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2025 Los Angeles Fires

Help and info for people affected by the wildfires

BREAKING: More than 400 lenders and servicers commit to providing relief.

UPDATE: Summary of DFPI’s actions since firestorm began on January 7, 2025.

Resources on this page:

If you’ve been impacted by the fires in Los Angeles, we’re here to help. Get started on recovery by using these resources.

Help with your Mortgage or Residence

Direct Financial Assistance for Owner and Renters

If you live in a declared disaster area and have experienced damage to your home or business, you may be eligible for financial assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

  • Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.
  • Renters and homeowners may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property — such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances — damaged or destroyed in a disaster. Apply here.

Mortgage Relief for Homeowners

On Jan. 18, Governor Newsom announced that the state has worked with major lenders to offer mortgage relief to LA firestorm victims. The following federally-chartered institutions have committed to offering relief: Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, and BMO Bank. As of Jan. 30, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) has confirmed additional commitments from more than 400 financial institutions.

View the list of Lenders & Servicers committed to providing relief.

The lenders have committed to offering:

  • 90-day mortgage payment forbearance periods, streamlined processes for requesting initial relief without submitting forms or documents, payment options that do not require immediate repayment of unpaid amounts (i.e., no balloon payments) at the end of the forbearance period, and the opportunity for additional relief.
  • Relief from mortgage-related late fees accruing during the forbearance period for 90 days.
  • Protection from new foreclosures or evictions for at least 60 days.
  • Institutions will not report late payments of forborne amounts to credit agencies.

The relief is available to qualified residents who are customers of these institutions in Los Angeles County.

Borrowers must contact their mortgage servicer to get relief

If you are having trouble making mortgage payments, always reach out to your mortgage lender or servicer to request relief, even if it is not listed below.

Additional Federal Resources

  • Fannie Mae Disaster Relief. Homeowners may be eligible for reduced or suspended mortgage payments for up to 12 months if they are impacted by a disaster. Homeowners and renters may call 855-HERE2HELP (855-437-3243) to access Fannie Mae’s disaster recovery counseling or visit the Fannie Mae website for more information.
  • Freddie Mac Disaster Relief. If your home loan is owned by Freddie Mac, you may be eligible for relief for up to 12 months without incurring late fees or penalties. Find more information on Freddie Mac relief programs.
  • Help for Anyone with Mortgage Issues. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-certified housing counselors can discuss options on difficulty paying your mortgage. Find a housing counselor.

Need help with your lender or servicer?

If you are having issues with your mortgage lender or servicer, please contact the DFPI’s Consumer Services Office at (866) 275-2677 or submit a complaint online.

Rights for Renters

According to the L.A. County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA), if a rental unit has been completely destroyed in a disaster, the rental agreement is void under California law. This means you are no longer obligated to pay rent and the landlord is no longer required to provide you housing. Renters may have ongoing obligations if their unit is partially destroyed or suffers only minor damage, in which case it is important to seek legal advice from an attorney before stopping rent payments. You may wish to consult with the DCBA, a legal aid, or a tenant’s attorney for more information about your rights and remedies.

Emergency Housing

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Staying Safe from Fraud and Scams

1. Be Extremely Skeptical of:

2. Do Your Research:

  • Verify information, offers, and credentials. DO NOT click on links or call phone numbers that are emailed, texted, or messaged to you.
  • Get information directly from the official source. Secondhand information from people, social media, and calls from unknown contacts can be unreliable.
  • Know your rights. Don’t get bullied into action if you feel uncomfortable or are uncertain. Get help from professionals or contact officials for more information.

3. Take Your Time:

Beware that scammers will take advantage of your need for urgency!

  • Ignore anyone who is threatening you with limited-time offers, fines, arrest, or losing assistance. Legitimate offers of assistance will always be transparent.
  • Review contracts, documents, instructions, and offers carefully before signing or agreeing to them.

4. Do Not Share your Personal or Financial Information:

Limit what you share on social media, emails, crowdfunding sites, etc., as this information can be used by scammers to manipulate you and others.

5. Talk with Someone you Trust:

When people are under stress, they can make rash and irrational decisions. Get a different perspective by talking to trusted family, friends, advisors, financial professionals, or counselors.

Beware of Loan Modification, Foreclosure, and Lending Scams

  • Deed-Transferring scammers may tell homeowners that by transferring the deed to their home to a third party, they will no longer be responsible for their mortgage payments. This is NOT true.  Transferring a title does not relieve borrowers of their mortgage payments. If you are facing foreclosure, investigate payment options with your mortgage servicer and do NOT sign your property away.
  • Intentional Default scammers may urge homeowners not to pay their mortgage to get a loan modification. The terms and standards for a loan modification are always determined by the mortgage loan servicer and no one else.  If you are having difficulty making mortgage payments, you should contact your mortgage servicer directly or contact a HUD certified counselor (888-995-4673) for help.
  • Advance Fee Scams: Do NOT pay anyone asking for upfront or advance fees for loans, mortgage assistance, or forbearance services. Report any of these scams to the DFPI by calling 866-275-2677 or by submitting a complaint.

Banks, credit unions, and mortgage lenders and servicers may agree to allow homeowners impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires to delay or reduce their mortgage payments for up to three months. Borrowers should contact their servicer for details.

Check Before You Borrow or Invest

Always ask questions about the risks and fees involved. Check the licenses of companies and professionals who are offering loans, investments, or other financial services by visiting the DFPI’s Licensee search.

Report Scams to protect and create awareness for your community and others. Contact your local law enforcement, state legislators, or the District Attorney’s office as well as state and federal authorities, including:

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Help with your Student Loans

Get answers to your most common questions in our Federal and Private Student Loan Relief FAQ.

Pause on Federal Student Loan Payments

  • If you live in a FEMA-designated disaster area, you may qualify for a 90-day pause on your federal student loan payments, known as a disaster forbearance.
    • You do not have to make payments while you’re in disaster forbearance, but interest will add up.
    • The time your loans are in disaster forbearance will count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness if you are working for a qualifying employer. It will also count toward IDR forgiveness if you had an IDR plan when your forbearance started.
  • If you do not live in a FEMA-designated disaster area and your loans are eligible, you may have options:
    • If you lost your job, you can request an unemployment deferment;
    • If your income has been reduced or you have no income due to losing your job, you can apply for an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan or request to lower your monthly IDR payments; or
    • If you are facing financial hardship due to the disaster, you can request a general forbearance.

Do You Need to Take Action?

  • No, if your loans are NOT in default. For most federal student loans, your loan servicer will automatically apply disaster forbearance if your address on file with them is in a FEMA-designated disaster area.
  • Yes, if your loans are in default. You need to contact your loan servicer to request a forbearance.
  • Double-check: Call your loan servicer to make sure the disaster forbearance is in place. If it isn’t, you can request one by phone.

Private Student Loan Relief

  • Ask for Forbearance: Contact your private student loan servicer to request a disaster forbearance if you are experiencing financial hardship due to the wildfires.
  • If Approved: Your loan servicer will let you know how long the forbearance will last.
  • If Denied: You can file a complaint with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Sometimes, lenders approve forbearance after receiving a complaint.

Important Tips

  • Set Up Email Notifications: Make sure you turn on email notifications for your accounts on studentaid.gov and your loan servicer’s website to get important updates on your loans.
  • Don’t Change Your Address: If you’ve had to move because of the wildfires, don’t change your permanent address with your loan servicer. To receive automatic disaster forbearance, your permanent address must be in a FEMA-designated disaster zone.
  • Avoid Default: Don’t stop making payments without contacting your loan servicer first. If you default on your loans, the government can take money from your paycheck or your federal tax refund.

Under the California Student Borrower Bill of Rights (SBOR), federal and private lenders must provide borrowers with accurate information about repayment options and benefits and must post information on their websites regarding options. Do not communicate with any entity that charges money to assist you.

Where do I go for free help?

File a Complaint

Loan servicers are legally required to be prompt and transparent in providing information to you. If you are having issues with your student loan servicer, submit a complaint or contact us at (866) 275-2677 or dfpi.ca.gov/submit-a-complaint/.

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Last updated: Feb 11, 2025 @ 11:39 am