DATE: September 1, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Lisa A. Smittcamp, District Attorney
SUBJECT: Annual Report of the Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Program
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Receive and file annual report of the Real Estate Fraud Prosecution program pursuant to California Government Code Section 27388.
REPORT
This report will summarize the activities of the Office of the District Attorney's Real Estate Fraud Prosecution program from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There are no viable options available.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with this action. The Real Estate Fraud Prosecution program is funded with recording fees, which fund 100% of the direct costs as well as a portion of indirect costs associated with this program. During FY 2019-20, the Unit expended a total of $803,849.10 which included personnel costs, operating expenses and overhead allocations. Revenue in the amount of $944,194.24 was collected from the filing fees and interest earned, all of which was placed in the Unit's Special Revenue Fund which had a FY 2019-20 year-end balance of $977,807.87 after the final accounting.
DISCUSSION:
This report is prepared for the purposes of compliance with Government Code Section 27388 (d). This report will summarize the activities of the Office of the District Attorney's Real Estate Fraud Prosecution program from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020.
The monies collected pursuant to Government Code Section 27388 fund the District Attorney's Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Unit which is comprised of five positions for FY 2019-20: one deputy district attorney, three senior DA investigators and one paralegal. These personnel are fully funded by the recording fees and devote 100 percent of their time to activities associated with the investigation and prosecution of real estate fraud crimes.
For FY 2019-20, the Real Estate Fraud Unit ...
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