(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to provide housing assistance for persons with developmental and physical disabilities and persons with mental health disorders where that assistance is for the purpose of providing a transition from an institutional to an independent setting, and where that assistance is administered in the context of ongoing local programs leading to rehabilitation and independence.

(b) The department shall establish a program for the purpose of housing assistance for persons with developmental and physical disabilities and persons with mental health disorders. The department shall contract with local agencies or nonprofit corporations incorporated pursuant to Part 1 (commencing with Section 9000) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code that provide supportive services for those individuals, where those services are designed to provide a transition to independent living. The local agencies or nonprofit corporation shall ensure that recipients of housing assistance are income qualified under guidelines for programs of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1437(f)), and shall not contract for housing that exceeds those guidelines for fair market rents for the Section 8 program. Public and private agencies participating in the program established pursuant to this section shall be those whose program philosophies and activities conform substantially to the principles of community living under Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 4830) of Division 4.5, community residential treatment under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 5450) of Part 1 of Division 5, and independent living under Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 19800) of Part 2 of Division 10, of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(c) A local agency applying to the department for housing assistance payments shall, in its application, explain how the housing assistance payments are part of its ongoing programs to establish independent living for its clientele. The department, in reviewing these applications, may consult with the Department of Developmental Disabilities, the State Department of Health Care Services, and the Department of Rehabilitation.

(d) In order to receive housing assistance payments for a specific structure pursuant to the provisions of this section, the local agency or nonprofit corporation shall not contract for rental of more than 12 units, or for rental of space for more than 24 persons, in the structure. No individual shall remain in a payment assisted unit for more than 18 months.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 144, Sec. 44. (AB 1847) Effective January 1, 2015.)