(a) An eligible project under this article shall include funding, as permitted by this chapter, for new construction or rehabilitation of a school facility for charter school pupils, as set forth in this article. A project may include, but is not limited to, the cost of retrofitting an existing building for charter school purposes, purchasing a building, or retrofitting a building that has been purchased by the charter school, if those costs have not been previously funded under this chapter, but may not exceed the amounts set forth in subdivision (b). Existing school buildings made available by a school district that will be rehabilitated for the purposes of this article are not subject to Article 6 (commencing with Section 17073.10). An allocation of funds shall not be made for a school facility that is less than 15 years old.

(b) The maximum amount of the funding pursuant to this article shall be determined by calculating the charter school’s per-pupil grant amount plus other allowable costs as set forth in this chapter. Funding shall be provided by the authority for new facility construction or rehabilitation as set forth in Section 17078.58.

(c) To be funded under this article, a project shall comply with all of the following:

(1) It shall meet all the requirements regarding public school construction, plan approvals, toxic substance review, site selection, and site approval, as would any noncharter school project of a school district under this chapter, including, but not limited to, regulations adopted by the State Architect pursuant to Section 17280.5 relating to the retrofitting of existing buildings, as applicable.

(2) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, including, but not limited to paragraph (1), the board, after consulting with the relevant regulatory agencies, shall, to the extent feasible, adopt regulations establishing a process for projects to be subject to a streamlined method for obtaining regulatory approvals for all requirements described in paragraph (1), except for the requirements of the Field Act as defined in Section 17281 which shall be complied with in the same manner as any other project under this chapter.

(3) The board shall fund only new construction to be physically located within the geographical jurisdiction of a school district.

(d) Facilities funded pursuant to this article shall have a 50 percent local share matching obligation that may be paid by the applicant through lease payments in lieu of the matching share, or as otherwise set forth in this article, including, but not limited to, Section 17078.58.

(e) The authority may charge its administrative costs against the respective 2002, 2004, or 2006 Charter School Facilities Account, or the amount described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 101122, which shall be subject to the approval of the Department of Finance and which may not exceed 2.5 percent of the account or amount.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 32, Sec. 20. (AB 1808) Effective June 27, 2018.)