(a)  The California Self-Help Housing Program may provide the information and technical assistance required by Section 50695 in conjunction with federal and state energy and water conservation programs, and federal and state neighborhood preservation and urban homesteading programs, including local programs carried on in federally assisted community development neighborhoods, neighborhood preservation areas, redevelopment project areas, urban homesteading areas, and residential rehabilitation areas.

(b)  The California Self-Help Housing Program may contract with public entities and private nonprofit corporations to provide assistance to persons and families of low or moderate income who are owner-builders or self-help rehabilitators, as defined in subdivisions (a) and (c) of Section 50692. These contracts shall provide grant funds for any of the following activities:

Terms Used In California Health and Safety Code 50696

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • department: means State Department of Health Services. See California Health and Safety Code 20
  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • Owner-building: means the process engaged in by owner-builders in the construction of a principal residence. See California Health and Safety Code 50692
  • Persons and families of low or moderate income: includes very low income households, as defined in Section 50105, extremely low income households, as defined in Section 50106, and lower income households as defined in Section 50079. See California Health and Safety Code 50093
  • Self-help rehabilitation: means the process engaged in by self-help rehabilitators in the rehabilitation, renovation or improvement of their principal residences. See California Health and Safety Code 50692
  • State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Health and Safety Code 23

(1)  To cover the costs of developing, conducting, administering, or coordinating programs of technical or supervisory assistance which will aid persons and families of low or moderate income in carrying out owner-building or self-help rehabilitation housing efforts.

(2)  To write down the development costs of the participant’s housing.

(3)  To reduce monthly mortgage payments by reducing the interest cost to the participant through supplemental payments of those grant funds, reducing principal, or deferring all or a portion of the payments until the housing is sold or refinanced.

(c)  The primary emphasis of the California Self-Help Housing Program and local self-help housing programs shall be to expand and improve the housing stock available to lower income households. The program shall give priority to those applications received by the program which serve the highest proportion of lower income households.

(d)   The department shall not contract with any public entity or private nonprofit corporation pursuant to subdivision (b) if that entity or corporation denies the benefits of this chapter, or discriminates in the provision of assistance pursuant to this chapter, in violation of § 11135 of the Government Code, as determined by the department.

(e)   Notwithstanding Section 50052.5, the department may establish a standard for monthly housing costs that does not exceed 30 percent of the gross monthly income of persons eligible for assistance pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 50696.

(Amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1001, Sec. 7. Effective September 26, 1985.)

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