18021.7
. (a) (1) In addition to other remedies provided in this
part, the Director of Housing and Community Development or his or her
designee may issue a citation that assesses a civil penalty payable
to the department to any licensee who violates subdivision (d) of
Section 18020, Section 18021.5, 18026, 18029.6, or 18030, subdivision
(b) of Section 18032, Section 18035, 18035.1, 18035.2, 18035.3,
18036, 18039, 18045, 18045.5, 18045.6, 18046, or 18058, subdivision
(a) of Section 18059, subdivision (b) of Section 18059.5, subdivision
(c) of Section 18060, subdivision (c) of Section 18060.5, Section
18061, subdivision (d), (i), or (j) of Section 18061.5, subdivision
(a) or (b) of Section 18062, subdivision (a), (b), (d), (e), (f),
(g), or (h) of Section 18062.2, subdivision (c) of Section 18063, or
Section 18080.5.
(2) A violation of subdivision (d) of Section 18060.5 is also
cause for citation if both the dealer and the manufacturer receive
written notice of a warranty complaint from the complainant, from the
department, or another source of information, and, at a minimum, the
90-day period provided for correction of substantial defects
pursuant to Section 1797.7 of the Civil Code has expired.
(3) Each citation and related civil penalty assessment shall be
issued no later than one year after discovery of the violation.
(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amount of any
civil penalty assessed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be one
hundred dollars ($100) for each violation, but shall be increased to
two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for each subsequent violation of the
same prohibition for which a citation for the subsequent violation
is issued within one year of the citation for the previous violation.
The violation or violations giving cause for the citation shall be
corrected if applicable, and payment of the civil penalty shall be
remitted to the department within 45 days of the date of issuance of
the citation. Civil penalties received by the department pursuant to
this section shall be deposited in the Mobilehome-Manufactured Home
Revolving Fund.
(2) (A) For violations of subdivision (d) of Section 18020, or
Section 18026, the department shall assess the civil penalties in a
range between two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and two thousand
dollars ($2,000). When determining the amount of the assessed civil
penalty, the department shall take into consideration whether one or
more of the following or similar circumstances apply:
(i) The citation includes multiple violations.
(ii) The cited person has a history of violations of the same or
similar provisions of this division and the regulations promulgated
under this division.
(iii) In the judgment of the department, the person has exhibited
bad faith or a conflict of interest.
(iv) In the judgment of the department, the violation is serious
or harmful.
(v) The citation involves a violation perpetrated against a senior
citizen, veteran, or person with disabilities.
(B) If a citation lists more than one violation and each of the
violations relates to the same manufacturing facility or client, the
total penalty assessment in each citation shall not exceed ten
thousand dollars ($10,000).
(C) If a citation lists more than one violation, the amount of
assessed civil penalty shall be stated separately for each section
violated.
(c) Any person or entity served a citation pursuant to this
section may petition for, and shall be granted, an informal hearing
before the director or his or her designee. The petition shall be a
written request briefly stating the grounds for the request. Any
petition to be considered shall be received by the department within
30 days of the date of issuance of the citation.
(d) Upon receipt of a timely and complying petition, the
department shall suspend enforcement of the citation and set a time
and place for the informal hearing and shall give the licensee
written notice thereof. The hearing shall commence no later than 30
days following receipt of the petition or at another time scheduled
by the department pursuant to a request by the licensee or department
if good and sufficient cause exists. If the licensee fails to appear
at the time and place scheduled for the hearing, the department may
notify the licensee in writing that the petition is dismissed and
that compliance with terms of the citation shall occur within 10 days
after receipt of the notification.
(e) The department shall notify the petitioner in writing of its
decision and the reasons therefor within 30 days following conclusion
of the informal hearing held pursuant to this section. If the
decision upholds the citation, in whole or in part, the licensee
shall comply with the citation in accordance with the decision within
30 days after the decision is mailed by the department.
(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude
remedies available under other provisions of law.