Cal. Health and Safety Code § 6491.2

The district board may, by general regulation, adopt a code by reference in the same manner as legislative bodies of local agencies are authorized to adopt primary and secondary codes by reference pursuant to Section 50022.1 to 50022.8, inclusive, of the Government Code, and for the purposes of such sections of the Government Code the district board shall be deemed a legislative body and the district shall be deemed a local agency. Any code adopted by the district board, by reference, shall impose restrictions equal to or greater than those imposed by the State Housing Law, Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 17910), Division 13 of this code, and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto by the Commission of Housing and Community Development. No penalty clauses or sanctions contained in any code adopted by reference pursuant to this section shall be effective. Every person who violates any provision of a general regulation adopted pursuant to this section or of a code adopted by reference in such general regulation is guilty of a misdemeanor.