Section 20201.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the provisions of this section be available to assist members in obtaining homes throughout the United States. The Legislature intends that home loans made pursuant to Section 20200 and this section shall be secured primarily by the property acquired except as authorized pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) and shall not exceed the fair market value of the property acquired.

(b) The board shall include in any program established pursuant to Section 20200 a procedure whereby a member may obtain 100-percent financing for the purchase of a single-family dwelling unit in accordance with the following criteria:

(1) The member shall obtain one loan with a loan-to-value ratio not to exceed 95 percent secured by the purchased home and a second personal loan with a loan-to-value ratio not to exceed 5 percent secured by a portion of the accumulated contributions and vested accrued benefits in the member's individual account. A member can only have one outstanding personal loan.

(2) The loan secured by the purchased home shall be consistent with the loan-to-value ratios specified in the schedules established pursuant to Section 20200.

(3) The amount of a conforming loan on a single-family dwelling unit shall not exceed 95 percent of the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) conforming loan limits. The amount shall be adjusted annually as determined by the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA). In no event, shall the loan amount exceed three hundred fifty thousand dollars ($350,000).

(4) In no event may the personal loan secured by the accumulated contributions and vested accrued benefits in the member's individual account exceed 50 percent of the current value amount of the accumulated contributions.

(5) The pledge of security under this section shall remain in effect until the loan is paid in full.

(c) In the event of a default on the personal loan secured by the member's contributions as authorized by this section, the board may deduct an amount from the member's contributions on deposit and adjust the member's accrued benefit, up to the amount pledged as security, prior to making any disbursement of retirement benefits.

(d) The secured personal loan permitted under this section shall be made available only to currently employed members who meet eligibility criteria the board deems advisable.

(e) If the member is married at the time the home is purchased with a personal loan secured by the member's contributions as authorized by this section, then the member's spouse shall agree in writing to the pledge of security, as to his or her community interest in the amount pledged regardless of whether title to the home is in joint tenancy.

(f) The pledge of security under this section shall take binding effect, notwithstanding Section 21255. In the event of default, the accumulated contributions in the member's account shall be reduced as necessary to recover any outstanding loan balance, not to exceed the pledged amount.

(g) Appropriate administrative costs of implementing this section shall be paid by the members utilizing this section. Those costs may be included in the loan amount.

(h) Appropriate interest rates shall be periodically reviewed and adjusted to provide loans to members consistent with the financial integrity of the member home loan program and the sound and prudent investment of the retirement fund.

(i) The amendments to this section by Chapter 1094 of the Statutes of 1994 shall be deemed to have become operative on November 1, 1993.

(j) The board shall administer this section under other terms and conditions it deems appropriate and in keeping with the investment standard set forth in Section 20151. The board may adopt procedural guidelines as necessary for its administration of this section and to assure compliance with applicable state and federal laws.

(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 678, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1999.)