(a) In addition to the purposes specified in subdivision (a) of Section 50517.5 and except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), the department may make grants and loans under the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program to local public entities and nonprofit corporations in order to establish capitalized operating reserves for short-term occupancy housing for migrant farmworker households, purchase land for, and construct, housing structures for short-term occupancy by migrant farmworker households, lease or purchase existing structures for short-term occupancy by migrant farmworker households, and, where the department determines that extraordinary or emergency circumstances exist, directly rent or lease housing for short-term occupancy by migrant farmworker households.
(b) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, except as provided in paragraph (2), the department shall not make grants or loans under the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program on or after January 1, 2020, for the purpose of funding predevelopment of developing or operating any housing that is rented, sold, or subleased to an agricultural employer, as defined in Section 1140.4 of the Labor Code, or its agent, or a farm labor contractor, as defined in Section 1682 of the Labor Code, or its agent, who employs at least one H-2A worker as defined in 50205, until the expiration of the regulatory agreement or affordability covenant, as applicable. A person or entity who receives any grant or loan under the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program on or after January 1, 2020, and expends any of those funds for any housing that is rented, sold, or subleased to an agricultural employer, as defined in Section 1140.4 of the Labor Code, or its agent, or a farm labor contractor, as defined in Section 1682 of the Labor Code, or its agent, who employs at least one H-2A worker, as defined in Section 50205, until the expiration of the regulatory agreement or affordability covenant, as applicable, shall reimburse the department as provided in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 50205.
(2) This subdivision shall not apply to any contract entered into or any grant or loan provided pursuant to the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program prior to January 1, 2020.
(3) The department shall not be responsible for inspecting units that are not subsidized by funding received from the department.
(4) A person or entity who receives funds under the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program on and after January 1, 2020, and expends any of those funds for the purpose of funding predevelopment of, developing, or operating any housing shall submit a declaration to the department declaring the following:
(A) (i) The person or entity is not an agricultural employer, as defined in Section 1140.4 of the Labor Code, or its agent, or a farm labor contractor, as defined in Section 1682 of the Labor Code, or its agent, who employs at least one H-2A worker, as defined in Section 50205.
(ii) The person or entity will not rent, sell, or sublease any housing funded pursuant to this chapter to an agricultural employer, as defined in Section 1140.4 of the Labor Code, or its agent, or a farm labor contractor, as defined in Section 1682 of the Labor Code, or its agent, who employs at least one H-2A worker, as defined in Section 50205, until the expiration of the regulatory agreement or affordability covenant, as applicable.
(B) The declaration described in subparagraph (A) can be met through the inclusion in a regulatory agreement or affordability covenant, as applicable, with the department that is signed by the person or entity receiving funds pursuant to this chapter.
(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 264, Sec. 17. (AB 107) Effective September 29, 2020.)