Homeowners in California affected by recent natural disasters will soon be eligible for state-provided mortgage relief.
The new CalAssist Mortgage Fund launches on June 12 and will offer up to $20,000 or three months of mortgage payments, Governor Gavin Newsom announced Thursday. In all, the program will fund more than $100 million in support.
Homeowners whose homes “have been destroyed or left uninhabitable as a result of a disaster that received a State of Emergency proclamation by the Governor or a Major Disaster Declaration approved by the President between January 2023 and January 2025” are eligible for the program. That includes victims of this year’s Eaton and Palisades fires that ravaged the Los Angeles area.
It’s free to apply for relief, and the money does not need to be repaid, according to the governor’s office. Grants will be sent directly to approved homeowners’ mortgage servicers.
Interested applicants can call the CalAssist Mortgage Fund at 800-501-0019 for help applying.
“We know that recovery takes time, and the state is here to support,” Newsom said in a statement. “Today, California is extending this ongoing support to disaster victims in Los Angeles and beyond, by assisting with mortgage payments to relieve financial pressure and stress as families rebuild and recover.”
Newsom initially proposed the relief fund in February, along with an additional $25 million to expand existing mortgage counseling programs.