The Legislature finds and declares as follows:

(a)  An adequate supply of safe and affordable housing is the foundation for strong and sustainable communities. Owner occupied housing is a key housing resource, contributing to neighborhood stability as well as economic vitality.

(b)  In California, homeownership is beyond the reach of a large segment of the population. There are also many homeowners who lack the resources to make necessary repairs to their homes, or who would welcome the opportunity to share them with suitable tenants.

(c)  Reflecting California’s diversity, there is a variety of proven approaches to the promotion of homeownership within the state. The purpose of the CalHome Program established by this chapter is to support existing homeownership programs aimed at lower and very low income households, and in the case of a disaster, as defined in § 8680.3 of the Government Code, households at or below moderate income, and operated by private nonprofit and local government agencies, and thereby to increase homeownership, encourage neighborhood revitalization and sustainable development, and maximize use of existing homes.

(d)  The CalHome Program is intended to take the place of the Senior Citizens’ Shared Housing Program established by Chapter 3.6 (commencing with Section 50533), which is repealed by the act enacting this chapter.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 159, Sec. 15. (AB 101) Effective July 31, 2019.)