Part 4.5. Shared Housing For The Elderly And The Handicapped of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 13. >> Part 4.5.

The Legislature finds and declares that the elderly and the handicapped who live together in a shared housing arrangement benefit from this arrangement by having their housing needs met at reduced cost. It is the intent of the Legislature to promote shared housing for the elderly and the handicapped by enacting this part.

As used in this part:
  (a) "Assistance" means direct financial assistance for a multifamily housing development, including, but not limited to, assistance provided pursuant to this division by the department or agency, and mortgage and construction financing provided by a public agency.
  (b) "Dwelling" means all housing whether owned or rented.
  (c) "Elderly" shall have the same meaning as is given that term by Section 50067.
  (d) "Handicapped" shall have the same meaning as is given that term by Section 50072.
  (e) "Elderly or handicapped household" means, two or more persons who live together as a household, without regard to any specific relationship, and at least one of whom is an elderly or handicapped person or an elderly and handicapped person.
  (f) "Public agency" means the state, any county, city, city and county, district, redevelopment agency, housing authority, or any other political subdivision of the state. "Public agency" includes a federal agency if the requirements of this part would not conflict with, or be preempted by, the requirements of federal law.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, or any rule, regulation, condition, covenant, or restriction to the contrary, if a public agency owns and operates, or owns and causes to be operated, or provides assistance to, a housing development, and if a private owner or operator of a housing development receives assistance from a public agency, an elderly or handicapped household may qualify and live together in an efficiency, studio, or one bedroom unit of that housing development.
  (b) (1) The public agency, or private owner or operator of a housing development receiving assistance from a public agency, may prohibit residency as provided in subdivision (a) on any of the following grounds:
  (A) If compliance with subdivision (a) would violate or be inconsistent with a federal or state law or regulation or local ordinance or regulation relating to health and safety.
  (B) If the combined income of all persons in the elderly or handicapped household, considering all permitted deductions and adjustments, is not in the income category of a family of the same size that would be eligible for assisted rental housing, if and to the extent that income limitations or requirements exist.
  (C) If the density of use of the dwelling unit would violate the requirements for efficiency, studio, or one bedroom units as prescribed by the Uniform Housing Code, or regulations promulgated by the Department of Housing and Community Development pursuant to Section 50152.7.
  (D) Those persons otherwise violate the requirements imposed pursuant to state or federal law for the particular rental housing program for which they seek to qualify.
  (2) This subdivision does not apply to any residency, occupancy, or use of a dwelling that is permitted under Section 51.3 of the Civil Code.