SACRAMENTO, CA - During the second year of the COVID-19 global pandemic, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D – Fullerton) remained focused on passing key legislation to support California's most vulnerable community members. As the 2021 Legislative session came to a close, a number of her significant legislative priorities including housing, homelessness, senior and family protections, as well as mental health, advanced to the Governor's desk and were signed into law, these include:
HOUSING
- Assembly Bill 68: Department of Housing and Community Development: California Statewide Housing Plan: annual reports: Revises and modernizes the quadrennial Statewide Housing Plan and expand the requirements of the annual report from the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
- Assembly Bill 345: Accessory dwelling units: separate conveyance: Requires cities and counties to allow an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to be sold or conveyed separately from the primary residence under specified circumstances.
- Assembly Bill 362: Shelters and Transparency: Improves the conditions of shelters by requiring that recipients of certain shelter funding grants comply with health and safety regulations to be eligible for funding.
- Assembly Bill 978: Mobile Home Parks: rent caps: Limits mobilehome parks located in two incorporated cities from increasing the space rents more than 3%, plus the percentage change in the cost of living, and applies just cause eviction and anti-rent gouging protections to tenants in mobilehome units.
MENTAL HEALTH
- Assembly Bill 638: Mental Health Services Act: Early Intervention and Prevention Programs: Authorizes the use of Mental Health Services Act Prevention and Early Intervention funds to be used for prevention and early intervention strategies that address mental health needs, substance misuse or substance use disorders, or needs relating to co-occurring mental health substance use services.
SENIOR AND FAMILY PROTECTIONS
- Assembly Bill 611: Safe at Home program: homeowners’ associations: Requires homeowner associations (HOAs) to protect the confidentiality of contact information for participants in the Safe at Home program; which is designed to help survivors of domestic violence, stalking, human trafficking, and sexual assault safely start new lives.
- Assembly Bill 790: Consumer Legal Remedies Act: Clarifies that the Consumer Legal Remedies Act’s prohibition on certain home solicitations of senior citizens applies to Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) assessments that are part of a pattern or practice in violation of PACE regulations.
"Protecting California's most vulnerable community members, such as those who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes is vital,” said Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva. “I will continue to focus on addressing the needs of my communities in the upcoming legislative sessions.”
The Assemblywoman is committed to addressing and solving issues that continue to affect our state.