SB 680: State real property: surplus: City of Santa Clara.

Existing law provides that the Director of General Services may acquire and dispose of surplus state real property where that property is not needed by another state agency and the Legislature has authorized disposal of the property. Existing law also specifies the manner in which the Department of General Services is to dispose of surplus state real property. Existing law authorizes the director, subject to certain conditions, to sell, lease, or exchange a specified parcel of real property in the City of Santa Clara upon terms and conditions and subject to reservations and exceptions that the director determines are in the best interests of the state.

This bill would authorize the director to modify the existing terms and conditions of the transfer to the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Clara of a specified parcel of real property within the City of Santa Clara to allow for residential development of that parcel, as provided. The bill would, as a condition of modifying the terms and conditions of the transfer, require the City of Santa Clara to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the state from any and all claims, damages, or liabilities arising out of, in connection with, or directly or indirectly resulting from the exercise of the rights authorized by these provisions by the City of Santa Clara, the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Clara, and any subsequent purchaser or transferee of the property. The bill would also require the state to select counsel in any action arising out of, in connection with, or directly or indirectly resulting from the exercise of these rights. The bill would also require that the City of Santa Clara be solely responsible for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act for purposes of these provisions.

The California Constitution requires that the proceeds from the sale of surplus state property be used to pay the principal and interest on bonds issued pursuant to the Economic Recovery Bond Act until the principal and interest on those bonds are fully paid, after which these proceeds are required to be deposited into the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties, a continuously appropriated fund.

This bill would, if the property described above is used for a residential development, require the department to determine the difference between the actual price paid by the local agency for the property and the fair market value of the property and require the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Clara to pay that difference to the department. By increasing the amount transferred into a continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an appropriation.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.