If you live in a declared disaster area and have experienced damage to your home or business, you may be eligible for financial assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.
Renters and homeowners may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property — such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances — damaged or destroyed in a disaster. Apply here.
Mortgage Relief for Homeowners
On Jan. 18, Governor Newsom announced that the state has worked with major lenders to offer mortgage relief to LA firestorm victims. The following federally-chartered institutions have committed to offering relief: Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, and BMO Bank. As of Jan. 30, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) has confirmed additional commitments from more than 400 financial institutions.
View the list of Lenders & Servicers committed to providing relief.
The lenders have committed to offering:
90-day mortgage payment forbearance periods, streamlined processes for requesting initial relief without submitting forms or documents, payment options that do not require immediate repayment of unpaid amounts (i.e., no balloon payments) at the end of the forbearance period, and the opportunity for additional relief.
Relief from mortgage-related late fees accruing during the forbearance period for 90 days.
Protection from new foreclosures or evictions for at least 60 days.
Institutions will not report late payments of forborne amounts to credit agencies.
The relief is available to qualified residents who are customers of these institutions in Los Angeles County.
Borrowers must contact their mortgage servicer to get relief
If you are having trouble making mortgage payments, always reach out to your mortgage lender or servicer to request relief, even if it is not listed below.
Additional Federal Resources
Fannie Mae Disaster Relief. Homeowners may be eligible for reduced or suspended mortgage payments for up to 12 months if they are impacted by a disaster. Homeowners and renters may call 855-HERE2HELP (855-437-3243) to access Fannie Mae’s disaster recovery counseling or visit the Fannie Mae website for more information.
Freddie Mac Disaster Relief. If your home loan is owned by Freddie Mac, you may be eligible for relief for up to 12 months without incurring late fees or penalties. Find more information on Freddie Mac relief programs.
Help for Anyone with Mortgage Issues. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-certified housing counselors can discuss options on difficulty paying your mortgage. Find a housing counselor.
Need help with your lender or servicer?
If you are having issues with your mortgage lender or servicer, please contact the DFPI’s Consumer Services Office at (866) 275-2677 or submit a complaint online.
Rights for Renters
According to the L.A. County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA), if a rental unit has been completely destroyed in a disaster, the rental agreement is void under California law. This means you are no longer obligated to pay rent and the landlord is no longer required to provide you housing. Renters may have ongoing obligations if their unit is partially destroyed or suffers only minor damage, in which case it is important to seek legal advice from an attorney before stopping rent payments. You may wish to consult with the DCBA, a legal aid, or a tenant’s attorney for more information about your rights and remedies.
Emergency Housing
Locate the nearest open Red Cross shelter. Or, go to the Emergency Shelter page to find other shelters in your area.
Los Angeles County Disaster Recovery Centers
Get help with federal aid applications, housing and rental support, and access to services. Review the Disaster Recovery Center checklist to help with your visit.
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Staying Safe from Fraud and Scams
1. Be Extremely Skeptical of:
Imposters posing as your insurance agents, banks, government officials, relief agencies, or even relatives to gain your trust.
Charities: Before donating, thoroughly investigate the charity’s legitimacy through organizations like Charity Navigator and the California Office of the Attorney General.
Contractors: Always make sure contractors are licensed by the Contractors State License Board, are in good standing, and are insured.
2. Do Your Research:
Verify information, offers, and credentials. DO NOT click on links or call phone numbers that are emailed, texted, or messaged to you.
Get information directly from the official source. Secondhand information from people, social media, and calls from unknown contacts can be unreliable.
Know your rights. Don’t get bullied into action if you feel uncomfortable or are uncertain. Get help from professionals or contact officials for more information.
3. Take Your Time:
Beware that scammers will take advantage of your need for urgency!
Ignore anyone who is threatening you with limited-time offers, fines, arrest, or losing assistance. Legitimate offers of assistance will always be transparent.
Review contracts, documents, instructions, and offers carefully before signing or agreeing to them.
4. Do Not Share your Personal or Financial Information:
Limit what you share on social media, emails, crowdfunding sites, etc., as this information can be used by scammers to manipulate you and others.
5. Talk with Someone you Trust:
When people are under stress, they can make rash and irrational decisions. Get a different perspective by talking to trusted family, friends, advisors, financial professionals, or counselors.
Beware of Loan Modification, Foreclosure, and Lending Scams
Deed-Transferring scammers may tell homeowners that by transferring the deed to their home to a third party, they will no longer be responsible for their mortgage payments. This is NOT true. Transferring a title does not relieve borrowers of their mortgage payments. If you are facing foreclosure, investigate payment options with your mortgage servicer and do NOT sign your property away.
Intentional Default scammers may urge homeowners not to pay their mortgage to get a loan modification. The terms and standards for a loan modification are always determined by the mortgage loan servicer and no one else. If you are having difficulty making mortgage payments, you should contact your mortgage servicer directly or contact a HUD certified counselor (888-995-4673) for help.
Advance Fee Scams: Do NOT pay anyone asking for upfront or advance fees for loans, mortgage assistance, or forbearance services. Report any of these scams to the DFPI by calling 866-275-2677 or by submitting a complaint.
Banks, credit unions, and mortgage lenders and servicers may agree to allow homeowners impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires to delay or reduce their mortgage payments for up to three months. Borrowers should contact their servicer for details.
Check Before You Borrow or Invest
Always ask questions about the risks and fees involved. Check the licenses of companies and professionals who are offering loans, investments, or other financial services by visiting the DFPI’s Licensee search.
Report Scams to protect and create awareness for your community and others. Contact your local law enforcement, state legislators, or the District Attorney’s office as well as state and federal authorities, including:
Reports about financial companies and professionals: Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Reports about contractors and trade professionals: Contractor State License Board (CSLB)
Reports about price gouging, civil rights violations, and illegal business practices: the California Attorney General’s Office
Reports about fraud, scams, and identity theft: Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Help with your Student Loans
If you’re a student or a student loan borrower, you may be eligible for student loan relief.
Federal Direct Loans – If your address is in a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster ZIP code, your student loan servicer will automatically put your loans in a natural disaster forbearance for up to 90 days if you miss a student loan payment. You can also contact your student loan servicer to request the 90-day forbearance. Servicers check the FEMA website at least once each business day to identify all impacted areas connected to a disaster declaration.
Please note that interest will accrue during the forbearance period, but the time will count toward forgiveness. Once the initial forbearance period related to the disaster is over, you may request additional forbearance time.
If you are not in the impacted zone but are still affected by the wildfires, you can contact your servicer to request a different type of forbearance or discuss payment options.
Private Loans – Private lenders differ in the type of relief they offer. Contact your lender to discuss your situation and forbearance options.
Whether you have federal or private student loans, ensure your contact information is up to date and monitor your inbox for communications from StudentAid.gov and your servicer or lender. Under the California Student Borrower Bill of Rights (SBOR), federal and private lenders must provide borrowers with accurate information about repayment options and benefits and must post information on their websites regarding options. Do not communicate with any entity that charges money to assist you.
Where do I go for free help?
Student Loan Empowerment Network or (888) 774-2227.
File a Complaint
Loan servicers are legally required to be prompt and transparent in providing information to you. If you are having issues with your student loan servicer, submit a complaint or contact us at (866) 275-2677 or dfpi.ca.gov/submit-a-complaint/.
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