Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a grant for low & middle income homeowners in high risk fire areas in California to repair homes.

Highlights:

• Establishes the California Safe Homes grant program for the following purposes (Sec. 2):

• Reducing local and statewide wildfire losses;

• Improving insurability and resilience of vulnerable communities; and

• Home hardening of insurable properties to mitigate wildfire risk.

• Establishes the Sustainable Insurance Account within the insurance fund (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the Department of Insurance to establish eligibility requirements for the effective administration of the California Safe Homes program (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Department of Insurance to prioritize the following when awarding grants (Sec. 2):

• The replacement of roofs;

• The creation of a five-foot noncombustible zone around the structure; and

• Projects that improve communitywide mitigation to reduce the risk of losses caused by wildfires.

• Establishes the following eligibility criteria for the program (Sec. 2):

• The property of the applicant is covered by an admitted insurer or the California FAIR Plan Association;

• The property of the applicant is in a ZIP Code that overlaps with a high or very high fire hazard severity zone; and

• The income of the applicant is no higher than the low-income limit for the county in which they reside.

Full Bill Text