$100M Rebuilding Program Launches For Eaton, Palisades Fire Survivors

LOS ANGELES, CA — Gov. Gavin Newsom started a program Thursday designed to help disaster survivors, including those from the Eaton and Palisades fires, access additional funding to help speed rebuilding.

The Disaster Rebuilding Assistance Program offers financing tools to help reduce the cost of rebuilding, connect homeowners with trusted lenders, and improve loan options for low- to moderate-income households, Newsom said.

Announced earlier this year, the program was developed in response to feedback from survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires, according to the governor. The $100 million program was funded through the state budget.

On Tuesday, Newsom signed legislation targeting smoke remediation and extending mortgage protections for wildfire survivors.

"California will not leave survivors to navigate recovery alone," Newsom said in a statement. "With the launch of this recovery fund, we're turbo-charging efforts to help families get back home and communities rebuild faster. I'm proud of the work we've done with the Legislature to make this fund possible, and I look forward to seeing its impact across California."

The program aims to assist in access to private financing though an interest rate buy-down program and a loan-loss guarantee plan created to encourage lenders to finance rebuilding.

"For victims of wildfire and other natural disasters, the process of rebuilding their homes can be both daunting and expensive," said Tomiquia Moss, secretary of the California Housing and Homelessness Agency. "California has stepped up to support victims of the Los Angeles wildfires by streamlining permitting to allow for faster rebuilding and providing much-needed mortgage relief.

"Through the Disaster Rebuilding Assistance Program, we are continuing to make key investments to help Californians with the financial assistance they need to rebuild and recover."

Following Newsom's announcement, the California Housing Finance Agency, the state agency administering the program, released eligibility details.

General eligibility includes the following, but homeowners who think they may be eligible were encouraged to speak with a participating lender:

• Homeowner's primary residence was destroyed or damaged by a qualified disaster that occurred between Jan. 1, 2023 and Jan. 8, 2025, such as the 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires;
• Homeowner owns the property now and lived there when the disaster happened;
• The program is designed to reach low- and moderate-income homeowners. Income limits vary by county and type of loan, so homeowners should contact a participating lender; and
• Homeowner is planning to rebuild a single-family home, planned unit development, condo, one-to-four unit property or a permanently affixed manufactured home. The rebuilt property must meet local zoning requirements.

"Many families are still navigating the challenges and trauma that follow the loss of a home," said CalHFA Executive Director Tony Sertich. "The state is here to support their recovery and help them rebuild their homes and communities."

City News Service