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California Housing Finance Agency

02/12/2026 | Press release | Archived content

Disaster-Affected Homeowners Now Qualify for One Year of Mortgage Relief Under Expanded State Program

LOS ANGELES - The CalAssist Mortgage Fund announced today a major expansion of mortgage relief for homeowners who were affected by a qualified disaster, including Los Angeles homeowners impacted by last year's wildfires, offering eligible households a full year of mortgage assistance that does not need to be repaid. The expansion also increases income limits to allow more families to access this assistance.

Under the expanded program, eligible homeowners may receive twelve months of mortgage payments, paid directly to their mortgage servicers. Assistance is available to homeowners who are current on their mortgage, in forbearance, or behind on payments. Families who previously received three months of assistance will be offered additional support, bringing total assistance to a full year.

"This expansion is about lifting weight off families who have lost so much," said Rebecca Franklin, CalHFA Chief Deputy Director. "The timing here is critical. Many families affected by the LA fires have been on forbearance for a year now and haven't made a mortgage payment since the fires started. By offering a full year of mortgage assistance and expanding income eligibility, we're making it clear that this support is real, available, and intended for families who are still recovering."

More families may now qualify for the program through an increase in the income limit, which vary by county. In Los Angeles County, households with a combined annual income of up to $281,400 now qualify. This reflects a $70,000 increase from the previous limit. In places like Butte County, income limits are now $255,000. A list of income eligibility by county can be found on the CalAssist website.

The CalAssist Mortgage Fund, administered by the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), was launched to provide direct mortgage relief to homeowners whose primary residences were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by qualifying disasters. Since its launch in June of 2025, the program has helped disaster-impacted homeowners across California stabilize their housing while navigating insurance claims and rising construction costs.

For Aurora Barboza Flores, an Altadena resident who lost her home during the 2025 fires, the program provided critical relief during an overwhelming period, and the expansion offers renewed hope.

"Twelve months is huge," said Barboza Flores. "I was happy even thinking I could get three months, but a full year of assistance - that's big. I'm so grateful. I'm so happy."

Homeowners are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. For eligibility details and application information, visit CalAssistMortgageFund.Org or call 800-501-0019.

Electronic Press Kit Assets Available: Media can access b-roll video, photos, logos and other visual assets of the CalAssist Mortgage Fund here.

About the CalAssist Mortgage Fund:

Administered by the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), theCalAssist Mortgage Fund is a limited-term program that offers assistance to homeowners affected by recent disasters in California. In response to these emergencies, CalHFA dedicated $105 million from the National Mortgage Settlement to provide direct mortgage relief to affected homeowners across the state.

California Housing Finance Agency published this content on February 12, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 17, 2026 at 21:58 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]