(a)  In addition to other remedies provided in this part, the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development or his or her designee or an employee authorized by a local enforcement agency which has assumed jurisdiction pursuant to Section 17050, may issue a citation which assesses a civil penalty to any owner or operator, or both, of employee housing violating this part, or regulations promulgated hereunder, if the owner or operator, or both, has permitted the continuation of a violation for at least 30 days after issuance of an order to correct the violation or violations from the enforcement agency. Each citation and related civil penalty assessment shall be issued no later than seven months after issuance of the order to correct which is the basis of the citation. The civil penalties provided for in this section are not in addition to the penalties established in subdivision (b) of Section 17037.

(b)  The amount of any civil penalty assessed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not exceed three hundred dollars ($300) for each violation. The civil penalties assessed pursuant to this section shall be payable to the enforcement agency, notwithstanding any other provision of law. Whether or not the violation or violations, if applicable, giving cause for the citation are corrected, payment of the civil penalty shall be remitted to the enforcement agency within 45 days of the issuance of the citation.

(c)  The amount of the civil penalty shall be increased to an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) for a violation if all the following circumstances exist:

(1)  The citation is for a second or subsequent violation of this part, or the regulations promulgated hereunder, for which an order to correct was issued within one year prior to issuance of the new citation; and

(2)  The original violation has continued to exist for at least six months from the date the order to correct the violation was issued or has recurred within six months from the date the order to correct the violation was issued.

(d)  Any person or entity served a citation pursuant to this section may petition the director or his or her designee or the officially authorized representative of the local enforcement agency, where applicable. The petition shall be a written request briefly stating the grounds of the request. Any petition to be considered, shall be received by the department or the local enforcement agency within 30 days of the date of issuance of the citation.

(e)  Upon receipt of a timely and complying petition, the enforcement agency shall suspend enforcement of the citation and set a time and place for the informal hearing and shall give the recipient of the citation written notice thereof. The hearing shall commence no later than 30 days following receipt of the petition or at another time scheduled by the enforcement agency pursuant to a request by the petitioner or the enforcement agency if the enforcement agency determines that good and sufficient cause exists. If the petitioner fails to appear at the time and place scheduled for the hearing, the enforcement agency may notify the petitioner in writing that the petition is dismissed and that compliance with the terms of the citation shall occur within 10 days after receipt of the notification.

(f)  The enforcement agency shall notify the petitioner in writing of its decision and the reasons therefor within 30 days following conclusion of the informal hearing held pursuant to this section. If the decision upholds the citation, in whole or in part, the petitioner shall comply with the citation in accordance with the decision within 30 days after the decision is mailed by the enforcement agency.

(Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1298, Sec. 46. Effective January 1, 1993.)