(a) Notwithstanding any other law, including subdivision (b) of Section 50675.1, funds appropriated to provide housing for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness, as defined by this section, and who are inherently impacted by or at increased risk for medical diseases or conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other communicable diseases, shall be disbursed in accordance with the Multifamily Housing Program, including as grants to cities, counties, cities and counties, and all other state, regional, and local public entities, including councils of government, metropolitan planning organizations, and regional transportation planning agencies designated in Section 29532.1 of the Government Code, as necessary, for the following uses:

1. (1) Acquisition or rehabilitation, or acquisition and rehabilitation, of motels, hotels, hostels, or other sites and assets, including apartments or homes, adult residential facilities, residential care facilities for the elderly, manufactured housing, commercial properties, and other buildings with existing uses that could be converted to permanent or interim housing.
2. (2) Master leasing of properties for noncongregant housing.
3. (3) Conversion of units from nonresidential to residential.
4. (4) New construction of dwelling units.
5. (5) The purchase of affordability covenants and restrictions for units.
6. (6) Relocation costs for individuals who are being displaced as a result of rehabilitation of existing units.
7. (7) Capitalized operating subsidies for units purchased, converted, or altered with funds provided by this section.

(b) Where possible, the funds described in subdivision (a) shall be allocated by the department in a manner that takes into consideration all of the following:

1. (1) Need geographically across the state.
2. (2) The demonstrated ability of the applicant to fund ongoing operating reserves.
3. (3) The creation of new permanent housing options.
4. (4) The potential for state, federal, or local funding for capitalized operating reserves to make additional housing units financially viable through this program.

(h) The department’s annual report to the Legislature submitted under Section 50408 shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

1. (1) The amount of funds expended for the uses described in this section.
2. (2) The location of any properties for which the funds are used.
3. (3) The number of usable housing units produced, or planned to be produced, using the funds.
4. (4) The number of individuals housed, or likely to be housed, using the funds.
5. (5) The number of units, and the location of those units, for which operating subsidies have been, or are planned to be, capitalized using the funds.
6. (6) An explanation of how funding decisions were made for acquisition, conversion, or rehabilitation projects, or for capitalized operating subsidies, including what metrics were considered in making those decisions.
7. (7) Any lessons learned from the use of the funds.
8. (8) Proposed changes to the program to address lessons learned.

(k) Upon an appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes described in this section, the department shall administer funding according to the timeline set forth below, subject to any modifications set forth by the guidelines:

1. (1) The department may accept funding applications and issue awards on a continuous, over-the-counter basis until the funding has been exhausted or as otherwise required by law.
2. (2) Each award shall be expended on the uses authorized at subdivision (a), and in accordance with all relevant representations and descriptions in the application, within eight months of the date of the award. Applicants may ask the department for an extension of this timeframe on the grounds and according to the procedures set forth in the guidelines. The director shall have reasonable discretion to approve or deny such an extension upon conducting a full and good faith review of the applicant’s extension request.