50897. For purposes of this chapter:
(a) “City” means a city or a city and county. For purposes of this chapter, a city may be organized either under the general laws of this state or under a charter adopted pursuant to Section 3 of Article XI of the California Constitution.
(b) “County” means a county, including a county organized under a charter adopted pursuant to Section 3 of Article XI of the California Constitution, or a city and county.
(c) “Completed application” means an application for which a landlord or eligible household, as applicable, has provided all the necessary contact information and documentation required for a government rental assistance program to initiate a review of the application for eligibility.
(d) “Department” means the Department of Housing and Community Development.
(e) (1) “Eligible household” has the same meaning as defined in Section 501(k)(3) of Subtitle A of Title V of Division N of the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), for purposes of Round 2, “eligible household” has the same meaning as defined in Section 3201(f)(2) of Subtitle B of Title III of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).
(f) “Federally recognized tribe” means an Indian tribe, as described in Section 501(k)(2)(C) of Subtitle A of Title V of Division N of the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).
(g) “Grantee” means a city, including a charter city, a county, including a charter county, or a city and county, including a charter city and county, that participates in a rental assistance program pursuant to this chapter.
(h) “Option A” means the administrative option grantees utilize pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 50897.3 or subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 50897.3.1, as applicable.
(i) “Option B” means the administrative option grantees utilize pursuant to Section 50897.2 or 50897.2.1, as applicable.
(j) “Option C” means the administrative option grantees utilize pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 50897.3 or paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 50897.3.1, as applicable.
(k) “Program” means the process for awarding funds for state rental assistance pursuant to this chapter, as provided in Section 50897.2, 50897.2.1, 50897.3, or 50897.3.1, as applicable.
(l) “Program implementer” means the contracted vendor selected to administer emergency rental assistance under the program pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 50897.3.
(m) “Prospective rent payment” means a rent payment eligible for financial assistance pursuant to Section 501(c)(2)(A) of Subtitle A of Title V of Division N of the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).
(n) “Rental arrears” means rental arrears eligible for financial assistance pursuant to Section 501(c)(2)(A) of Subtitle A of Title V of Division N of the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).
(o) “Round 1” means the state rental assistance program established by funds provided by Subtitle A of Title V of Division N of the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).
(p) “Round 2” means the state rental assistance program established by funds provided by Section 3201 of Subtitle B of Title III of the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).
(q) “State reservation table” means the methodology for allocating the state’s portion of funding for Round 1 and Round 2 as follows:
(1) (A) With respect to funding received for Round 1, no more than 10 percent for state administration.
(B) Round 1 shall include one hundred fifty million dollars ($150,000,000) total set aside for smaller counties with a population less than 200,000, allocated based on the proportional share of population from the 2019 federal census data.
(C) The remainder of the state allocation to be distributed to eligible grantees with a population 200,000 or greater, based on their proportional share of population from the 2019 federal census data.
(2) (A) With respect to funding for Round 2, no more than 15 percent shall be used for state administration.
(B) Subject to the requirements of this paragraph, Round 2 funding shall include one hundred twenty-five million dollars ($125,000,000) total set aside for counties with a population less than 200,000, allocated based on their proportional share of the population from the 2019 federal census data.
(C) The remainder of the state allocation to be distributed to grantees with a population 200,000 or greater, based on their proportional share of population from the 2019 federal census data.
(D) The department shall pay all grantees an initial payment that is equal to an amount not less than 40 percent of each grantee’s total allocation provided under this paragraph.
(i) Subsequent payments shall be paid to grantees in tranches up to the full amount of each grantee’s total state allocation in accordance with a procedure established by the department that shall require that a grantee has obligated not less than 75 percent of funds provided pursuant to this subparagraph.
(ii) The department shall have the authority to reallocate unused funds and shall prioritize allocating funds based on factors that include a grantee’s unmet need, rate of application submissions, rate of attrition, and rate of expenditures.
(r) “Utilities” means utilities and home energy costs eligible for financial assistance pursuant to Section 501(c)(2)(A) of Subtitle A of Title V of Division N of the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 28, Sec. 101. (SB 1380) Effective January 1, 2023.)