CA SB1299

Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to administer a grant program providing incentives to local governments that rezone idle big box retail sites or commercial shopping centers to allow workforce housing development.

Establishes eligibility requirements including rezoning sites to allow workforce housing as a "use by right," approving and issuing certificates of occupancy for completed developments, and imposing specified labor requirements on applicants.

Sets grant amounts equal to 7 times the average annual sales and use tax revenue generated by each idle site over the 7 years preceding the local government's application, with proportional reductions for mixed-use developments and potential pro-rata reductions if insufficient funds are available.

Requires applicants to comply with prevailing wage standards and skilled and trained workforce requirements, with different obligations depending on whether the applicant is a public agency or private entity and whether the project qualifies as public work.

Mandates the department issue a Notice of Funding Availability annually for available funds and allows the department to adopt guidelines implementing uniform standards for the program, exempt from Administrative Procedure Act requirements.