AB1296 - Local educational agencies: reserve funds.

Assembly Bill No. 1296 CHAPTER 508 An act to add Sections 50408.6 and 50512.5 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to housing. [ Approved by Governor October 10, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 10, 2025. ] LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1296, Bonta. Local educational agencies: reserve funds. Existing law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop and publish specified reports, including, among others, a study of farmworker housing conditions, needs, and solutions. Existing law authorizes the department to provide technical assistance for specified purposes, including in developing housing for students and faculty of universities and colleges, as provided. This bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2027, to make available on its internet website a form that enables a local educational agency to notify the department of the agency’s interest in using real property that it owns for a housing project. The bill would require the department to review the information submitted via the form and make the information available on its internet website. The bill would also require the department to provide technical assistance, as specified, to a local educational agency that submits the notice described above and requests technical assistance, for the purpose of supporting predevelopment activities related to a housing project located on real property owned by the local educational agency. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 50408.6 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read: 50408.6. (a) On or before January 1, 2027, the department shall make available on its internet website a form that enables a local educational agency to notify the department of the agency’s interest in using real property owned by the local educational agency for a housing project. (b) The department shall review the information submitted via the form and make the information available on its internet website. SEC. 2. Section 50512.5 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read: 50512.5. (a) The department shall provide technical assistance to a local educational agency that submits a notice pursuant to Section 50408.6 and that requests the department to provide technical assistance, as described in subdivision (b), for the purpose of supporting predevelopment activities related to a housing project located on real property owned by the local educational agency. The department may provide this assistance directly or through contracts with qualified third-party entities, including, but not limited to, legal firms, financial advisors, housing development consultants, and nonprofit technical assistance providers. (b) Technical assistance pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be advisory in nature and may include, but is not limited to, all of the following: (1) Providing information and guidance on statutory requirements, surplus land procedures, and local land use regulations relevant to predevelopment activities. (2) Advising on available funding sources, including state and federal grants, tax credits, and loan programs and outlining application requirements and timelines. (3) Offering insights on conducting project feasibility analysis and exploring partnership models, such as joint ventures with housing developers or public agencies. (4) Clarifying state and local regulatory processes related to planning, zoning, and environmental review, including key steps and compliance considerations. (5) Reviewing draft agreements with housing developers and providing feedback, including on ground leases, joint development agreements, and other public-private partnership contracts, without engaging in direct negotiation. (6) Facilitating referrals to external experts, service providers, or funding agencies with specialized expertise that might support the predevelopment activities of the local educational agency. (c) Any legal advice or other assistance provided by the department shall not be construed as forming an attorney-client relationship between the department and the local educational agency. The department shall not be liable for any damages, liabilities, or other obligations that a local educational agency incurs pursuant to activities under this section. (d) The department shall prioritize technical assistance for local educational agencies that serve high-need student populations or are located in areas experiencing high housing-cost burdens or educator-staffing shortages.