Cal. Civ. Code § 36-7-18-22
Availability of housing; national defense activities; major disasters
Operative Text
Sec. 22. (a) Notwithstanding any statute regarding rentals of, preferences or eligibility for admissions to, or occupancy of dwellings in housing projects, during the period that a housing authority finds that there is an acute need for housing to assure the availability of dwellings for persons engaged in national defense activities or for victims of a major disaster, it may: (1) undertake the development and administration of housing projects for the federal government; (2) make dwellings in any of its housing projects available to persons engaged in national defense activities or to victims of a major disaster; and (3) contract with any governmental entity for advance payment or reimbursement for the furnishing of housing to victims of a major disaster, including the furnishing of housing free of charge for needy disaster victims during the period of acute need. (b) For purposes of this section, persons engaged in national defense activities are: (1) persons in the armed forces of the United States; (2) employees of the department of defense; (3) workers engaged or to be engaged in activities connected with national defense; and (4) the families of these persons, employees, and workers who reside with them. (c) For purposes of this section, a major disaster is a flood, drought, fire, hurricane, earthquake, storm, or other catastrophe that, as determined by the fiscal body that established the housing authority, is of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant the use of available resources of the federal, state, and local governments to alleviate the resulting damage, hardship, and suffering. As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.37.
Indiana Code §§ 36-7-18-22 through -27 establishes a framework that allows local housing authorities to temporarily redirect public housing resources during periods of acute need tied to national defense activities or major disasters. When a housing authority determines such an acute need exists, it may open its housing projects to defense workers, military personnel, and their families, or to disaster victims—even if those individuals would not ordinarily qualify under standard eligibility rules. The provision also permits housing authorities to enter into contracts with government entities for advance payment or reimbursement, and to provide housing free of charge to needy disaster victims during the period of acute need.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating near public housing projects should be aware that under Ind. Code §§ 36-7-18-22 through -27, a local housing authority has the legal authority to temporarily shift its tenant pool to include defense workers or disaster victims during declared periods of acute need. This means that during such periods, the authority may bypass its standard admissions preferences and eligibility criteria without violating state rental statutes. Operators who coordinate with or lease to housing authorities should understand that reimbursement or advance payment arrangements with government entities are expressly contemplated by this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Ind. Code §§ 36-7-18-22 through -27, individuals who might not ordinarily qualify for public housing—including military personnel, defense workers, their families, and disaster victims—may become eligible for placement in a housing authority's projects during a declared period of acute need. Needy disaster victims may even be entitled to housing at no charge during such a period, as the provision explicitly allows for free housing arrangements. Tenants or displaced persons who believe they may qualify under these emergency circumstances can contact their local housing authority directly or reach out to a tenant-rights organization for general information about how the authority is applying this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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