Cal. HSC § 1780.4 — California Code / Code hsc / Division 2 / Chapter 10 / Article 3 / Section 1780.4
Section 1780.4
Status: in_force

(a)  All deposit agreements between the applicant and the depositor shall be in writing and shall contain all information required by this section.

(b)  All deposit agreement forms shall be approved by the department prior to their use.

(c)  The requirements of this chapter and Chapter 3.2 (commencing with Section 1569) shall be the bases for approval of the forms by the department.

(d)  All text in deposit agreement forms shall be printed in at least 10-point typeface.

(e)  The deposit agreement form shall provide all of the following:

(1)  An estimated date for commencement of construction of the proposed continuing care retirement community or, if applicable, each phase not to exceed 36 months from the date the permit to accept deposits is issued.

(2)  A statement to the effect that the applicant will notify depositors of any material change in the application.

(3)  The identity of the specific unit reserved and the total deposit for that unit.

(4)  Processing fee terms and conditions, including:

(A)  The amount.

(B)  A statement explaining the applicant’s policy regarding refund or retention of the processing fee in the event of death of the depositor or voluntary cancellation by the depositor.

(C)  Notice that the processing fee shall be refunded within 30 days if the applicant does not accept the depositor for residency, or the applicant fails to construct the continuing care retirement community before the estimated date of completion and the department determines that there is no satisfactory cause for the delay.

(5)  Requirements for payment of the deposit by the depositor.

(6)  A statement informing the depositor that their deposit payments will be converted to an entrance fee payment at the time the continuing care contract is executed.

(7)  A statement informing the depositor that deposits shall be refunded within 30 calendar days of the depositor’s nonacceptance for residency or notice to the applicant of the death of the depositor.

(8)  A statement informing the depositor that all deposits shall be refunded to the depositors if the continuing care retirement community is not constructed by the estimated date of completion and the department determines that there is no satisfactory cause for the delay.

(9)  A statement informing the depositor that a refund of the deposit within 10 calendar days of notice of cancellation by the depositor. The deposit agreement shall state that depositors who have deposited more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or 5 percent of the entrance fee, whichever is greater, and who have been notified that construction of the proposed continuing care retirement community has commenced, will not be entitled to a refund of their deposit until the provisional certificate of authority is issued or after one of the following occurs:

(A)  Another depositor has reserved the canceling depositor’s specific residential unit and paid the necessary deposit.

(B)  The depositor no longer meets financial or health requirements for admission.

(C)  The applicant fails to meet the requirements of Section 1786 or 1786.2.

(10)  A statement to depositors that specifies when funds may be released from escrow to the applicant and explains that thereafter the depositor’s funds will not have escrow protection.

(11)  A statement advising the depositor whether interest will be paid to the depositor on deposits placed in the deposit escrow account.

(f)  If cash equivalents are to be accepted in lieu of cash, all of the following shall also be included in the deposit agreement:

(1)  A statement that cash equivalents that may be accepted as deposits shall be either certificates of deposit or United States securities with maturities of five years or less.

(2)  A statement that the instruments will be held by the escrow agent in the form in which they were delivered and assigned by the depositor until they are replaced by cash or converted to cash.

(3)  A statement that the depositor will be required to assign the instruments to a neutral third-party escrow agent. If the bank or entity that issued the instruments refuses to allow this assignment, the escrow agent shall not accept the instruments. These instruments shall be reassigned to the depositor if the depositor terminates the deposit agreement before the instruments mature. If the depositor terminates the deposit agreement after the instruments mature, the depositor shall receive a cash refund of the portion of the deposit represented by the matured instruments.

(4)  A statement that any amount by which the face value of the deposited instruments exceeds the required deposit shall be deemed part of the deposit and shall be applied against the depositor’s obligations under the deposit agreement.

(5)  A statement that the instruments shall be converted to, or replaced with, cash prior to the department’s authorization for the release of deposits to the applicant. The depositor shall be advised that if the depositor does not substitute cash in the amount equal to the deposit, the applicant may do either of the following:

(A)  Direct the escrow agent to sell, redeem, or otherwise convert the instruments to cash and to treat the proceeds in the same manner as it treats cash deposits under the deposit agreement. The costs of any such sale, redemption, or conversion, including, without limitation, transaction fees and any early withdrawal penalties, may be charged to the depositor and paid out of the cash or other instruments received from the depositor in escrow. If there is a shortfall, the depositor may be immediately obligated to pay the shortfall by check jointly payable to the applicant and the escrow agent.

(B)  Terminate the deposit agreement. In this event, the escrow agent shall reassign the property to the depositor and refund all cash in escrow within the time periods specified in the deposit agreement.

(g)  A statement that deposits will be invested in instruments guaranteed by the federal government or an agency of the federal government, or in investment funds secured by federally guaranteed instruments.

(h)  A statement that no funds deposited in a deposit escrow account shall be subject to any liens, judgments, garnishments, or creditor’s claims against the applicant, the proposed continuing care retirement community property, or the continuing care retirement community. The deposit agreement shall also provide that deposits may not be subject to any liens or charges by the escrow agent, except that cash equivalent deposits may be subject to transactions fees, commissions, prepayment penalties, and other fees incurred in connection with these deposits.

(i)  A schedule of projected monthly care fees estimated to be charged to residents for each of the first five years of the continuing care retirement community’s existence shall be attached to each deposit agreement. This schedule shall contain a conspicuous statement in at least 10-point boldface type that the projected fees are an estimate only and may be changed without notice.