(a)  Large numbers of Californians face excessive housing costs and live in overcrowded or substandard housing units. In order to facilitate an increase in the supply of housing, the state has created and funded several predevelopment loan programs, the purposes of which have been to provide interim financing to housing sponsors to cover the planning and development costs associated with the development of new housing.

(b)  A more efficient method to address the need to provide interim financing would be through the operation of a single omnibus predevelopment loan program.

(c)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the Predevelopment Loan Program as contained in this chapter be used as the vehicle for the department’s ongoing urban and rural predevelopment programs as well as specially directed programs as may be funded by the Legislature from time to time. In particular, the Predevelopment Loan Program, as amended, is intended to take the place of the following department programs:

(1)  The Rural Predevelopment Loan Program previously established by Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 50515).

(2)  The preservation predevelopment loans authorized by and subject to Item 2240-101-0001 of the Budget Act of 1999, Item 2240-106-0001 of the Budget Act of 2000, and Item 2240-106-0001 of the Budget Act of 2001.

(3)  The jobs-housing predevelopment loans provided for in Chapter 3.7 (commencing with Section 50540).

(Added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 395, Sec. 6. Effective October 1, 2001.)