SEC. 32.1. PURPOSE.

   This Chapter provides for the administration and financing of a Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RAP) in the City and County of San Francisco. The provisions of this Chapter constitute the City and County's comprehensive residential rehabilitation financing program adopted pursuant to the Marks-Foran Residential Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 37910, et seq., of the Health and Safety Code and under Charter Section 7.308.

   The purpose of RAP is to improve the condition of housing and the quality of life in San Francisco by providing a means through which property owners in designated residential areas in San Francisco which are deteriorating may obtain financial assistance to rehabilitate their property. It shall be the policy of RAP to maintain the existing diversity of San Francisco's neighborhoods; to encourage the existence of low and moderate income housing; and to preserve the residential character of designated areas. The methods to be used consist of concentrated code enforcement; relocation assistance; low-cost, long-term loans for property rehabilitation, and public improvements necessary to ensure the successful rehabilitation of the area. It shall be the policy of the City and County to provide adequate funding for these purposes as funds are available.

(Amended by Ord. 116-77, App. 4/1/77)

SEC. 32.2. DEFINITIONS.

   Unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern the construction of this Chapter:

   (a)   "Abatement Appeals Board" means the board described in Section 203.1 through 203.1G of the San Francisco Building Code.

   (b)   "Area Rent Committee" means the committee established in accordance with Section 32.34.

   (c)   "Bonds" means any bonds, notes, interim certificates, debentures, or other obligations issued by the City and County pursuant to this Chapter and which are payable exclusively from revenues, as defined, and from any other funds specified in this Chapter upon which the bonds may be made a charge and from which they are payable.

   (d)   "City" means the City and County of San Francisco.

   (e)   "Citizens Advisory Committee" means the committee established in accordance with Section 32.30.

   (f)   "Code enforcement area" has the same meaning as residential rehabilitation area.

   (g)   "Conventional RAP loan" means any residential rehabilitation loan made pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter which is not a hardship loan.

   (h)   "Designated area" has the same meaning as residential rehabilitation Area.

   (i)   "Finance" means the lending of money or any other thing of value for the purpose of residential rehabilitation and unless otherwise indicated includes refinancing of outstanding indebtedness of a participating party with respect to property which is subject to residential rehabilitation.

   (j)   "General property improvements" means those items of residential rehabilitation which are not necessary to meet either rehabilitation standards or incipient violations thereof.

   (k)   "Hardship loan" means an interest-free loan with deferred payments of principal made to a qualified low-income owner-occupant of property subject to residential rehabilitation who would not otherwise be able to pay the cost of meeting rehabilitation standards.

   (l)   "Incipient code violation" is a physical condition which can be expected to deteriorate into a violation of a rehabilitation standard within two years.

   (m)   "Loan Committee" means the committee established in accordance with Section 32.32

   (n)   "Participating Party" means any person, company, corporation, partnership, firm or other entity or group of entities requiring financing for residential rehabilitation pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter.

   (o)   "Program" means the Rehabilitation Assistance Program described in this Chapter and includes, but is not limited to, the provisions for code enforcement, rehabilitation financing, and installation of public improvements in residential rehabilitation areas.

   (p)   "Rehabilitation Assistance Program" or "RAP" has the same meaning as "program."

   (q)   "Rehabilitation standards" means the standards established in the City and County Housing Code and other applicable City and County codes relating to the physical condition of structures.

   (r)   "Rent Board" means the Residential Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Board of the City and County of San Francisco.

   (s)   "Residence" means any structure, residential or commercial, which is located in a residential rehabilitation area.

   (t)   "Residential rehabilitation" means the construction, reconstruction, renovation, replacement, extension, repair, betterment, equipping, developing, embellishing, or otherwise improving residences consistent with standards of strength, effectiveness, fire resistance, durability, and safety, so that such structures are satisfactory and safe to occupy for residential purposes and are not conducive to ill health, transmission of disease, infant mortality, juvenile delinquency or crime because of any one or more of the following factors:

      (1)   Defective design and character of physical construction;

      (2)   Faulty interior arrangement and exterior spacing;

      (3)   Inadequate provisions for ventilation, lighting and sanitation; or

      (4)   Obsolescence, deterioration and dilapidation.

   (u)   "Residential rehabilitation area" means the geographical area designated by the Board of Supervisors as one for inclusion in a comprehensive residential rehabilitation financing program pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter. It may also be referred to as the "designated area" or the "Code enforcement area," the latter term being used in Section 301A of the Housing Code.

      (v)   "Residential rehabilitation loan fund" means the fund established with the proceeds of bonds issued pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter or any other fund established for the purpose of making loans to property owners pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter.

(Amended by Ord. 269-82, App. 6/10/82)

SEC. 32.3. REFERENCES TO PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND PUBLIC AGENCIES.

   (a)   Unless otherwise indicated, all public officials and public agencies named in this Chapter are officials and agencies of the City and County.

   (b)   Whenever a City and County official is referred to in this Chapter, the reference includes that official and his or her designee or designees.

   (c)   All references to the Charter or to ordinances are references to the Charter or to ordinances of the City and County.

(Added by Ord. 23-74, App. 1/9/74)

ARTICLE II: RESPONSIBILITIES OF BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

 

Sec. 32.10.	Issuance of Bonds.
Sec. 32.11.	Commitment to Enforce Rehabilitation Standards and Implement Plan for Public Improvements.
Sec. 32.12.	Designation of Residential Rehabilitation Areas.
Sec. 32.13.	Approval of Fees, Charges and Interest Rates on Financing.
Sec. 32.14.	Revision of Loan Charges.

 

SEC. 32.10. ISSUANCE OF BONDS.

   The Board of Supervisors may from time to time by resolution authorize procedures for the issuance of bonds for the purpose of establishing a loan fund to be used to assist property owners with the rehabilitation of property located in Residential Rehabilitation Areas. The repayment of principal, interest and other charges on the loans to property owners, together with such other moneys as the Board of Supervisors may, in its discretion, make available therefor, shall be the sole source of funds pledged by the City and County for repayment of such bonds. Bonds issued under the provisions of this Chapter shall not be deemed to constitute a debt or liability of the City and County or a pledge of the faith and credit of the City and County, but shall be payable solely from the funds specified in this Section. The issuance of such bonds shall not directly, indirectly or contingently obligate the Board of Supervisors to levy or to pledge any form of taxation whatever therefor, or to make any appropriation for their payment.

(Added by Ord. 23-74, App. 1/9/74)