2009 California Health and Safety Code - Section 34500-34521 :: Chapter 2. Housing Cooperation Law

34500.  This chapter may be cited as the Housing Cooperation Law.

34501.  It has been found and declared in the Housing Authorities
Law that there exist in the State unsafe and insanitary housing
conditions and a shortage of safe and sanitary dwelling
accommodations for persons of low income; that these conditions
necessitate excessive and disproportionate expenditures of public
funds for crime prevention and punishment, public health and safety,
fire and accident protection, and other public services and
facilities; and that the public interest requires the remedying of
these conditions. It is found and declared that:
   (a) The assistance provided for in this chapter for the remedying
of the conditions set forth in the Housing Authorities Law
constitutes a public use and purpose and an essential governmental
function for which public money may be spent and other aid given.
   (b) It is a proper public purpose for any state public body to aid
any housing authority operating within its boundaries or
jurisdiction or any housing project located therein, as the state
public body derives immediate benefits and advantages from such an
authority or project.
   (c) The provisions of this chapter are necessary in the public
interest.

34502.  The powers conferred by this chapter are supplemental to the
powers conferred by any other law.

34503.  Unless the context otherwise requires the definitions
contained in the following sections govern the construction of this
chapter.

34504.  "Housing authority" means any housing authority created
pursuant to the Housing Authorities Law.

34505.  "Housing projects" means any work or undertaking of a
housing authority pursuant to the Housing Authorities Law or any
similar work or undertaking of the Federal Government.

34506.  "State public body" means any city, county, borough,
commission, district, authority, or other subdivision or public body
of the State.

34507.  "Governing body" means the council, board of supervisors,
board of trustees, or other body having charge of the fiscal affairs
of the state public body.

34508.  "Federal Government" means the United States, the Federal
Emergency Administration of Public Works, or any other agency or
instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the United States of
America.

34509.  For the purpose of aiding and cooperating in the planning,
undertaking, construction, or operation of housing projects located
within the area in which it is authorized to act, any state public
body may exercise the powers prescribed in Sections 34510 to 34518,
inclusive, upon such terms, and with or without consideration, as it
may determine.

34510.  A state public body may dedicate, sell, convey, or lease any
of its property to a housing authority or the Federal Government.

34511.  A state public body may cause parks, playgrounds,
recreational, community, educational, water, sewer or drainage
facilities, or any other works which it is otherwise empowered to
undertake, to be furnished adjacent to or in connection with housing
projects.

34512.  A state public body may furnish, dedicate, close, pave,
install, grade, regrade, plan, or replan streets, roads, roadways,
alleys, sidewalks, or other places which it is otherwise empowered to
undertake.

34513.  A state public body may:
   (a) Plan or replan, zone or rezone any part of its territory.
   (b) Make exceptions to building regulations and ordinances to the
extent that such exceptions do not conflict with the provisions of
the State Housing Law, Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 17910) of
Division 13, the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto,
or any modifications made pursuant to Section 17958.5. Any exceptions
which conflict with such provisions, rules and regulations, or
modifications, shall be invalid.

34514.  Any city or city and county also may change its map.

34515.  A state public body may enter into agreements with a housing
authority or the Federal Government respecting action to be taken by
the state public body pursuant to this chapter. Notwithstanding any
law to the contrary, the agreements may extend over any period of
time not to exceed 45 years from the end of the year in which any
such project becomes available for occupancy. Such time limitation
shall not apply to any agreements entered into prior to the effective
date hereof.

34516.  A state public body may do any of the following:
   (a) Any and all things, necessary or convenient, to aid and
cooperate in the planning, undertaking, construction, or operation of
housing projects.
   (b) Purchase or legally invest in any of the bonds of a housing
authority and exercise all of the rights of any holder of the bonds.
   (c) Enter into leases or installment payment contracts without any
limitation on the duration thereof for the purpose of aiding and
cooperating with a housing authority in financing the acquisition,
planning, undertaking, construction, or operation of land on which
mobilehomes or a mobilehome park are, or may be, located, and
exercise any powers with respect to that financing and land as it may
exercise with respect to housing projects, if the requirements of
subdivision (h) of Section 34312 are satisfied with respect to the
percentage of occupancy by persons of low income.

34517.  With respect to any housing project which a housing
authority has acquired or taken over from the Federal Government and
which the housing authority by resolution has found and declared to
have been constructed in a manner that will promote the public
interest and afford necessary safety, sanitation, and other
protection, a state public body shall not require any changes to be
made in the housing project or the manner of its construction or take
any other action relating to its construction.

34518.  A state public body may incur the entire expense of any
public improvements made by it in exercising the powers granted in
this chapter. Any law to the contrary notwithstanding, a state public
body may make any sale, conveyance, lease, or agreement provided for
in Sections 34510 to 34517, inclusive, without appraisal, public
notice, advertisement, or public bidding.
   Prior to entering into any cooperation agreement the governing
body of any state public body shall hold a public hearing for the
purpose of giving interested persons an opportunity to be heard as to
whether such cooperation agreement should be entered into.
   Notice of such hearing shall be published pursuant to Section 6066
of the Government Code prior to the date of hearing. At least three
copies of the proposed cooperation agreement submitted to the
governing body shall be available for inspection by interested
persons prior to the public hearing.
   The cooperation agreement may provide that there shall be a public
hearing prior to the approval by the governing body of a county or
city of any site for a public housing project.
   The executed cooperation agreement shall be conclusive evidence
that all proceedings prior thereto under this section have been in
full compliance with this section.

34519.  In connection with any housing project located wholly or
partly within the area in which it is authorized to act, any state
public body may contract with a housing authority or the Federal
Government with respect to the sum which it may agree to pay during
any period to the state public body for the improvements, services,
and facilities to be furnished by it for the benefit of the housing
project. The amount of the payments shall not exceed the estimated
cost to the state public body of the improvements, services, or
facilities to be furnished. The absence of a contract for such
payments does not relieve any state public body from the duty to
furnish for the benefit of the housing project the customary
improvements and the services and facilities it usually furnishes
without a service fee.

34520.  When any housing authority created for any city or county
becomes authorized to transact business and exercise its powers, the
governing body of the city or county shall immediately make an
estimate of the amount necessary for the administrative expenses and
overhead of the housing authority during its first year, and may
appropriate the amount to the authority as a loan or donation. Any
city or county located wholly or partially within the area of
operation of a housing authority may lend or donate money to the
authority or agree to do so. When it has money available, the housing
authority shall make reimbursements for all such loans made to it.

34521.  The exercise by a state public body of the powers granted in
this chapter may be authorized by resolution adopted by a majority
of the members of its governing body.