FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, May 14, 2026
CONTACT: Sam Villaneda, Samantha.Villaneda@asm.ca.gov, (760) 269-9391
Tom Steel, Tom.Steel@asm.ca.gov, (530) 713-7783
Asm. Harabedian’s Wildfire Mortgage Relief Bills Move Forward in Legislature
(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Two wildfire recovery bills authored by Assemblymember John Harabedian advanced out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee today, continuing efforts to support families struggling with the financial aftermath of natural disasters.
Even after many families evacuated, were displaced, or lost their homes post fire, mortgage bills continued arriving. All while families searched for temporary housing, worked through insurance claims, and tried to rebuild their lives. For some, the financial pressure becomes overwhelming long before recovery even begins.
“As we have seen, recovery does not happen overnight,” said Assemblymember John Harabedian (D-Pasadena).“Families who survive disasters should not have to choose between paying for temporary shelter, replacing essentials, or keeping up with mortgage payments on homes they cannot live in. These bills recognize the emotional and financial realities people face after a wildfire.”
AB 1842, the California Emergency Mortgage Relief Act, establishes a statewide framework for mortgage forbearance when a borrower’s primary residence is damaged or rendered uninhabitable due to a declared state of emergency. It creates a standardized process for homeowners across California to request temporary relief during disasters, ensuring that mortgage payments do not immediately become a source of additional financial hardship when families are displaced or unable to safely occupy their homes.
AB 1847 builds on and extends existing wildfire mortgage relief protections established under AB 238 (Harabedian). The bill is intended to give families impacted by the LA Fires more time and flexibility to stabilize financially after a disaster, recognizing that recovery often takes years.
The legislation comes as communities across California continue grappling with the long term effects of increasingly destructive wildfire seasons.
AB 1842 and AB 1847 will next be considered for a vote on the Assembly floor in the coming weeks.
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Assemblymember John Harabedian represents the 41st District composed of the cities of La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Bradbury, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Oak Hills, Piñon Hills and Phelan.
