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2011-2012 Bills
Archive

2012 Prohibits landlords from requiring online rent payments through automatic deductions. Tenants may agree to pay online, and may withdraw consent at any time. Co-sponsored by Western Center and CES.

Landlord-Tenant
Signed

SB 708
(Corbett)

2011 Extends through 2017 current law requirements that require 60 days' notice to a tenant of a no-cause eviction following a foreclosure. Although federal law generally requires a 90-day notice, the coverage of state law is broader.

Landlord-Tenant
Signed

AB 1679
(Bonilla)

2012 Allows a tenant to consent to having his/her security deposit returned via electronic funds transfer, and the accompanying documentation to be emailed.Ê

Landlord-Tenant
Signed

SB 1403
(Yee)

2012 Expands existing law that permits tenants who are victims of domestic violence to terminate a tenancy to include victims of elder abuse, and adds protective orders to the list of documents that may be used by the tenant as evidence of the underlying abuse.Ê

Landlord-Tenant
Signed

AB 2521
(Blumenfield)

2012 Allows tenants 48 hours after ending the tenancy to collect property left behind without penalty. It will also increase the amount of abandoned property a landlord may keep without a public sale from $300 to $700.

Landlord-Tenant
Signed

AB 1865
(Alejo)

2012 Allows the notice of an unlawful detainer mailed by the court to the tenant to include contact information for a state bar-approved lawyer referral service instead of for the local county bar association.

Landlord-Tenant
Signed

AB 1925
(Ma)

2012 Establishes maximum levels of compensation for tenants temporarily displaced from rent-controlled units.

Landlord-Tenant
Signed

SB 1229
(Pavley)

2012 Prohibits landlords from requiring that pets be de-clawed or de-voiced (e.g., surgically altering a dog so that it cannot bark). Landlords may still prohibit pets altogether, other than service animals.

Landlord-Tenant
Signed

SB 744
(Wyland)

2011 Would have allowed water submeter manufacturers to self-certify the accuracy of the meters, which are used in multi-family rentals and mobilehome parks. Western Center opposed the bill.

Landlord-Tenant
Vetoed

AB 2044
(Wagner)

2012 Would have allowed non-licensed persons to serve tenants in eviction actions with information and forms to make a claim of right to possession. Western Center and others opposed the bill.

Landlord-Tenant
Died

AB 1918
(Jones)

2012 Would have shortened the time a deponent may change an answer to a question in an eviction action to 5 days; the current time limit for all cases, including evictions, is 30 days.

Landlord-Tenant
Died

AB 1547
(Eng)

2012 Would have removed the sunset and make permanent provisions that require 60 days' notice to a tenant of a no-cause eviction following a foreclosure. Would have also extended provisions requiring the lender to contact a delinquent borrower to discuss options before a foreclosure.

Landlord-Tenant
Died

AB 1797
(Torres)

2012 Allows HCD's Mobilehome Park Resident Occupancy Program to offer an interest rate below 3% on loans, provide technical assistance, and include the cost of the assistance as part of the loan principal. This program helps residents purchase their parks.

Mobilehomes
Signed

AB 2150
(Atkins)

2012 Requires a plain-language summary of mobilehome park rights and responsibilities to be distributed to residents each year.

Mobilehomes
Signed

AB 1938
(Williams)

2012 Expands the existing prohibition on park management passing through various fines, fees, or damages assessed by a court for violations of the Mobilehome Residency Law to also cover violations of the Mobilehome Park Act and amounts assessed by enforcement agencies. It also closes a loophole in current law that may have prevented homeowners from exercising their right to rescind a rent-control-exempt lease within 72 hours.

Mobilehomes
Signed

AB 1830
(V.M. Prez)

2012 Authorizes the Public Utilities Commission, if it finds that a mobile home park has overcharged residents for utilities, to order the park to reimburse current and former tenants for the overcharge. Sponsored by CRLA Foundation.

Mobilehomes
Signed

AB 2272
(Wagner)

2012 Permits park management to file a limited civil to enjoin violations of reasonable park rules or regulations, rather than filing an eviction action. Western Center helped insert a 3-year sunset into the bill.Ê

Mobilehomes
Signed

AB 317
(Calderon)

2011 Would have drastically rolled back mobilehome park rent control protections. Opposed by Western Center and CRLAF and was amended to become a benign bill.

Mobilehomes
Signed

AB 1694
(Fuentes)

2012 Requires that mobilehome park propane distribution system safety inspections be done on a risk-based schedule, instead of every 5 years as is required under current law.

Mobilehomes
Signed

AB 1795
(Silva)

2012 Spot bill on park space rent increases.

Mobilehomes
Died

SB 1173
(Wyland)

2012 Would have required automatic pass-throughs to mobilehome park residents of the full amount of any new or increased government-imposed fees.

Mobilehomes
Died

AB 1484
(Budget Comm)

2012 The redevelopment dissolution clean-up bill, making clear that redevelopment housing obligations survive and continue. The bill as enacted: (1) Clarifies that successor housing agencies must follow the Community Redevelopment Law in carrying out their duties; (2) Protects unencumbered housing funds derived from the sale of bonds; (3) Requires repayment of various past loans from agency Low-Mod Housing Funds; and (4) Creates a new source of money for housing by directing that 20% of funds from repayments of loans between the city/county and and the former agency must be directed to housing.

Redevelopment
Signed

AB 1585
(J. Prez)

2012 Re-directs funds in undersubscribed HCD programs to other, oversubscribed programs.

Housing Finance
Signed

AB 1555
(Norby)

2012 Would have prohibited a successor agency to forgive a loan owed to the dissolved RDA by a public body; would allow the successor to set aside any agreement relating to the forgiveness of loans owed by the dissolved RDA.

Redevelopment
Died

SB 654
(Steinberg)

2011 Would have clarified that the balances in former redevelopment agencies' Low and Moderate Income Housing Funds be used for housing purposes.

Redevelopment
Died

AB 1692
(Wieckowski)

2012 Would have authorized a successor agency to file for bankruptcy under applicable federal bankruptcy law, subject to existing procedures.

Redevelopment
Died

SB 1335
(Pavley)

2012 Would have authorized a successor agency to retain and develop a brownfield site, with any funds appropriated by the Legislature, if the property is used for a specific purpose, including the development of high-density housing.

Redevelopment
Died

SB 1439
(Huff)

2012 Would have allowed the Monrovia RDA to continue in existence, in roder to complete a Gold Line rail maintenance facility.

Redevelopment
Died

SB 1151
(Steinberg)

2012 Would have required the successor agency to prepare a long-range asset management plan to maximize the long-term value of the property of the former RDA for ongoing economic development and housing functions.

Redevelopment
Died

AB 2551
(Hueso)

2012 Would have authorized creation of an infrastructure financing district to promote renewable energy projects, and exempt the formation of the district from the 2/3rds voter-approval requirement currently mandated in statute.

Redevelopment
Vetoed

SB 214
(Wolk)

2011 Would have removed the two-thirds voter approval requirement to form an Infrastructure Finance District (IFD), which, like redevelopment, uses property tax increases (aka "tax increments") to fund its activities.

Redevelopment
Vetoed

SB 1156
(Steinberg)

2012 Would have allowed the creation of new agencies (with no voter requirement either) to use tax increment to help create sustainable communities pursuant SB 375.

Redevelopment
Vetoed

AB 2144
(J. Prez)

2012 Would have also authorized new "infrastructure and revitalization districts," with a 55% voter requirement.

Redevelopment
Vetoed

AB 345
(Torres)

2011 Would have required, among other things, that 25% portions of the housing funds be spent each for extremely-low, very-low, and low-income households, and establish a cap on certain administrative costs. Co-sponsored by Western Center and CRLA Foundation

Redevelopment
Vetoed

SB 1220
(DeSaulnier)

2012 Would have established a state permanent source for housing funds via a $75 fee to record most real property documents.

Housing Finance
Died

AB 1532
(J. Prez)

2012 Establishes procedures for AB 32 cap-and-trade revenue, expected to be $2B to $12B. The bill was amended on the last day to provide that funding could be used "for sustainable infrastructure projects, including, but not limited to, transportation and housing."

Housing Finance
Signed

SB 1572
(Pavley)

2012 Would have divided the revenue with 8% going to HCD for energy-efficient rental housing for low-income or very-low-income households, and 4% to the the Department of Community Services to further fund the existing Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), with half of that WAP money set aside for multi-family rentals.

Housing Finance
Died

SB 535
(De Len)

2011 Set asides a portion of the AB 32 funds for low-income communities.Ê

Housing Finance
Signed

AB 1699
(Torres)

2012 Provide a mechanism for owners of older HCD-financed affordable housing developments to seek restructuring of financially troubled developments in need of rehab. Increases for ELI households are capped at 5% a year, and prohibits any increase that will result in the household paying more than 50% of their income for rent.

Housing Finance
Signed

AB 232
(V.M. Prez)

2011 Eliminates the requirement that small cities seeking funds under the federal Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) must create or retain a job for every $35,000 in grants.

Rural/Farmworker
Signed

AB 1672
(Torres)

2012 Bases eligibility in the Prop. 1C parks-housing program on permits issued rather than completions.Ê

Housing Finance
Signed

AB 1951
(Atkins)

2012 Re-directs funds in undersubscribed HCD programs to other, oversubscribed programs.

Housing Finance
Signed

AB 1802
(Pan)

2012 Intent bill to establish a pilot program to provide transitional housing and reentry services to defendants subject to prison/jail realignment.

Housing Finance
Died

AB 2374
(Hernndez)

2012 Prohibits a consumer credit reporting agency from charging any fee upon a consumer 65 years of age or older for placing an initial security freeze. Under the bill, a consumer credit reporting agency would be authorized to charge a consumer 65 years of age or older a fee of no more than $5 for lifting, removing, or replacing a security freeze.

Housing Finance
Signed

AB 2447
(Skinner)

2012 Intent bill to re-direct Prop. 1C proceeds to create a program to rehabilitate foreclosed properties and place them into the housing market as properties for rent or repurchase.

Housing Finance
Died

AB 1511
(Bradford)

2012 Requires real estate sale contracts to include a specified notice informing purchasers of residential property about a database where information regarding gas and hazardous liquid transmission pipelines can be obtained.

Homeownership
Signed

AB 1603
(Feuer)

2012 Would have regulated the practice of force-placing replacement homeowner's incurance by mortgage servicers.

Homeownership
Died

AB 1711
(Galgiani)

2012 Would have prohibited the Energy Commission from adopting regulations requiring energy conservation retrofits that would require home buyers to pay out of pocket for energy improvements; also requires that the cost of the improvements be recoverable over the lifetime of the improvement. Sponsored by the Realtors.

Homeownership
Died

AB 1892
(Halderman)

2012 Would have required the Department of Consumer Affairs to post a "Homeowner's Bill of Rights" on its website, which would outline the process by which homeowners have their construction defects fixed by homebuilders.

Homeownership
Vetoed

AB 2010
(Bonilla)

2012 Requires a prospective borrower to receive reverse mortgage counseling in person, unless the borrower elects to receive the counseling in another manner.

Homeownership
Signed

AB 2057
(Carter)

2012 Spot bill on foreclosures.

Homeownership
Died

AB 2225
(Perea)

2012 Would have authorized the Superior Court of Fresno County to pilot a three-year program to permit trials and proceedings to be conducted using remote two-way video for traffic infractions.

Homeownership
Died

AB 2233
(Bonilla)

2012 Spot bill on lenders and brokers.

Homeownership
Died

AB 2273
(Wieckowski)

2012 Streamlines the process for a mortgagee or trustee for a separate interest in a common interest development to provide information about the new owner to the homeowner association necessary for the purpose of invoicing HOA assessments.

Homeownership
Signed

AB 2326
(Wagner)

2012 Requires persons signing notarized real estate documents to be thumbprinted by the notary.

Homeownership
Signed

AB 2473
(Atkins)

2012 Would have permited a sheriff to provide security in areas adjacent to a courthouse, if agreed to by the sheriff and the court.

Homeownership
Died

AB 2528
(J. Prez)

2012 Spot bill to prohibit foreclosing on active duty military service members unless the lender first offers a loan modification.

Homeownership
Died

AB 2532
(Wagner)

2012 Spot bill on loan modifications.

Homeownership
Died

SB 1244
(Harman)

2012 Would have relaxed certain notice requirements for homeowner association members delinquent on their assessments; and would have changed notice requirements when foreclosure sales are postponed.

Homeownership
Died

SB 1284
(Lieu)

2012 Spot bill intended to enhance compliance with federal verification requirements for residential lending.

Homeownership
Died

SB 1450
(Calderon)

2012 Loosens mortgage guarantee insurance requirements, to encourage more use of mortgage insurance.

Homeownership
Signed

SB 900
(Leno)

2011 The bills: (1) Ban "dual track" foreclosures (i.e., banks must render a decision on a loan modification application before starting a foreclosure); (2) Give homeowners a private right of action for injunctive relief and damages; (3) Establish civil penalties for recording or filing multiple unverified documents; and (4) Require a single point of contact for borrowers. The bills were part of Attorney General Kamala Harris's "Homeowner Bill of Rights," her package of sponsored bills that also included AB 2610 (see tenant section).

Homeownership
Signed

AB 278
(Eng)

Homeownership
Signed

SB 980
(Vargas)

2012 Extends existing law, which was to sunset, to prohibit loan modification companies from charging an up-front fee for their services.

Homeownership
Signed

SB 1069
(Corbett)

2012 Prohibits "deficiency judgments" on re-finances of home purchase loans; thus, lenders who foreclosure cannot sue a borrower if the foreclosure sale proceeds fall short of the amount owed.

Homeownership
Signed

AB 1599
(Feuer)

2012 Requires foreclosure notices to include a summary of the notice in the 5 "Civil Code 1632 languages": Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Korean.

Homeownership
Signed

AB 1549
(Gatto)

2012 Would have made various changes to the Permit Streamlining Act aimed at resolving disputes.

Land Use
Died

AB 1801
(Campos)

2012 Limits fees for renewable energy systems.

Land Use
Signed

AB 1954
(Nestande)

2012 Would have required an advertisement soliciting plaintiffs for a class action to include a disclosure stating that the plaintiff may be financially liable for a prevailing defendant's attorney's fees.

Land Use
Died

AB 2108
(Norby)

2012 Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) spot bill.

Land Use
Died

AB 2238
(Perea)

2012 Would require the Dept. of Public Health to promote the consolidation of small community water systems that serve low-income communities, in order to facilitate improved water delivery to poor communities.

Land Use
Died

AB 2291
(Gordon)

2012 Specifies exemptions to existing laws regulating mobile billboards by defining the term "permanently affixed" as it applies to advertising signs and adding license plate frame advertisements.

Land Use
Signed

AB 2308
(Torres)

2012 Allows cities and counties to reduce their share of the regional housing need by the number of units built between the start of a housing element projection period and the housing element due date.

Land Use
Signed

AB 2351
(Gordon)

2012 Would have required a landowner seeking to cancel a Williamson Act (Act) contract to pay a refundable 5% cancellation fee.

Land Use
Died

AB 2576
(Williams)

2012 Bill was amended with a new author and is now about juvenile justice.

Land Use
Died

SB 1057
(Huff)

2012 Bill related to public employee's retirement

Land Use
Died

SB 1084
(La Malfa)

2012 LAFCO spot bill.

Land Use
Died

SB 1241
(Kehoe)

2012 Requires update of Safety Element to address high risk fire areas.

Land Use
Signed

SB 1421
(Correa)

2012 Makes two clarifying changes to the Mobilehome Residency Law related to parcel maps and rental agreements.

Land Use
Signed

SB 1498
(Emmerson)

2012 LAFCO spot bill.

Land Use
Died

SB 1555
(Fuller)

2012 Land use spot bill.

Land Use
Died

AB 904
(Skinner)

2011 Would have prohibited cities from requiring more than 1 parking space per unit in defined transit areas.

Land Use
Died

AB 2822
(Berryhill)

2012 Would have made it harder for plaintiffs to sue for civil rights violations, including fair housing claims, was amended and became a Ògut-and-amendÓ, after much opposition surfaced. The bill would have narrowed the grounds for standing to sue, as well as imposing other new procedural hurdles.

Fair Housing
Died

AB 2557
(Feuer)

2012 Spot bill regarding the Unruh Civil Rights Act.

Homelessness/Fair Housing
Died

AB 2389
(B. Lowenthal)

2012 Prohibits a contractor entering a personal residence from wearing a uniform that bears, or driving a vehicle that bears, a contractor's name or logo, unless information is displayed, as specified.

Homelessness
Vetoed

SB 1571
(DeSaulnier)

2012 Creates the School Supplies for Homeless Children Fund as a voluntary contribution fund, funded by a check-off box on income tax returns. The exisitng Emergency Food for Families Fund is the currently the second most popular check-off, generating approximately $600,000 annually.

Homelessness
Signed

AB 2216
(Cedillo)

2012 Spot bill on employee housing building standards.

Rural/Farmworker
Died

AB 2391
(Cedillo)

2012 Spot bill on the Employee Housing Act.

Rural/Farmworker
Died

AB 1557
(Skinner)

2012 Would have extended until 2017 existing law that requires lenders and others acquring property through a foreclosure to maintain the properties or be subject to fines.

Codes/Building Standards
Died

AB 1745
(Torres)

2012 Would have prohibited the recordation of a notice of sale, if there is a pending, approved short sale, and would provide rules to withdraw approval of a written short sale, thus allowing a foreclosure to move forward.

Codes/Building Standards
Died

AB 1959
(Williams)

2012 Would have required the state Building Standards Commission to consider adopting regulations to reduce indoor "toxic air contaminants" in new construction.

Codes/Building Standards
Died

AB 2135
(Blumenfield)

2012 Would allow the Building Standards Commission to adopt solar energy regulations on an expedited basis and to develop a model local ordinance.

Codes/Building Standards
Died

AB 2644
(Butler)

2012 Would require the Building Standards Commission to adopt standards for electric vehicle charging equipment in single-family properties.

Codes/Building Standards
Died

SB 1470
(Leno)

2012 Along with AB 1602, would have required creditors creditors to provide documentary evidence of ownership, the chain of title to real property, and the right to foreclose, at the time of the filing of a notice of default; Prohibit creditors from recording a notice of default or notice of sale when a loan modification application is pending, or when the borrower is in compliance with a loan mod; Require creditors to disclose why a loan modification has been denied; Require that notices of foreclosure sales be personally served, including notices of foreclosure sale postponement; Provide homeowners with a private right of action.

Homeownership
Died

AB 1602
(Eng)

2012 Along with SB 1470, would have required creditors to provide documentary evidence of ownership, the chain of title to real property, and the right to foreclose, at the time of the filing of a notice of default; Prohibit creditors from recording a notice of default or notice of sale when a loan modification application is pending, or when the borrower is in compliance with a loan mod; Require creditors to disclose why a loan modification has been denied; Require that notices of foreclosure sales be personally served, including notices of foreclosure sale postponement; Provide homeowners with a private right of action.

Homeownership
Died

AB 2425
(Mitchell)

2012 Along with SB 1471, would have imposed a $10,000 civil penalty on the recording or filing of "robosigned" documents; Require creditors to provide a single point of contact to borrowers in foreclosure, including a dedicated fax number, email, and regular mail address.

Homeownership
Died

SB 1471
(DeSaulnier)

2012 Along with AB 2425, would have imposed a $10,000 civil penalty on the recording or filing of "robosigned" documents; Require creditors to provide a single point of contact to borrowers in foreclosure, including a dedicated fax number, email, and regular mail address.

Homeownership
Died

AB 2314
(Carter)

2012 Like SB 1472, removes the sunset on a statute that permits local governments to fine property owners for failure to maintain certain property and makes other changes relating to the ability of a local enforcement agency to abate nuisances and correct substandard building violations.

Homeownership
Signed

SB 1472
(Pavley)

2012 Like AB 2314, removes the sunset on a statute that permits local governments to fine property owners for failure to maintain certain property and makes other changes relating to the ability of a local enforcement agency to abate nuisances and correct substandard building violations.

Homeownership
Died

SB 1473
(Hancock)

2012 Like AB 2610, improves advance notice to tenants in foreclosed properties to 90 days.

Homeownership
Died

AB 1950
(Davis)

2012 Imposes an additional $25 fee for recording a notice of default, to fund real estate fraud enforcement by the AG.

Homeownership
Signed

SB 1474
(Hancock)

2012 Allows the Attorney General to convene a statewide grand jury in cases of theft or fraud where the same actor or actors committed the offenses in multiple counties.

Homeownership
Signed

AB 1463
(Davis)

2012 As amended, this bill would have deleted provisions in existing law relative to the requalifying of specified police officers in the use of a firearm.

Homeownership
Died