GOV §8878.99: (a) Allocations made by the State Architect to local governments shall only be used to improve existing essential services buildings, as defined in Section 16007 of the Health and Safety Code, and eme

(a) Allocations made by the State Architect to local governments shall only be used to improve existing essential services buildings, as defined in Section 16007 of the Health and Safety Code, and emergency and public safety local buildings, including, but not limited to, county hospitals, courthouses, and city halls to resist earthquakes, and remain operational after a major earthquake. The allocations may be made with respect to all, or any part, of the building, but the allocations shall be used only for seismic retrofitting. (b) Improvements to essential services facilities of local governments shall be considered in the order prescribed by the State Architect, consistent with subdivision (b) of Section 8878.100. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except for Section 8878.90, if a local government determines, and the State Architect concurs, that because of the age, material used in construction, potential for ground failure in an earthquake, or the type of construction or the design of the structure that it would be more cost-effective to replace or relocate rather than rehabilitate the potentially eligible essential services facility or emergency or public safety local building, an allocation of up to that amount determined to be necessary for the seismic retrofit of the original structure, but not to exceed the actual cost of replacement and relocation, may be applied to the construction of the replacement facility under the following conditions: (1) The essential services contained in the original facility shall be relocated to the replacement facility. (2) If a new facility is constructed, the original facility shall not be eligible for additional funding under this program. (3) If the original essential services facility or emergency or public safety local building is designated as an historic building as defined in Section 18955 of the Health and Safety Code, the State Architect shall consult with the Office of Historic Preservation before agreeing to any proposal to demolish the facility.