and preservation of affordable rental housing for teachers and school district employees to allow teachers or school district employees to access and maintain housing stability. The act provides that it specifically creates a state policy supporting housing for teachers and school district employees as described by specified federal law and permits school districts and developers in receipt of local or state funds or tax credits designated for affordable rental housing to restrict occupancy to teachers and school district employees on land owned by school districts, so long as that housing does not violate any other applicable laws. The act defines various terms for these purposes.
This bill would authorize the California State University to establish and implement programs that address the housing needs of faculty or California State University employees who face challenges in securing affordable housing, as specified. The bill would provide that the purpose of its provisions are to facilitate the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation and preservation of affordable rental housing for faculty or California State University employees to allow them to access and maintain housing stability. The bill would provide that it specifically creates a state policy supporting housing for faculty or California State University campus employees as described by specified federal law and permits the California State University developers in receipt of local or state funds or tax credits designated for affordable rental housing to restrict occupancy to faculty or California State University employees on land owned by the California State University, so long as that housing does not violate any other applicable laws. The bill would define various terms for these purposes.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Part 14.3 (commencing with Section 53610) is added to Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:

PART 14.3. California State University Faculty and Employee Housing Act of 2024

53610.
 This part may be cited as the California State University Faculty and Employee Housing Act of 2024.

53611.
 (a) The purpose of this part is to facilitate the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable rental housing for faculty and California State University employees to allow them to access and maintain housing stability.
(b) A program established under this part shall be restricted to faculty or California State University employees, except that a California State University campus may allow local public employees or other members of the public to occupy housing created through this part, subject to applicable laws and regulations.
(c) A California State University campus may prioritize California State University employees over local public employees or other members of the public to occupy housing.

53612.
 As used in this part:
(a) “Affordable rental housing” means a rental housing development with a majority of its rents restricted to levels that are affordable to persons and families of low or moderate income.
(b) “Faculty or California State University employee” means any person employed by a California State University campus, including, but not limited to, faculty and staff.
(c) “Local public employees” includes employees of a city, county, city and county, charter city, charter county, charter city and county, special district, or any combination thereof.
(d) “Persons and families of low or moderate income” has the same meaning as defined in Section 50093.
(e) “Rental housing development” means a structure or set of structures with common financing, ownership, and management with one or more dwelling units, including efficiency units. No more than one of the dwelling units may be occupied as a primary residence by a person or household who is the owner of the structure or structures.

53613.
 The California State University may establish and implement programs that address the housing needs of faculty or California State University employees who face challenges in securing affordable housing. To the extent feasible, a California State University campus may establish and implement programs that, among other things, do any of the following:
(a) Leverage federal, state, and local public, private, and nonprofit programs and fiscal resources available to housing developers.
(b) Promote public and private partnerships.
(c) Foster innovative financing opportunities.

53614.
 This part specifically creates a state policy supporting housing for faculty or California State University campus employees as described in Section 42(g)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code, and, further, permits the California State University and developers in receipt of local or state funds or tax credits designated for affordable rental housing to restrict occupancy to faculty or California State University employees on land owned by California State University Trustees, including permitting California State University campuses and developers in receipt of tax credits designated for affordable rental housing to retain the right to prioritize and restrict occupancy on land owned by California State University Trustees to faculty or California State University employees of the California State University, so long as that housing does not violate any other applicable laws.

SEC. 2.

 The provisions of this act are severable. If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.