One Year Mortgage Relief Under New State Assembly Bill 238

Governor Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 238 into law—an urgency measure that takes effect immediately—providing up to one year of mortgage relief for victims of the January 7 firestorms. Under the new law, both Eaton and Palisades Fire impacted property owners can PAUSE mortgage payments for up to 12 months with no late fees or penalties simply by attesting (without documentation) that the fires caused financial hardship.
Read the LA Times article re AB 238 here.
Read California Legislative Information on AB 238 here.

How to Apply:
1. Contact your mortgage servicer (the company listed on your mortgage statement).
2. Submit a written request for forbearance under AB 238, stating that you’re experiencing financial hardship due to the wildfire disaster.

Your servicer must respond within 10 business days. If approved, you’ll receive a payment pause—renewable in 90-day increments—up to 12 months. Servicers may not charge late fees, report delinquency, or initiate foreclosure during this period. For help or questions, the California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation (DFPI) will be posting guidance and a helpline for borrowers.
Updates will appear here.