AB 2146

AB2146:v96#DOCUMENT

Bill Start

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2146

An act to add Sections 50199.26, 50199.27, 50675.15.5, and 50675.15.7 to, and to add Chapter 20 (commencing with Section 50899.8.1) to Part 2 of Division 31 of, the Health and Safety Code, and to add Sections 5849.8.5 and 5849.8.7 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to housing.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2146, as amended, Stefani. Supportive housing: prospective tenants: barriers to access.

Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and sets forth its powers and duties. Existing law, the Governor’s Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 2025 (GRP), which became effective on July 5, 2025, transfers the Department of Housing and Community Development to the California Housing and Homelessness Agency, which the GRP also establishes, as of July 1, 2026.

Existing law establishes a low-income housing tax credit program, through which the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, chaired by the Treasurer, allocates low-income housing tax credits aimed at providing affordable low-income housing within and throughout the state. Existing law sets forth procedures and criteria under the program for housing credit applicants, who are owners, sponsors, or developers of qualifying low-income buildings or projects, as specified.

Existing law, the Multifamily Housing Program, administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development, makes available deferred payment loans to pay for the eligible costs of housing development projects. Existing law specifies particular requirements for projects funded with funds appropriated for supportive housing projects, including, among other things, that supportive housing projects provide or demonstrate collaboration with programs that provide services that meet the needs of the supportive housing residents. Existing law also requires that funds appropriated to provide housing for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness and who are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic or other communicable diseases be disbursed in accordance with the Multifamily Housing Program for specified uses. This disbursement program is referred to as Homekey.

Existing law, known as the No Place Like Home Program, requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to award $2,000,000,000 among counties to finance capital costs, including, but not limited to, acquisition, design, construction, rehabilitation, or preservation, and to capitalize operating reserves, of permanent supportive housing for the target population, as specified.

This bill would establish the California Direct Access to Supportive Housing (DASH) designation, for the purpose of facilitating quick and accountable access to supportive housing units. The bill would, beginning July 1, 2027, require a sponsor of a housing unit that meets prescribed criteria to notify the Department of Housing and Community Development or the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee of the unit’s eligibility for a DASH designation, as specified. The bill would, beginning July 1, 2027, and to the extent not prohibited by federal law, require the department or the committee to apply specified expedited compliance documentation standards for a prospective tenant referred to a DASH unit, as provided. The bill would include in these expedited compliance standards, among others, the requirement to accept self-certification of homelessness, defined as an affidavit, signed under penalty of perjury, indicating an individual’s status as chronically homeless, homeless, or at risk of homelessness. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would, subject to specified requirements, permit a sponsor or housing credit applicant of any unit funded by one of the above-described programs to receive and process referrals of prospective tenants from sources outside of the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system if more than 180 days have passed since the sponsor or applicant initially notified the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system of an available unit. The bill would provide that its provisions do not limit a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system to a single referral per vacant unit, and would require a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system to, to the extent practicable, refer multiple prioritized households for each available unit, as specified.

This bill would require the California Housing and Homelessness Agency and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee to, by January 1, 2028, complete a comprehensive review of compliance documentation required for DASH units, as provided. The bill would require the agency and committee to submit a report on this review to the Legislature by April 1, 2028, and to implement revised compliance requirements based on the review by July 1, 2028.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 50199.26 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

50199.26.

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Coordinated entry system” means a centralized or coordinated assessment system developed pursuant to Section 578.7 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, designed to coordinate homelessness program participant intake, assessment, and provision of referrals.

(2) “DASH” means the California Direct Access to Supportive Housing designation established in Chapter 20 (commencing with Section 50899.8.1) of Part 2.

(3) “Equivalent referral system” means, in jurisdictions where a coordinated entry system is not operational, another similar referral system which prioritizes based on need and barriers to housing stability, as determined by the Department of Housing and Community Development.

(4) “Housing history” means a report of an applicant’s last known residential address or addresses, length of residency, and reason for departure, typically for a period of no less than two years preceding a housing application.

(5) (A) “Self-certification of homelessness” means an affidavit, signed under penalty of perjury in accordance with Section 2015.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure, by an individual seeking assistance indicating their status as chronically homeless, homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

(B) If a tenant or prospective tenant is found to have falsified information regarding their self-certification of homelessness, it shall be considered a just cause for eviction. The sponsor shall be held harmless for purposes of compliance with their regulatory requirements.

(b) (1) Beginning July 1, 2027, a housing credit applicant shall notify the committee if a unit receiving an allocation of tax credits pursuant to this chapter meets the criteria for DASH designation specified in Section 50899.8.2.

(2) The applicant may notify the committee pursuant to paragraph (1) at the time that any of the following occur:

(A) Any time before the unit becomes vacant.

(B) When submitting notification of the unit’s availability to a coordinated entry system or an equivalent referral system.

(C) When submitting loan closing documents to the committee.

(c) If the committee disagrees with the housing credit applicant’s determination of DASH unit status, the committee shall notify the applicant in writing within 60 days and shall allow the applicant 30 days to provide additional evidence to support their claim. The committee shall not penalize an applicant as a result of any disagreement over a unit’s DASH status.

(d) In order to have a unit’s DASH designation removed, a housing credit applicant shall notify the committee that the unit no longer meets the criteria in Section 50899.8.2.

(e) Beginning July 1, 2027, for a prospective tenant referred to a DASH unit through a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system, the committee shall, to the extent not prohibited by federal law, apply the following expedited compliance documentation standards:

(1) The committee shall not require a housing credit applicant to obtain third-party documentation of a person’s status as chronically homeless, homeless, or at risk of homelessness in order to establish tenant eligibility.

(2) The committee shall accept self-certification of homelessness from the prospective tenant.

(3) The committee shall not require housing history for prospective tenants.

(4) A housing credit applicant shall not request or require housing history or landlord or personal references for prospective tenants.

(f) On or before June 30, 2027, the committee shall adopt regulations to implement this section.

SEC. 2.

Section 50199.27 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

50199.27.

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Alternative referral” means a referral from outside the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system.

(2) “Coordinated entry system” means a centralized or coordinated assessment system developed pursuant to Section 578.7 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, designed to coordinate homelessness program participant intake, assessment, and provision of referrals.

(3) “Equivalent referral system” means, in jurisdictions where a coordinated entry system is not operational, another similar referral system which prioritizes based on need and barriers to housing stability, as determined by the Department of Housing and Community Development.

(4) “Referral waiting period” means the time period from the day when the housing credit applicant notifies the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system of a vacant unit to 180 days from that notification.

(b) A housing credit applicant who receives referrals through a coordinated entry system or an equivalent referral system may, to the extent not prohibited by federal law, receive and process referrals of prospective tenants from sources outside of the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system at the end of the referral waiting period, if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) A housing credit applicant shall not process outside referrals of prospective tenants if there are any pending coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system referrals to the vacant unit, if the referral was made before 180 days passed.

(2) After 180 days, the housing credit applicant shall notify the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system if they have received an alternative referral, and any alternate referrals the housing credit applicant has received shall be fulfilled on a first-come-first-served basis.

(3) The tenant selected through an alternative referral shall meet all eligibility criteria for the unit.

(4) The housing credit applicant shall maintain records, available to the department upon request, of any correspondence with a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system or a prospective tenant regarding an unsuccessful referral to the vacant unit, including records demonstrating why the referral was unsuccessful.

(5) When a tenant that occupied a unit using an alternative referral vacates a unit, that unit shall return to its original status requiring a referral from a coordinated entry system or equivalent entry system to be filled. Successive alternative referrals shall be allowed pursuant to this subdivision.

(6) At the discretion of the coordinated entry system administrator, the coordinated entry system may authorize alternative referrals earlier than the end of the referral waiting period if the referring entity has exhausted the potential applicant pool, in order to advance the goal of preventing vacant units.

(7) The housing credit applicant may accept referrals from the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system at any time.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system to a single referral per vacant unit. In order to minimize the time a unit remains unoccupied and to maximize successful placements, a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system shall, to the extent practicable, refer multiple prioritized households for each available unit.

SEC. 3.

Section 50675.15.5 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

50675.15.5.

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Coordinated entry system” means a centralized or coordinated assessment system developed pursuant to Section 578.7 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, designed to coordinate homelessness program participant intake, assessment, and provision of referrals.

(2) “Department” means the Department of Housing and Community Development.

(3) “DASH” means the California Direct Access to Supportive Housing designation established in Chapter 20 (commencing with Section 50899.8.1).

(4) “Equivalent referral system” means, in jurisdictions where a coordinated entry system is not operational, another similar referral system which prioritizes based on need and barriers to housing stability, as determined by the department.

(5) (A) “Self-certification of homelessness” means an affidavit, signed under penalty of perjury in accordance with Section 2015.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure, by an individual seeking assistance indicating their status as chronically homeless, homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

(B) If a tenant or prospective tenant is found to have falsified information regarding their self-certification of homelessness, it shall be considered a just cause for eviction. The sponsor shall be held harmless for purposes of compliance with their regulatory requirements.

(b) (1) Beginning July 1, 2027, a sponsor shall notify the department if a unit receiving funding pursuant to this chapter, including Sections 50675.1.1 or 50675.1.3, meets the criteria for DASH designation in Section 50899.8.2.

(2) The sponsor may notify the department pursuant to paragraph (1) at the time that any of the following occur:

(A) Any time before the unit becomes vacant.

(B) When submitting notification of the unit’s availability to a coordinated entry system or an equivalent referral system.

(C) When submitting loan closing documents to the department.

(c) If the department disagrees with the sponsor’s determination of DASH unit status, the department shall notify the sponsor in writing within 60 days and shall allow the sponsor 30 days to provide additional evidence to support their claim. The department shall not penalize a sponsor as a result of any disagreement over a unit’s DASH status.

(d) In order to have a unit’s DASH designation removed, a sponsor shall notify the department that the unit no longer meets the criteria in Section 50899.8.2.

(e) Beginning July 1, 2027, for a prospective tenant referred to a DASH unit through a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system, the department shall, to the extent not prohibited by federal law, apply the following expedited compliance documentation standards:

(1) The department shall not require a sponsor to obtain third-party documentation of a person’s status as chronically homeless, homeless, or at risk of homelessness in order to establish tenant eligibility.

(2) The department shall accept self-certification of homelessness from the prospective tenant.

(f) On or before June 30, 2027, the department shall adopt regulations to implement this section.

SEC. 4.

Section 50675.15.7 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

50675.15.7.

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Alternative referral” means a referral from outside the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system.

(2) “Coordinated entry system” means a centralized or coordinated assessment system developed pursuant to Section 578.7 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, designed to coordinate homelessness program participant intake, assessment, and provision of referrals.

(3) “Department” means the Department of Housing and Community Development.

(4) “Equivalent referral system” means, in jurisdictions where a coordinated entry system is not operational, another similar referral system which prioritizes based on need and barriers to housing stability, as determined by the department.

(5) “Referral waiting period” means the time period from the day when the sponsor notifies the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system of a vacant unit to 180 days from that notification.

(b) A sponsor who receives referrals for units receiving funding pursuant to this chapter, including Sections 50675.1.1 or 50675.1.3, through a coordinated entry system or an equivalent referral system may, to the extent not prohibited by federal law, receive and process referrals of prospective tenants from sources outside of the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system at the end of the referral waiting period, if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) A sponsor shall not process outside referrals of prospective tenants if there are any pending coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system referrals to the vacant unit, if the referral was made before 180 days passed.

(2) After 180 days, the sponsor shall notify the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system if they have received an alternative referral, and any alternate referrals the sponsor has received shall be fulfilled on a first-come-first-served basis.

(3) The tenant selected through an alternative referral shall meet all eligibility criteria for the unit.

(4) The sponsor shall maintain records, available to the department upon request, of any correspondence with a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system or a prospective tenant regarding an unsuccessful referral to the vacant unit, including records demonstrating why the referral was unsuccessful.

(5) When a tenant that occupied a unit using an alternative referral vacates a unit, that unit shall return to its original status requiring a referral from a coordinated entry system or equivalent entry system to be filled. Successive alternative referrals shall be allowed pursuant to this subdivision.

(6) At the discretion of the coordinated entry system administrator, the coordinated entry system may authorize alternative referrals earlier than the end of the referral waiting period if the referring entity has exhausted the potential applicant pool, in order to advance the goal of preventing vacant units.

(7) The sponsor may accept referrals from the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system at any time.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system to a single referral per vacant unit. In order to minimize the time a unit remains unoccupied and to maximize successful placements, a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system shall, to the extent practicable, refer multiple prioritized households for each available unit.

SEC. 5.

Chapter 20 (commencing with Section 50899.8.1) is added to Part 2 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:

CHAPTER 20. California Direct Access to Supportive Housing Designation

50899.8.1.

(a) The California Direct Access to Supportive Housing (DASH) designation is established for the purpose of facilitating quick and accountable access to supportive housing units.

(b) For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Agency” means the California Housing and Homelessness Agency.

(2) “Committee” means the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee.

(3) “Coordinated entry system” means a centralized or coordinated assessment system developed pursuant to Section 578.7 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, designed to coordinate homelessness program participant intake, assessment, and provision of referrals.

(4) “Department” means the Department of Housing and Community Development.

(5) “Equivalent referral system” means, in jurisdictions where a coordinated entry system is not operational, another similar referral system which prioritizes based on need and barriers to housing stability, as determined by the department.

(6) (A) “Self-certification of homelessness” means an affidavit, signed under penalty of perjury in accordance with Section 2015.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure, by an individual seeking assistance indicating their status as chronically homeless, homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

(B) If a tenant or prospective tenant is found to have falsified information regarding their self-certification of homelessness, it shall be considered a just cause for eviction. The sponsor shall be held harmless for purposes of compliance with their regulatory requirements.

(7) “Sponsor” means any individual, joint venture, partnership, limited partnership, trust, corporation, cooperative, local public entity, duly constituted governing body of an Indian reservation or rancheria, or other legal entity, or any combination thereof, certified as qualified to own, manage, and rehabilitate a rental housing development. A sponsor may be organized for profit or limited profit, or be a nonprofit.

50899.8.2.

A housing unit shall be designated as DASH if it meets all the following criteria:

(a) The unit did not or does not receive any federal capital or operating subsidy that requires compliance with federal Department of Housing and Urban Development standards.

(b) The unit is restricted to occupancy by those at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness or chronic homelessness.

(c) The unit receives referrals through a coordinated entry system or an equivalent referral system for the first 180 days per vacancy.

50899.8.3.

(a) By January 1, 2028, the agency and committee, in consultation with sponsors of housing units designated as DASH, shall complete a comprehensive review of compliance documentation required for those units, which shall identify all of the following information:

(1) Compliance requirements that create barriers to housing access for individuals at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness.

(2) Alternative methods of compliance to remove barriers and accelerate housing move-ins.

(3) Opportunities to streamline documentation through alignment with existing standards for other programs, including, but not limited to, Medi-Cal or Transitional Rent.

(b) (1) By April 1, 2028, the agency and committee shall submit a report on the review completed pursuant to this section to the Legislature.

(2) The report required by this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(c) The agency and committee shall implement revised compliance requirements based on the review completed pursuant to this section by July 1, 2028.

SEC. 6.

Section 5849.8.5 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

5849.8.5.

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Coordinated entry system” means a centralized or coordinated assessment system developed pursuant to Section 578.7 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, designed to coordinate homelessness program participant intake, assessment, and provision of referrals.

(2) “DASH” means the California Direct Access to Supportive Housing designation established in Chapter 20 (commencing with Section 50899.8.1) of Part 2 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code.

(3) “Equivalent referral system” means, in jurisdictions where a coordinated entry system is not operational, another similar referral system which prioritizes based on need and barriers to housing stability, as determined by the department.

(4) (A) “Self-certification of homelessness” means an affidavit, signed under penalty of perjury in accordance with Section 2015.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure, by an individual seeking assistance indicating their status as chronically homeless, homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

(B) If a tenant or prospective tenant is found to have falsified information regarding their self-certification of homelessness, it shall be considered a just cause for eviction. The sponsor shall be held harmless for purposes of compliance with their regulatory requirements.

(b) (1) Beginning July 1, 2027, a development sponsor shall notify the department if a unit receiving funding pursuant to this part meets the criteria for DASH designation in Section 50899.8.2 of the Health and Safety Code.

(2) The development sponsor may notify the department pursuant to paragraph (1) at the time that any of the following occur:

(A) Any time before the unit becomes vacant.

(B) When submitting notification of the unit’s availability to a coordinated entry system or an equivalent referral system.

(C) When submitting loan closing documents to the department.

(c) If the department disagrees with the development sponsor’s determination of DASH unit status, the department shall notify the sponsor in writing within 60 days and shall allow the development sponsor 30 days to provide additional evidence to support their claim. The department shall not penalize a development sponsor as a result of any disagreement over a unit’s DASH status.

(d) In order to have a unit’s DASH designation removed, a sponsor shall notify the department that the unit no longer meets the criteria in Section 50899.8.2 of the Health and Safety Code.

(e) Beginning July 1, 2027, for a prospective tenant referred to a DASH unit through a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system, the department shall, to the extent not prohibited by federal law, apply the following expedited compliance documentation standards:

(1) The department shall not require a development sponsor to obtain third-party documentation of a person’s status as chronically homeless, homeless, or at risk of homelessness in order to establish tenant eligibility.

(2) The department shall accept self-certification of homelessness from the prospective tenant.

(f) On or before June 30, 2027, the department shall adopt regulations to implement this section.

SEC. 7.

Section 5849.8.7 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

5849.8.7.

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Alternative referral” means a referral from outside the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system.

(2) “Coordinated entry system” means a centralized or coordinated assessment system developed pursuant to Section 578.7 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, designed to coordinate homelessness program participant intake, assessment, and provision of referrals.

(3) “Equivalent referral system” means, in jurisdictions where a coordinated entry system is not operational, another similar referral system which prioritizes based on need and barriers to housing stability, as determined by the department.

(4) “Referral waiting period” means the time period from the day when the development sponsor notifies the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system of a vacant unit to 180 days from that notification.

(b) A development sponsor who receives referrals for units funded pursuant to this part through a coordinated entry system or an equivalent referral system may, to the extent not prohibited by federal law, receive and process referrals of prospective tenants from sources outside of the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system at the end of the referral waiting period, if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) A development sponsor shall not process outside referrals of prospective tenants if there are any pending coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system referrals to the vacant unit, if the referral was made before 180 days passed.

(2) After 180 days, the development sponsor shall notify the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system if they have received an alternative referral, and any alternate referrals the development sponsor has received shall be fulfilled on a first-come-first-served basis.

(3) The tenant selected through an alternative referral shall meet all eligibility criteria for the unit.

(4) The development sponsor shall maintain records, available to the department upon request, of any correspondence with a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system or a prospective tenant regarding an unsuccessful referral to the vacant unit, including records demonstrating why the referral was unsuccessful.

(5) When a tenant that occupied a unit using an alternative referral vacates a unit, that unit shall return to its original status requiring a referral from a coordinated entry system or equivalent entry system to be filled. Successive alternative referrals shall be allowed pursuant to this subdivision.

(6) At the discretion of the coordinated entry system administrator, the coordinated entry system may authorize alternative referrals earlier than the end of the referral waiting period if the referring entity has exhausted the potential applicant pool, in order to advance the goal of preventing vacant units.

(7) The development sponsor may accept referrals from the coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system at any time.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system to a single referral per vacant unit. In order to minimize the time a unit remains unoccupied and to maximize successful placements, a coordinated entry system or equivalent referral system shall, to the extent practicable, refer multiple prioritized households for each available unit.

SEC. 8.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.