Article 3. General Provisions of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 31. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 7.5. >> Article 3.

There is hereby established, within the Division of Community Affairs of the department, a California Self-Help Housing Program.

The California Self-Help Housing Program shall do all of the following:
  (a) Be a clearinghouse for owner-building and self-help rehabilitation information.
  (b) Conduct research projects and training projects pertaining to owner-building and self-help rehabilitation.
  (c) Provide information and technical assistance to, and between, public and private agencies, community groups, and present and prospective owner-rehabilitators and self-help rehabilitators.
  (d) Prepare, publish, and disseminate educational information relating to, and encouraging, owner-building and self-help rehabilitation.
  (e) Encourage and facilitate the effective use of available housing resources by existing and potential owner-builders and self-help rehabilitators and other persons seeking to improve their principal residences.
  (f) Encourage and assist the formation and operation of neighborhood organizations and community design centers to assist owner-builders and self-help rehabilitators.

The California Self-Help Housing Program shall provide potential and actual owner-builders and self-help rehabilitators all of the following information and technical assistance:
  (a) The cost savings of owner-building and self-help rehabilitation.
  (b) Construction materials and methods.
  (c) The identity of local material sources and technical resources.
  (d) Financing requirements and opportunities.
  (e) Site acquisition.
  (f) Insurance and legal requirements.
  (g) Energy and water conservation.
  (h) Building codes and standards and housing codes.
  (i) Other available housing alternatives.
  (j) Any other information or technical assistance determined by the department to further the purposes of this chapter.

(a) The California Self-Help Housing Program may provide the information and technical assistance required by Section 50695 in conjunction with federal and state energy and water conservation programs, and federal and state neighborhood preservation and urban homesteading programs, including local programs carried on in federally assisted community development neighborhoods, neighborhood preservation areas, redevelopment project areas, urban homesteading areas, and residential rehabilitation areas.
  (b) The California Self-Help Housing Program may contract with public entities and private nonprofit corporations to provide assistance to persons and families of low or moderate income who are owner-builders or self-help rehabilitators, as defined in subdivisions (a) and (c) of Section 50692. These contracts shall provide grant funds for any of the following activities:
  (1) To cover the costs of developing, conducting, administering, or coordinating programs of technical or supervisory assistance which will aid persons and families of low or moderate income in carrying out owner-building or self-help rehabilitation housing efforts.
  (2) To write down the development costs of the participant's housing.
  (3) To reduce monthly mortgage payments by reducing the interest cost to the participant through supplemental payments of those grant funds, reducing principal, or deferring all or a portion of the payments until the housing is sold or refinanced.
  (c) The primary emphasis of the California Self-Help Housing Program and local self-help housing programs shall be to expand and improve the housing stock available to lower income households. The program shall give priority to those applications received by the program which serve the highest proportion of lower income households.
  (d) The department shall not contract with any public entity or private nonprofit corporation pursuant to subdivision (b) if that entity or corporation denies the benefits of this chapter, or discriminates in the provision of assistance pursuant to this chapter, in violation of Section 11135 of the Government Code, as determined by the department.
  (e) Notwithstanding Section 50052.5, the department may establish a standard for monthly housing costs that does not exceed 30 percent of the gross monthly income of persons eligible for assistance pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 50696.

(a) The department shall encourage or support all self-help housing program activities in the state and shall do so in accordance with the policies, goals, and objectives of the California Statewide Housing Plan.
  (b) The department may seek commitments, on a matching or other basis, from local agencies for the financial support of local self-help housing programs.
  (c) The department may seek, obtain, and utilize public and private funds to carry out the purposes and general provisions of this chapter.
  (d) The department shall adopt procedures and regulations necessary to implement this chapter. The regulations shall include, but need not be limited to, both of the following requirements:
  (1) A maximum mortgage subsidy limit.
  (2) Guidelines which either encourage resale to lower income households or provide assistance to new self-help households. These guidelines shall include, but need not be limited to, permitting assumption of department mortgage subsidies or permitting partial or total forgiveness of mortgage subsidies after a specified period of occupancy by eligible households. If a household receiving assistance sells to a household which is not an eligible household, the regulations shall provide for repayment of the mortgage subsidy and may provide for payment of interest on the mortgage subsidy. The guidelines shall also provide that, if the market value at the time of resale to either an eligible or ineligible household is less than the total of outstanding mortgages, liens, and the value of the self-help equity, the amount due in repayment of the mortgage subsidy shall be reduced by the difference between that total and the market value.
  (e) Any assistance provided pursuant to this chapter shall be considered a purchase or rehabilitation loan for the purposes of Section 711.5 of the Civil Code.

(a) The Self-Help Housing Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, all moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated for contracts entered into pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 50696 and for costs incurred by the California Self-Help Housing Program in administering the program. The moneys in the fund are not subject to transfer to any other fund pursuant to Part 2 (commencing with Section 16300) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code, except the Surplus Money Investment Fund. The department may require the transfer of moneys in the fund to the Surplus Money Investment Fund for investment pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 16470) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code. Notwithstanding Section 16305.7 of the Government Code, all interest, dividends, and pecuniary gains from the investments shall accrue to the fund.
  (b) The Self-Help Housing Fund shall consist of all of the following:
  (1) Any moneys appropriated to the fund by the Legislature.
  (2) Any moneys which the California Self-Help Housing Program receives in repayment or return of the funds, including any interest on those moneys.
  (3) Any other moneys which may be made available to the California Self-Help Housing Program for the purposes of subdivision (b) of Section 50696 from any other source or sources.

The director's last annual report to the Governor and the Legislature prior to January 1, 1982, shall include recommendations for improvement, continuation, or termination of the California Housing Advisory Service.