(a) The Legislature reaffirms its finding that the provision of housing for all Californians is a concern of vital statewide importance. The Legislature recognizes that real property of cities can be utilized, in accordance with a city’s best interests, to provide housing affordable to persons and families of low or moderate income. Therefore, notwithstanding any provision of a city’s charter, or any other provision of law, whenever the legislative body of a city determines that any real property or interest therein owned or to be purchased by the city can be used to provide housing affordable to persons and families of low or moderate income, as defined by Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code or as defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development or its successors, and that this use is in the city’s best interests, the city may sell, lease, exchange, quitclaim, convey, or otherwise dispose of the real property or interest therein at less than fair market value, or purchase an interest in the real property, to provide that affordable housing under whatever terms and conditions the city deems best suited to the provision of such housing.

(b) Not less than 80 percent of the area of any parcel of property disposed of pursuant to this section shall be used for development of housing.

(c) Not less than 40 percent of the total number of those housing units developed on any parcel pursuant to this section shall be affordable to households whose incomes are equal to, or less than, 75 percent of the maximum income of lower income households, and at least half of which shall be affordable to very low income households.

(d) Dwelling units produced for persons and families of low or moderate income under this section shall be restricted by regulatory agreement to remain continually affordable to those persons and families for the longest feasible time, but not less than 30 years, pursuant to a method prescribed by the city. The regulatory agreement shall contain a provision making the covenants and conditions of the agreement binding upon successors in interest of the housing sponsor. The regulatory agreement shall be recorded in the office of the county recorder of the county in which the housing development is located. The regulatory agreement shall be recorded in the grantor-grantee index to the name of the property owner as grantor and to the name of the city as grantee.

(e) The provisions of this section shall apply to all cities, including charter cities.

(f) The definitions of “persons and families of low and moderate income,” “lower income households,” and “very low income households” set forth in Sections 50079, 50093, and 50105 of the Health and Safety Code shall apply to this section.

(Amended by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1604, Sec. 2.)