Senate BillChaptered/SignedGovernment
SB 799: Joint powers authorities: South Bay Regional Housing Trust.
What SB 799 does, verified October 2, 2026
The proposed legislation aims to amend the governance structure of the South Bay Regional Housing Trust, a joint powers authority established to fund housing for the homeless population and low-income families. The trust will be governed by a board of directors, consisting of a specified number of directors to be determined by the governing board of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments. The board will elect a chairperson and vice chairperson from among its members at the start of each calendar or fiscal year. The legislation also authorizes the inclusion of alternate members on the board, who will be subject to the board's adopted conflict of interest code. Additionally, the bill prohibits alternate members from participating in more than 75% of meetings in a calendar year, unless they are elected officials. The law requires the board of directors to follow this governance struct…
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 980, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-30)Alert me
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| Sep. 30, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 980, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 30, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Aug. 24, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m. |
| Aug. 19, 2026 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Aug. 18, 2026 | In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, September 30, 2026 · 1,416 words
Senate Bill No. 799
CHAPTER 980
An act to amend Section 6539.9 of the Government Code, relating to joint powers.
[ Approved by Governor September 30, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State September 30, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 799, Allen. Joint powers authorities: South Bay Regional Housing Trust.
Existing law authorizes the establishment of the South Bay Regional Housing Trust, a joint powers authority, by the County of Los Angeles and any or all of the cities within the jurisdiction of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments, with the stated purpose of funding housing to assist the homeless population and persons and families of extremely low, very low, and low income within the South Bay Cities region. Existing law authorizes the South Bay Regional Housing Trust to, among other things, fund planning and construction of housing of all types and tenures for the homeless population and persons and families of extremely low, very low, and low income.
This bill would expand the authority of the trust to also include funding the preservation of housing for these purposes. The bill would also expand the authority of the trust to include funding planning, construction, and preservation of housing for persons and families of moderate income, as defined, using any private resources and specified public resources.
Existing law requires that the South Bay Regional Housing Trust be governed by a board of directors consisting of an appropriate number of directors, to be determined by the governing board of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments. Existing law requires the board of directors to include mayors, council members, or County of Los Angeles supervisors, as described. Existing law requires that the board of directors to elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson from among its members at the first meeting held in each calendar year. Existing law requires the governing board of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments to appoint the board of directors and, in the case of a vacancy on the board of directors, qualified individuals to fill the vacancy, as specified.
This bill would instead require the joint powers agreement to establish the number of directors of the trust and the process for appointing directors and filling vacancies. The bill would additionally authorize the board of directors to include persons appointed and designated as alternate members of the board of directors, as specified. The bill would require all directors and alternates to be subject to the board of directors’ adopted conflict of interest code. The bill would prohibit each alternate that is currently not an elected official from participating as a voting member in more than 75% of all meetings in a calendar year. The bill would instead require the board of directors to elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson from among its members at the first meeting held in either the calendar or fiscal year.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for South Bay Cities region of the County of Los Angeles.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 6539.9 of the Government Code is amended to read:6539.9.
(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the County of Los Angeles and any or all of the cities within the jurisdiction of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments may enter into a joint powers agreement pursuant to this chapter to create and operate a joint powers agency to fund housing to assist the homeless population and persons and families of extremely low, very low, low, and moderate income, as defined in Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code, within the South Bay Cities region.(2) The joint powers agency created pursuant to this section shall be known as the South Bay Regional Housing Trust and shall operate in accordance with this section.
(b) (1) The South Bay Regional Housing Trust shall be governed by a board of directors consisting of an appropriate number of directors to be established by its joint powers agreement.
(2) (A) The board of directors shall be appointed in accordance with a process established by its joint powers agreement and shall include mayors, council members, or County of Los Angeles supervisors that represent either of the following:
(i) A city that is a party to the joint powers agreement.
(ii) A County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors district that is located wholly or partially within the territory of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments, if the county is a party to the joint powers agreement.
(B) Two members of the board of directors shall be experts in homelessness or housing policy.
(C) (i) The board of directors may include persons appointed and designated as alternate members of the board of directors.
(ii) The persons appointed and designated as the alternate members of the board of directors may include any of the following:
(I) An elected or appointed member of the governing body of the party to the joint powers agreement.
(II) An appointed member of an advisory body of the party to the joint powers agreement.
(III) A staff member of the party to the joint powers agreement.
(IV) A member of the public who is an expert in homelessness or housing policy.
(D) All directors and alternates shall be subject to the board of directors’ adopted conflict of interest code.
(E) Each alternate that is currently not an elected official shall not participate as a voting member in more than 75 percent of all meetings in a calendar year.
(3) The board of directors shall elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson from among its members at the first meeting held in either the calendar or fiscal year.
(4) (A) Members of the board of directors shall serve without compensation.
(B) Members of the board of directors may be reimbursed for actual expenses subject to the approval of the governing board of the South Bay Regional Housing Trust. Actual expenses shall be approved before they are incurred.
(5) The joint powers agreement shall establish the process for appointing a qualified individual to fill a vacancy within 60 days of the vacancy, if a vacancy occurs on the board of directors.
(c) Notwithstanding any other law, the South Bay Regional Housing Trust may do any of the following:
(1) (A) Fund planning, construction, and preservation of housing of all types and tenures for the homeless population and persons and families of extremely low, very low, and low income, as defined in Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code, including, but not limited to, permanent supportive housing.
(B) Fund planning, construction, and preservation of housing of all types and tenures for persons and families of moderate income, as defined in Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code, using any private resources, and either of the following public resources:
(i) Federal resources.
(ii) State resources that are restricted to use for affordable housing for persons and families at or above eighty percent of area median household income.
(2) Receive public and private financing and funds.
(3) Authorize and issue bonds, certificates of participation, or any other debt instrument repayable from funds and financing received pursuant to paragraph (2) and pledged by the South Bay Regional Housing Trust.
(d) The South Bay Regional Housing Trust shall incorporate into its joint powers agreement annual financial reporting and auditing requirements that shall maximize transparency and public information as to the receipt and use of funds by the agency. The annual financial report shall show how the funds have furthered the purposes of the South Bay Regional Housing Trust.
(e) The South Bay Regional Housing Trust shall comply with the regulatory guidelines of each specific state funding source received.
SEC. 2.
The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the following unique circumstances in the South Bay Cities region of the County of Los Angeles:(a) California has an affordable housing crisis, which is especially acute in the South Bay Cities region of the County of Los Angeles due to the high cost of housing in that area, even in formerly affordable communities.
(b) The establishment of the South Bay Regional Housing Trust to receive available public and private funds could help finance affordable housing projects for homeless, low-income, and moderate-income populations.
Text of SB 799 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions