(a) Sections 50560 and 50562 shall apply to the restructuring of loans for group homes, except as modified in this section.

(b) The department may approve an extension of a department loan at the end of the current loan term to an existing owner of a group home, or the reinstatement of a qualifying unpaid matured loan to an existing owner of a group home, as long as the group home is being operated in a manner consistent with the regulatory agreement and the group home requires an extension in order to operate in a manner consistent with this chapter. The extension may be for a period of no less than 10 years and up to 30 years.

(c) The guidelines adopted by the department pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 50560 may simplify requirements as appropriate to group homes and may include a limitation on occupancy of vacant units or rooms to extremely low-income households, rent limitations appropriate to required income levels, requirements that property be maintained, financial reporting, and other provisions as determined necessary by the department.

(d) Loan terms contained in the existing promissory note shall apply during the period of the loan extension. All unpaid principal and interest shall be due at the end of the extension. However, the department may require periodic payments of principal or interest, or both, during the extension period. If the borrower repays the loan prior to the end of the extension, regulatory requirements shall be removed. As necessary to generate sufficient revenue to cover the cost of processing loan transactions and long-term monitoring of program requirements, the department may also assess loan processing and monitoring fees. This subdivision shall not authorize a rent increase that exceeds 30 percent of the household’s actual income, based upon the most recent income certification.

(e) Rent increases for tenants living in assisted units at the time of restructuring pursuant to this chapter shall be limited as follows:

(1) For existing tenants with incomes not exceeding 30 percent of area median income, rent increases shall be limited to 5 percent per year until rents reach the levels for targeted income levels specified in the regulatory agreement.

(2) For existing tenants with incomes exceeding 30 percent of area median income, rent increases shall be limited to 10 percent per year until rents reach the levels for targeted income levels specified in the regulatory agreement.

(f) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter that the department shall manage its reserves for the original Rental Housing Construction Program in a manner that will allow for the continuation of benefits to current low-income tenants for the longest period of time possible up to the term of the original regulatory agreement or the depletion of the annuity funds. Accordingly, rent subsidies shall be continued only for units occupied by lower income tenants who were in residence at the time of the extension authorized under this section and rents for those households shall be increased to 30 percent of household income.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 680, Sec. 4. (AB 2161) Effective January 1, 2015.)