SB 677: Housing financing: joint powers agreements: bond approvals: subdivisions: tentative and final maps: appeals.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law, the Joint Exercise of Powers Act, authorizes 2 or more public agencies, by agreement, to form a joint powers authority to exercise any power common to the contracting parties, as specified. Existing law, for the purposes of that act, defines the term “public agency” to include various federal, state, local, and tribal entities. Existing law requires approval by the Department of General Services of certain joint powers agreements that include the state as a member, as provided. Existing law authorizes a joint powers authority to issue revenue bonds to pay the costs and expenses of acquiring, constructing, or conducting a program for, among other things, low-income housing projects owned or operated by a city, county, city and county, or housing authority.

Existing law provides that the Treasurer and the Secretary of State are designated as elected representatives for federal tax purposes of a joint powers agency created to approve or certify the issuance of bonds, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness issued by or on behalf of the joint powers agency to the extent approval is required by federal tax law.

This bill would provide that the geographic jurisdiction of a joint powers authority is the area encompassed by the combined geographical boundaries of all of its member public agencies. The bill would declare that these provisions are declaratory of existing law.

This bill would additionally authorize the Treasurer to execute an agreement including the state as a member of a joint powers authority without obtaining approval from the Department of General Services only for the Treasurer to provide specified approvals for bonds issued by the joint powers authority to finance specified residential rental projects for which a city, county, or city and county that is a member of the joint powers authority has failed to provide specified approval required by federal tax law, as defined and provided. The bill would provide that its provisions do not expand, limit, or otherwise affect the authority of, among others, the state, or any officer or agency of the state, to enter into a joint exercise of powers agreement or cause the state to become a member of a joint powers authority, as specified.

Existing law additionally authorizes, subject to specified limitations, any city or county to issue revenue bonds for the purpose of financing the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, refinancing, or development of multifamily rental housing and for the provision of capital improvements in connection with, and determined necessary to, that multifamily rental housing.

This bill would specify that, for the purposes of the above-described provisions, “city” or “county” is deemed to include the state when the state is a member of a joint powers authority pursuant to the bill’s provisions only to provide the state with the power to issue bonds and provide approval, consent, or other action required to finance specified residential rental projects, as provided.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 2

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 30, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 974, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 30, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. September 8, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
4. August 30, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 31. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. August 28, 2026From committee: That the Assembly amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 4. Noes 3.)
6. August 26, 2026From committee: Be re-referred to Com. on L. GOV. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d). (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
7. August 26, 2026Re-referred to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d).
8. August 25, 2026In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
9. August 25, 2026Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 63. Noes 2. Page 6516.) Ordered to the Senate.
10. August 20, 2026Ordered to third reading.
11. August 20, 2026Read third time and amended.
12. August 6, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.