(a) The Department of Housing and Community Development, through its Office of Migrant Services, pursuant to the authority granted in subdivision (n) of Section 50406 and this chapter shall assist in the development, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or operation of migrant farm labor centers. The department shall encourage and assist in the development of family units, or dormitory-style units, as may be appropriate, in migrant farm labor centers in any county or counties where there is a substantial unmet need for migrant farmworker housing. It is the intent of the Legislature in permitting the development of dormitory-style housing that family households not be mixed with single person households unless the contractor or sponsor can make reasonable accommodations to provide separate living and sleeping areas in the dormitory to those family households.

(b) The department may use funds appropriated for the purposes of the Office of Migrant Services to maximize the utility of any other local, federal, state, or private funds or other assistance made available for the purposes of this section. These appropriated funds may be used for costs including, but not limited to, the following items:

(1) Predevelopment costs incurred in the process of securing construction or long-term financing site acquisition development, architectural, engineering, or legal expenses, or construction costs, including construction interest, or both. These costs shall not be subject to reimbursement from construction or permanent financing, as the case may be, if the reimbursement would contribute to, or result in, rents substantially in excess of those in other migrant farm labor centers assisted by the Office of Migrant Services, as determined by the department.

(2) A grant or deferred payment loan for acquisition, development, and related infrastructure costs, including construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or operation, which may be forgiven, matching or supplementing the permanent financing or grant made available by a federal, state, or local housing assistance program.

(3) Operating cost reductions to the extent necessary to ensure that the rents in the migrant farm center are not substantially in excess of those in other migrant farm labor centers operated by the Office of Migrant Services.

(c) The department shall seek the maximum possible contribution of funds, land, and other incentives from local, federal, state, and private sources for all the purposes described in subdivision (b). Funds transferred pursuant to Part 8 (commencing with Section 53130) shall not be used in a manner inconsistent with this part. Migrant farm labor centers shall be eligible for energy conservation assistance, including the assistance provided in programs established pursuant to § 381 of the Public Utilities Code and administered either by a utility or a local or other entity. In the funding and evaluation of energy conservation assistance pursuant to this section, the California Public Utilities Commission shall consider improvements in habitability and the need to bring migrant housing up to adequate standards of comfort through energy efficient mechanical and lighting systems.

(d) To the extent that any migrant farm labor center assisted pursuant to this section is financed or otherwise assisted by the United States Farmers Home Administration, and to the extent the Farmers Home Administration requires compliance with construction, operating, term of use, or residency standards which differ from those required by the department pursuant to regulations adopted to implement and interpret this chapter, those Farmers Home Administration standards shall supersede the department’s regulations.

(e) The Office of Migrant Services may authorize the use of dormitory-style housing in a migrant farm labor center.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 671, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2005.)