SENIOR ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL NO. 12

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER SERRIN

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AP 12: RENTAL ASSISTANCE: SHARED HOUSING.

UNDER EXISTING FEDERAL LAW, HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS ALLOW VERY LOW INCOME FAMILIES TO OBTAIN SAFE, DECENT, AND AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING. THESE VOUCHERS ARE ADMINISTERED LOCALLY BY PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES. UNDER EXISTING LAW, PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES MAY BUT ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PERMIT FAMILIES TO USE SHARED HOUSING. EACH AGENCY MUST ADOPT A WRITTEN ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN ESTABLISHING ITS POLICIES ON, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE USE OF SHARED HOUSING. EXISTING LAW REQUIRES VOUCHER RECIPIENTS TO PAY THE HIGHER OF 30 PERCENT OF ADJUSTED MONTHLY INCOME, A SPECIFIED AMOUNT OF ANNUAL INCOME, OR A SPECIFIED PORTION OF WELFARE ASSISTANCE.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA TO ESTABLISH A POLICY IN THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE PLANS MAKING SHARED HOUSING AVAILABLE TO VOUCHER RECIPIENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AS SPECIFIED. THIS MEASURE WOULD ALSO MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR, CONTINGENT UPON THE ENACTMENT OF SPECIFIED FEDERAL LEGISLATION, TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA TO REDUCE THE 30 PERCENT SHARE OF MONTHLY INCOME PAYMENT REQUIRED TO 20 PERCENT FOR RECIPIENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WHO ARE WILLING TO SHARE A TWO BEDROOM UNIT.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

AP 12: RELATING TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE

WHEREAS, THE COMPLEX METHODOLOGY OF QUALIFYING FOR AND IMPLEMENTING A SHARED HOUSING ARRANGEMENT UNDER LOCAL GRANT REQUIREMENTS HAS PROVEN TO BE UNSUCCESSFUL AND REQUIRES A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE THAT ALLOWS COSTS SHARING BY PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE PREQUALIFIED FOR HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS; AND

WHEREAS, SHARED HOUSING PERMITS COSTS SHARING BY ALLOWING AN ASSISTED FAMILY TO SHARE A UNIT WITH AN UNRELATED RESIDENT OR RESIDENTS OF A UNIT; AND
WHEREAS, PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES ARE NOT REQUIRED TO ALLOW SHARED HOUSING EXCEPT WHEN NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY. HOWEVER, HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER RECIPIENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ARE ALSO IN NEED OF THIS OPTION; AND

WHEREAS, FOR PURPOSES OF THIS PROPOSAL, A HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER RECIPIENT HAS SPECIAL NEEDS IF HE OR SHE IS A SENIOR WITH EXTREMELY LOW INCOME, A SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY RECIPIENT, A FOSTER YOUTH OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE WITH EXTREMELY LOW INCOME, OR A SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL PERSON; AND

WHEREAS, PLACING TWO HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER RECIPIENTS UNDER ONE ROOF WILL ALSO RESULT IN COST SAVINGS TO HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. THE ONLY ADDITIONAL COSTS INVOLVED WILL RESULT FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF IMPLEMENTING THIS PROPOSAL; AND

WHEREAS, THE SECTION 8 VOUCHER REFORM ACT OF 2007, HOUSE RESOLUTION 1851, WOULD MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM, INCLUDING CHANGES TO THE RULES GOVERNING TENANT RENT PAYMENTS. IF ENACTED, THIS FEDERAL LEGISLATION WILL OPEN THE DOOR FOR THE CHANGES OUTLINED IN THIS PROPOSAL; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY AND THE SENIOR SENATE, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2007 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA BE REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH A POLICY IN THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE PLANS MAKING SHARED HOUSING AVAILABLE TO HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER RECIPIENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT, IF THE TENANT RENT PAYMENT PROVISIONS OF THE SECTION 8 VOUCHER REFORM ACT OF 2007 ARE ENACTED, PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA BE REQUIRED TO REDUCE THE 30 PERCENT SHARE OF MONTHLY INCOME PAYMENT REQUIRED BY HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER RECIPIENTS TO 20 PERCENT FOR RECIPIENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WHO ARE WILLING TO SHARE A TWO BEDROOM UNIT; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN20072363910

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