Housing discrimination: nonprofit home-sharing program: eligibility for public social services.

Assembly Member Ward's proposal to modify California's housing discrimination laws and public assistance eligibility rules centers on expanding home-sharing opportunities through nonprofit programs. The legislation amends owner-occupied housing provisions to permit up to two tenants, rather than the current limit of one roomer or boarder, while maintaining protections against discriminatory practices in advertising and tenant selection.

The bill establishes specific criteria for nonprofit home-sharing programs, requiring them to provide free matching services, background checks, and ongoing case management for both landlords and tenants. These programs must be administered by tax-exempt organizations or government entities, with full-time staff available at least five days per week to support housing stability. Lease agreements facilitated through these programs must extend for a minimum of 30 days.

Under the proposed changes, income generated from participating in qualified nonprofit home-sharing arrangements would not count toward eligibility calculations for public assistance programs like CalWORKs, CalFresh, and Medi-Cal. The bill's findings cite data showing that eight out of ten extremely low-income older renters currently spend more than half their monthly income on housing, while the state faces a shortage of approximately 1.3 million affordable units. Counties would receive state reimbursement for any additional costs incurred from implementing these eligibility modifications.