0977 Health Facilities Financing Authority
Program Descriptions

30 - CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL PROGRAM

On November 2, 2004, the voters approved Proposition 61, which established the Children's Hospital Program to be administered by CHFFA. Four years later, on November 4, 2008, the voters approved a similar proposition (Proposition 3) establishing the second Children's Hospital Program to be administered by CHFFA. The purpose of both Children's Hospital Program is to improve the health and welfare of California's critically ill children by providing a stable and ready source of funds for capital improvement projects for children's hospitals.

CHFFA is authorized to grant $750 million per Proposition 61 and $980 million per Proposition 3 to eligible children's hospitals. Funding for these programs is provided through the issuance of general obligation bonds. CHFFA has adopted regulations for each program addressing appropriate selection criteria and a process for awarding the grants.

Applications and funding will be available through 2014 for Proposition 61 and through 2018 for Proposition 3, or until program funding is exhausted. In the event funding is not exhausted by the deadlines for each proposition, CHFFA will amend the regulations to extend the respective programs. As of June 30, 2010, CHFFA has disbursed $522.9 million in Proposition 61 funds to eleven hospitals. As of June 30, 2010, CHFFA has disbursed $119.9 million in Proposition 3 funds to two hospitals.

40 - HEALTH FACILITIES GRANTS AND LOANS

CHFFA serves as a conduit provider of tax-exempt bonds and a direct provider of financial assistance to health institutions via a loan program referred to as HELP II and via two separate clinic grant programs referred to as Cedillo-Alarcon and Anthem WellPoint. To qualify for funding under any of these programs, the proposed project must be a health facility, operated by a private nonprofit corporation or association, city, city and county, county, or hospital district. Numerous statutes enacted between 1983 and 2002 have since broadened the types of health facilities that may receive financing from CHFFA.

Tax-Exempt Bond Program

CHFFA may authorize an unlimited amount of revenue bond financing. Prior to September 30, 1998, CHFFA was only authorized to have outstanding at any one point-in-time up to $5.999 billion in tax-exempt revenue bonds. Chapter 1035, Statutes of 1998 eliminated this cap. As of June 30, 2010, bonds and notes in the amount of $24.9 billion had been issued and $9.5 billion was outstanding.

Bonds issued under this conduit program are not a debt or liability or a pledge of the full faith and credit of the taxing power of the state or any of its political subdivisions. The full faith and credit of the participating institutions are pledged for repayment of the bonds. The Federal Tax Reform Act of 1986 does not restrict conduit health facility bonds in terms of the state's "private activity" bond limit.

Clinic Grant Programs

Chapter 99, Statutes of 2000 established the Cedillo-Alarcon Community Clinic Investment Act of 2000 and allocated $50 million dollars to CHFFA for the purpose of awarding grants to eligible primary care clinics for capital outlay projects. Funds of approximately $50 million were disbursed. Residual funds remained and so the legislature amended the Act in 2005 to authorize CHFFA to disburse the remaining funds to eligible clinics. Though all funds have since been awarded, funds in the amount of $226,256 remain to be disbursed and are contingent upon the clinics providing relevant documentation evidencing completion of their projects.

In 2004, as part of the Anthem-Well Point merger, $35 million dollars was allocated to CHFFA for the purpose of awarding grants to eligible healthcare facilities providing service to underserved communities throughout California. Distribution of these funds was to be accomplished through the same process established for the above referenced Cedillo-Alarcon Community Clinic Investment Act of 2000. In 2005, the Insurance Commissioner entered into an memorandum of understanding with CHFFA authorizing CHFFA to disburse the funds to clinics. Though all funds have been awarded, funds in the amount of $298,953 remain to be disbursed and are contingent upon the clinics providing relevant documentation evidencing completion of their projects.

Between these two clinic grant programs, as of June 30, 2010, CHFFA has disbursed the sum of $92 million to 370 clinics throughout the state.

HELP II Loan Program

CHFFA administers the Healthcare Expansion Loan Program II (HELP II) to assist small and rural health facilities in obtaining otherwise difficult and costly to obtain financing for their capital needs. The HELP II Financing Program provides three percent (3%), fixed interest loans of up to $750,000 to California's nonprofit small and rural health facilities in an efficient, timely, and cost effective manner. HELP II loans may be used to purchase or construct new facilities, remodel or renovate existing facilities, and purchase equipment or furnishings. Since the program's inception in 1988 and as of June 30, 2010, the Authority has loaned $73 million to small and rural health facilities. In January 2007, the Authority board raised the maximum loan amount facilities can receive under HELP II from $500,000 to $750,000. Under a second change, small facilities with gross annual revenue of up to $30 million can obtain loans. To further expand access to financing for rural facilities, the Authority board voted to exempt such facilities from the gross revenue limit. Applications are accepted on a monthly basis.