Section 987.53.
Cal. Military and Veterans Code - MVC § 987.53.
in effectAs used in this article:
(a)
“Farm” means a tract of land, which, in the opinion of the department, is capable of producing sufficient income to provide payment of the amortized contract installments, including principal, interest, and taxes.
(b)
“Home” means a parcel of real estate upon which there is a dwelling house and other buildings that will, in the sole opinion of the department, meet or exceed industry health and safety standards. “Home” includes all of the following:
(1)
A condominium as defined in subdivision (h).
(2)
A mobilehome as defined in subdivision (k).
(3)
A residence with two to four units, inclusive, that satisfies the requirements of Section 143(k)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code where at least one unit is occupied by a veteran and their family.
(4)
A cooperative dwelling unit as defined in subdivision (s).
(c)
“Purchaser” means a veteran or any person who has entered into a contract of purchase of a farm or home from the department.
(d)
“Purchase price” means the price that is paid for the acquisition of any farm or home.
(e)
“Selling price” means the price for which any farm or home is sold.
(f)
“Initial payment” means the first payment to be made by a purchaser to the
department or the seller for a farm or home.
(g)
“Progress payment plan” means payment by the department for improvements on real property in installments as work progresses.
(h)
“Condominium” means an estate in real property consisting of an undivided interest in common in a portion of a parcel of real property together with a separate interest in space in a residential building on the real property, such as an apartment, which, in the sole opinion of the department, meets minimum property standards as defined by the department. A condominium may include, in addition, a separate interest in other portions of the property.
(i)
“Effective rate of interest” means the average rate of interest on the unpaid balance due on a participation contract to which the department’s legal rights are subject, and the rate of
interest on the unpaid balance of the purchase price, as determined by the department.
(j)
“Participation contract” means an obligation secured by a deed of trust or mortgage, or other security interest, to include, but not be limited to, mortgage-backed securities, established pursuant to regulations of the department.
(k)
“Mobilehome” means either a parcel of real estate, or an undivided interest in common in a portion of a parcel of real property, on which is sited one or more mobilehome modules, or a site in a mobilehome park, as defined in Section 18214 of the Health and Safety Code, on which one or more mobilehome modules are sited or are to be sited that will, in the sole opinion of the department, meet minimum property standards as defined by the department and meet all requirements of local governmental jurisdictions. However, where the mobilehome module or modules are
sited on trust land, “local governmental jurisdictions” means the tribal governing body.
For purposes of this subdivision, “module” means a section of a mobilehome at least 10 feet wide and at least 40 feet long.
(l)
“Indian veteran” means a veteran, as defined in Section 980, who, in addition, either belongs to an Indian tribe, band, group, reservation, rancheria, or community which is recognized by the United States as eligible for services from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs or is an Indian beneficiary and who is eligible under this article for purchase by the department of a home or farm sited on trust land.
(m)
“Trust land,” with respect to an Indian veteran, means land held in trust by the United States government for individual Indians, Indians who belong to Indian tribes, or Indian tribes.
(n)
“Allotment trust land” means land held by the United States under the Indian General Allotment Act of 1887, as amended, (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 331) of Title 25 of the United States Code), in trust for an individual Indian or for two or more Indians holding individual interests in common. It includes both trust and restricted public domain allotments and allotments within the boundaries of an Indian reservation.
(o)
“Tribal trust land” means land held in trust by the United States for an Indian tribe or band.
(p)
“Tribe” means any Indian tribe, band, group, reservation, rancheria, or community which is recognized by the United States as eligible for services from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs.
(q)
“Immediate family” means the
spouse or registered domestic partner of a purchaser, the natural or adopted dependent children of the purchaser, and the parents of the purchaser if they are dependent on the purchaser for 50 percent or more of their support.
(r)
“Indian beneficiary” means an Indian for whom land is held in trust by the United States government.
(s)
“Cooperative dwelling unit” means a unit in a development owned by a stock cooperative as defined in subdivision (m) of Section 1351 of the Civil Code, including a limited-equity housing cooperative as defined in Section 817 of the Civil Code, or similar entity, the exclusive occupancy of which is established in accordance with cooperative dwelling unit ownership documents.
(t)
“Cooperative dwelling unit ownership documents” means cooperative housing stock together with any occupancy
agreements or similar arrangements between the stock company and the owner of the cooperative housing stock. The cooperative dwelling unit ownership documents for a cooperative dwelling unit shall have terms that are acceptable to the department to allow the department to protect its rights under the applicable contract of purchase.
(u)
“Cooperative housing stock” means a certificate of stock, a certificate of membership, or other evidence of ownership of an interest, in a stock cooperative as defined in subdivision (m) of Section 1351 of the Civil Code, including a limited-equity housing cooperative as defined in Section 817 of the Civil Code, or similar entity that entitles the purchaser to enter into occupancy agreements or similar arrangements with the stock cooperative, including a limited-equity housing cooperative, or similar entity, to occupy a cooperative dwelling unit.
(v)
“Property,” except when used in the phrase “real property” or “personal property,” means a farm or a home.
References
referencesCal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 18214.
referencesCal. Civil Code - CIV § 1351.
referencesCal. Civil Code - CIV § 817.
referencesCal. Military and Veterans Code - MVC § 143.
referencesCal. Military and Veterans Code - MVC § 980.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026