(a) The preliminary applications shall do all of the following:

(1) Establish per-unhoused-pupil eligibility as set forth in Article 3 (commencing with Section 17071.75).

(2) Identify the unhoused pupil population that the proposed project will serve by determining the number of pupils to be served and the likely source school or schools from which the pupils population will be drawn.

(3) Identify the proposed general location of the needed new facilities pursuant to any of the following:

(A) Within that portion of the attendance area from which one or more elementary schools that would be a source of the per-pupil eligibility for the proposed facility draws its enrollment, or within a one-mile radius of a source school, or within a one-mile radius of any one of the source schools if there are more than one, whichever is greater.

(B) Within the attendance area of a high school, middle school, or junior high school that would be a source of the per-pupil eligibility for the proposed facility or within a three-mile radius of a source school, or within a three-mile radius of any one of the source schools if there are more than one, whichever is greater.

(4) Estimate the total facility cost on a per-pupil basis and estimate the total site acquisition and development costs pursuant to the regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 17078.24.

(b) The State Department of Education may grant a variance from the distance maximums set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) if the school district demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the variance is necessary in order to adequately provide facilities for the identified source school pupils.

(Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 33, Sec. 24. Effective April 29, 2002.)