Supportive housing: prospective tenants: barriers to access.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about funding allocation or potential changes resulting from the review and report. Additionally, the implementation is contingent upon federal law not prohibiting it.

Supportive Housing: Making It Easier to Access

AB-2146 establishes the Direct Access to Supportive Housing (DASH) designation, which simplifies access for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless by allowing self-certification and expedited documentation.

What This Bill Does

• Establishes a new DASH designation for supportive housing units that makes it easier for individuals who are chronically homeless, homeless, or at risk of homelessness to access these homes.
• Requires sponsors of eligible housing units to notify the Department of Housing and Community Development about their eligibility for DASH by July 1, 2027.
• Allows prospective tenants referred to a DASH unit to self-certify their status as chronically homeless, homeless, or at risk of homelessness under penalty of perjury.
• Permits sponsors to accept referrals from sources outside the coordinated entry system if more than 180 days have passed since they first notified this system about available units.
• Directs the California Housing and Homelessness Agency and the Tax Credit Allocation Committee to review compliance documentation for DASH units by January 1, 2028, and submit a report with recommendations by April 1, 2028.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
• Sponsors of housing projects that qualify for the DASH designation.
• The Department of Housing and Community Development and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee.

Terms To Know

DASH

Direct Access to Supportive Housing, a new designation aimed at simplifying access to supportive housing for those in need.

Self-certification of homelessness

An affidavit signed under penalty of perjury stating an individual's status as chronically homeless, homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much funding will be allocated for the DASH program.
• It is unclear what changes might come from the review and report on compliance documentation required by January 1, 2028.
• Implementation of the DASH designation depends on federal law not prohibiting it.

Official Summary Text

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
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.
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.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF