(a) In order to be eligible for program funds, an administrative entity shall demonstrate the following:
(1) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), the jurisdiction or jurisdictions that the administrative entity represents for which funding is requested have, at the time of the award, declared a shelter crisis pursuant to Chapter 7.8 (commencing with Section 8698) of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(2) The applicants within the administrative entity have collaborated in its application, and have committed to future collaboration, with other city, county, or nonprofit partners. Recipients may submit a regional plan.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), an administrative entity representing cities and counties included in the three groupings with the lowest three homeless point-in-time count thresholds pursuant to Section 50213 may submit a waiver for the requirement for a declaration of a shelter crisis, as required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). Upon approval by the agency during a given round of awards, a city, county, or city that is also a county shall be eligible to receive program funds through the administrative entity.