Health and Safety Code § 51200

With respect to housing developments financed by a mortgage loan from the agency, the agency shall:

(a)Prescribe uniform systems of accounts and records for rental and cooperative housing developments and require the housing sponsors to make reports and give answers to specific questions on such forms and at such times as may be necessary for the purposes of this part.

(b)Establish minimum reserves to be maintained by nonprofit and limited-dividend housing sponsors of rental and

cooperative housing developments.

(c)Fix and alter from time to time a schedule of rents such as may be necessary to provide residents of rental and cooperative housing developments who are lower and very low income households with affordable rents to the extent consistent with the maintenance of the financial integrity of the housing developments and to provide profits to housing sponsors subject to the limitations of Section 51202. Income from commercial facilities constituting a portion of a housing development or residential structure financed pursuant to this part shall, to the extent they receive the benefit of below-market-interest financing from the agency, assist in the support of appurtenant residential facilities. No housing sponsor shall increase the rent charged on any restricted rental or cooperative unit of a housing development without the prior permission of the agency, which shall be given only if the housing sponsor

affirmatively demonstrates that the increase is required to defray necessary operating costs or avoid jeopardizing the fiscal integrity of the housing development or to provide the agreed rate of return with respect to additional equity money contributed by investors pursuant to Section 51202, and additional debt service and necessary operating costs with respect to increases in mortgage loans for improvements to the housing development deemed necessary by the agency.

Applications to the agency for permission to adjust rents shall include a statement of the existing and proposed rent for each unit, a detailed statement of the necessity and authority for the increase under this subdivision, and the extent to which rent increases would be paid by residents of restricted units and not offset by increased subsidy payments. Prior notice of any rent increase shall be given in writing as required by Section 1946 of the Civil Code. Prior to the time any rent increase is

effective the housing sponsor shall notify every affected resident, in writing, of informal meetings with the housing sponsor to review the proposed rent increase and that each resident, upon request, will be provided the information submitted to the agency under this subdivision.

“Restricted,” as used in this subdivision, means required to be made available for occupancy by lower income households or very low income households pursuant to an agreement between the agency and the housing sponsor.

(d)Determine standards for, and control selection by housing sponsors of, tenants and purchasers.

(e)Regulate the terms of occupancy agreements to be used in housing financed under this chapter.

(f)Provide bilingual services and publications, or require housing sponsors to

provide bilingual services and publications, which are necessary to ensure informed access to housing financed pursuant to this part for persons and families of low or moderate income who have limited fluency in the English language.