54220.

 (a) The Legislature reaffirms its declaration that housing is of vital statewide importance to the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of this state and that provision of a decent home and a suitable living environment for every Californian is a priority of the highest order. The Legislature further declares that a shortage of sites available for housing for persons and families of low and moderate income is a barrier to addressing urgent statewide housing needs and that surplus government land, prior to disposition, should be made available for that purpose.

(b) The Legislature reaffirms its belief that there is an identifiable deficiency in the amount of land available for recreational purposes and that surplus land, prior to disposition, should be made available for park and recreation purposes or for open-space purposes. This article shall not apply to surplus residential property as defined in Section 54236.

(c) The Legislature reaffirms its declaration of the importance of appropriate planning and development near transit stations, to encourage the clustering of housing and commercial development around such stations. Studies of transit ridership in California indicate that a higher percentage of persons who live or work within walking distance of major transit stations utilize the transit system more than those living elsewhere, and that lower income households are more likely to use transit when living near a major transit station than higher income households. The sale or lease of surplus land at less than fair market value to facilitate the creation of affordable housing near transit is consistent with goals and objectives to achieve optimal transportation use. The Legislature also notes that the Federal Transit Administration gives priority for funding of rail transit proposals to areas that are implementing higher-density, mixed-use, and affordable development near major transit stations.

54221.

 As used in this article, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) “Local agency” means every city, whether organized under general law or by charter, county, city and county, district, including school, sewer, water, utility, and local and regional park districts of any kind or class, joint powers authority, successor agency to a former redevelopment agency, housing authority, or other political subdivision of this state and any instrumentality thereof that is empowered to acquire and hold real property.

(b) “Surplus land” means land owned by any local agency, that is not necessary for the agency’s governmental operations, except property being held by the agency expressly for the purpose of exchange for another property necessary for its governmental operations. Land shall be presumed to be “surplus land” when a local agency initiates an action to dispose of it.

(c) “Open-space purposes” means the use of land for public recreation, enjoyment of scenic beauty, or conservation or use of natural resources.

(d) “Persons and families of low or moderate income” means the same as provided under Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code.

(e) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), “exempt surplus land” means either of the following:

(A) Surplus land that is transferred pursuant to Section 25539.4.

(B) Surplus land that is (i) less than 5,000 square feet in area, (ii) less than the minimum legal residential building lot size for the jurisdiction in which the parcel is located, or 5,000 square feet in area, whichever is less, or (iii) has no record access and is less than 10,000 square feet in area; and is not contiguous to land owned by a state or local agency that is used for park, recreational, open-space, or low- and moderate-income housing purposes. If the surplus land is not sold to an owner of contiguous land, it is not considered exempt surplus land and is subject to this article.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the following properties are not considered exempt surplus land and are subject to this article:

(A) Lands within the coastal zone.

(B) Lands within 1,000 yards of a historical unit of the State Parks System.

(C) Lands within 1,000 yards of any property that has been listed on, or determined by the State Office of Historic Preservation to be eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places.

(D) Lands within the Lake Tahoe region as defined in Section 66905.5.

(f) “Dispose of” shall mean sell, lease, transfer, or otherwise convey any interest in real property owned by a local agency.

54222.

 Any local agency disposing of surplus land shall send, prior to disposing of that property or participating in any formal or informal negotiations to dispose of that property, a written notice of availability of the property to all of the following entities:

(a) A written notice of availability for the purpose of developing low- and moderate-income housing shall be sent to any local public entity, as defined in Section 50079 of the Health and Safety Code, within whose jurisdiction the surplus land is located. Housing sponsors, as defined by Section 50074 of the Health and Safety Code, that have notified the applicable regional council of governments or, in the case of a local agency without a council of governments, the Department of Housing and Community Development, of their interest in surplus land shall be sent a written notice of availability of surplus land for the purpose of developing low- and moderate-income housing. All notices shall be sent by first-class mail and, if possible, by electronic mail, and shall include the location and a description of the property. With respect to any offer to purchase or lease pursuant to this subdivision, priority shall be given to development of the land to provide affordable housing for lower income elderly or disabled persons or households, and other lower income households.

(b) A written notice of availability for park and recreational purposes or open-space purposes shall be sent:

(1) To any park or recreation department of any city within which the land may be situated.

(2) To any park or recreation department of the county within which the land is situated.

(3) To any regional park authority having jurisdiction within the area in which the land is situated.

(4) To the State Resources Agency or any agency that may succeed to its powers.

(c) A written notice of availability of land suitable for school facilities construction or use by a school district for open-space purposes shall be sent to any school district in whose jurisdiction the land is located.

(d) A written notice of availability for the purpose of developing property located within an infill opportunity zone designated pursuant to Section 65088.4 or within an area covered by a transit village plan adopted pursuant to the Transit Village Development Planning Act of 1994 (Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 65460) of Chapter 3 of Division 1 of Title 7) shall be sent to any county, city, city and county, successor agency to a former redevelopment agency, public transportation agency, or housing authority within whose jurisdiction the surplus land is located.

(e) The entity or association desiring to purchase or lease the surplus land for any of the purposes authorized by this section shall notify in writing the disposing agency of its interest in purchasing or leasing the land within 60 days after receipt of the agency’s notice of availability of the land.

54223.

 After the disposing agency has received notice from the entity desiring to purchase or lease the land on terms that comply with this article, the disposing agency and the entity shall enter into good faith negotiations to determine a mutually satisfactory sales price or lease terms. If the price or terms cannot be agreed upon after a good faith negotiation period of not less than 90 days, the land may be disposed of without further regard to this article, except that Section 54233 shall apply. Negotiations shall be limited to sales price and lease terms, including the amount and timing of any payments.

54225.

 Any public agency disposing of surplus land to an entity described in Section 54222 for park or recreation purposes, for open-space purposes, for school purposes, or for low- and moderate-income housing purposes may provide for a payment period of up to 20 years in any contract of sale or sale by trust deed for the land. The payment period for surplus land disposed of for housing for persons and families of low and moderate income may exceed 20 years, but the payment period shall not exceed the term that the land is required to be used for low- or moderate-income housing.

54226.

 This article shall not be interpreted to limit the power of any local agency to dispose of surplus land at fair market value or at less than fair market value, and any such disposal at or less than fair market value consistent with this article shall not be construed as inconsistent with an agency’s purpose. No provision of this article shall be applied when it conflicts with any other provision of statutory law.

54227.

 (a) In the event that any local agency disposing of surplus land receives offers for the purchase or lease of that land from more than one of the entities to which notice and an opportunity to purchase or lease shall be given pursuant to this article, the local agency shall give first priority to the entity that agrees to use the site for housing that meets the requirements of Section 54222.5. If the local agency receives offers from more than one entity that agrees to meet the requirements of Section 54222.5, then the local agency shall give priority to the entity that proposes to provide the greatest number of units that meet the requirements of Section 54222.5. In the event that more than one entity proposes the same number of units that meet the requirements of Section 54222.5, priority shall be given to the entity that proposes the deepest average level of affordability for the affordable units.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), first priority shall be given to an entity that agrees to use the site for park or recreational purposes if the land being offered is already being used and will continue to be used for park or recreational purposes, or if the land is designated for park and recreational use in the local general plan and will be developed for that purpose.

(c) For purposes of this section, a local agency “priority” to an entity by negotiating means that the local agency shall negotiate in good faith exclusively with the entity in accordance with Section 54223.

54230.5.

 The failure by a local agency to comply with this article shall not invalidate the transfer or conveyance of real property to a purchaser or encumbrancer for value; however, Section 54233 shall still apply.

54233.

 If the local agency does not agree to price and terms with an entity to which notice of availability of land was given pursuant to this article, or if no entity to which a notice of availability was given pursuant to this article responds to that notice, and 10 or more residential units are developed on the property, not less than 15 percent of the total number of units developed on the parcels shall be sold or rented at affordable housing cost, as defined in Section 50052.5 of the Health and Safety Code, or affordable rent, as defined in Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code, to lower income households, as defined in Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code. Rental units shall remain affordable to, and occupied by, lower income households for a period of at least 55 years. The initial occupants of all ownership units shall be lower income households, and the units shall be subject to an equity sharing agreement consistent with the provisions of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 65915. These requirements shall be contained in a covenant or restriction recorded against the surplus land prior to land use entitlement of the project, and the covenant or restriction shall run with the land and shall be enforceable, against any owner who violates a covenant or restriction and each successor in interest who continues the violation, by any of the entities described in subdivisions (a) to (f), inclusive, of Section 54222.5.