CA AB 474

Title: Housing discrimination: nonprofit home-sharing program: eligibility for public social services.
Author: Christopher M. Ward

Summary
AB 474, as amended, Ward. Housing discrimination: nonprofit home-sharing program: eligibility for public social services. (1) Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, prohibits housing discrimination based on specified characteristics. Existing law defines discrimination to include refusal to sell, rent, or lease housing accommodations. Under existing law, discrimination does not include refusal to rent or lease a portion of an owner-occupied single-family house to a person as a roomer or boarder living within the household if no more than one person is to live within the household, as specified.This bill would specify that discrimination does not include refusal to rent or lease to a person as a tenant, instead of a roomer or a boarder, and would increase the number of persons living in the household under these provisions to 2.(2)The Personal Income Tax Law, in modified conformity with federal law, generally defines “gross income” as income from whatever source derived, except as specifically excluded, and provides various exclusions from gross income for purposes of computing tax liability. For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2031, the bill would additionally exclude from gross income any payment received by a qualified taxpayer, defined as a member of a lower income household, from a tenant while participating as a landlord in a nonprofit home-sharing program.Existing law requires a bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements.This bill would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure.(3)(2) Existing law establishes various public social services programs that are administered by counties to provide eligible recipients with certain benefits, including, but not limited to, cash assistance under the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, nutrition assistance under the CalFresh program, and health care services under the Medi-Cal program.This bill would exempt income received through renting bedrooms or units as a landlord in a nonprofit home-sharing program, as defined, from consideration as income or assets for the purposes of determining eligibility and benefit amounts for public social services, as specified. By expanding the scope of eligibility for public social services, thereby increasing duties on counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.(4)(3) 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Status
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 7).

Bill Documents
CA AB 474 - 05/23/25 - Amended Assembly
05/23/25 - CA AB 474 (05/23/25 - Amended Assembly)