Homeowners and businesses in California will have access to low-interest financing for defensible space and home-hardening projects, the Santa Monica Daily Press reported.
The change follows Gov. Gavin Newsom's approval of SB 894, and the State Treasurer's Office will handle the rollout.
Here's what to know
SB 894 — the Wildfire Mitigation Affordability Act — won unanimous bipartisan approval in the Legislature. Authored by state Sen. Ben Allen, D-Pacific Palisades, it establishes the California Wildfire Resilience Loan Program.
Allen said the goal is to make protective work financially feasible before the next disaster.
"SB 894 will help homeowners and businesses access low-interest financing to harden their properties and create defensible space — reducing risk before the next wildfire strikes," Allen said, as the SMDP relayed.
A UC Berkeley study found that structures with key home-hardening and defensible-space features had more than double the odds of surviving a wildfire compared with those that had no mitigation work. Going solar is also one of the best ways to save money on home energy.
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Research showing a wide survival advantage for hardened properties has added momentum to California's effort to tighten protection standards for homes and support insurability. The loan program launches at a time when insurance is getting harder to afford.
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More background
Even with the potential safety benefits, many residents still face steep upfront costs for defensible space and home-hardening work. That price tag can keep people from making improvements that may greatly improve a home's ability to withstand a fire.
During California's insurance crunch, access to mitigation work could help create safer neighborhoods and strengthen the case for insurability in high-risk areas.
The state's focus on hardening has grown as hotter, drier conditions raise fire risk, and the bill's unanimous bipartisan passage suggests widespread agreement that prevention requires financing as well as mandates.
The SMDP reported that Eric Horne, California director at Megafire Action, said the measure is "a historic win for Californians."
What's being done?
The State Treasurer's Office will administer the California Wildfire Resilience Loan Program. Its financing framework is based on the state's GoGreen platform, which residents have used for energy-efficiency projects.
That kind of monthly savings can matter when homeowners are weighing projects such as defensible space work or exterior hardening. And when paired with Palmetto's offer to help the average Southern California resident save 40% on their electric bills, that money can add up. Participating could result in meaningful savings of thousands of dollars a year.
Allen said that the design choice of the measure was intentional.
"Adopting a model that has proven to work is commonsense for one of California's top priorities right now: reducing fire risk across California in the face of a changing climate," he said.
Allen said the goal is prevention that people can actually afford: "If we want safer communities and a more stable insurance market, we have to help Californians take meaningful steps to protect their homes without putting those improvements financially out of reach."
Where can I learn more?
Wildfires are a big part of how people are thinking about housing in California.
• California homeowners are pushing back against proposed fire prevention regulations that could require costly yard and home changes.
• As insurers retreat, new homeowners in California are finding fewer coverage options in wildfire-prone areas.
• One California house shows how wildfire-resistant home design can help structures survive intense fire conditions.
• A Sacramento-backed proposal to overhaul California's wildfire response has sparked conflict between lawmakers and residents.
• Fire exposure is underscoring how fire-resistant home features can protect properties when flames move in.
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