Newsom proposes $125-million mortgage relief package to help fire, other disaster victims
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday proposed a multimillion-dollar mortgage relief package for victims of recent natural disasters, including the fires that swept through Los Angeles County last month.
Under the plan, which must be approved by a state board, more than $100 million would be available in direct relief for people at risk of foreclosure. Another $25 million would help fund mortgage counseling and help people navigate disaster assistance.
The relief package would be funded by a mortgage settlement reached by then-California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris with big lenders in the wake of the Great Recession, and not from the state budget, according to Newsom's office. The California Housing Finance Agency oversees those funds and its board is scheduled to debate the proposal Thursday.
Such money could be critical for many in L.A. County. Last month's fires destroyed or seriously damaged more than 12,000 homes, but didn't wipe away the obligation homeowners have to pay their mortgages.
As a result, many people are on the hook for not just a mortgage on a destroyed home, but also rent for temporary housing. Insurance payments can help cover such costs, but there's concern payouts won't be enough, particularly for people who were underinsured.
Mortgage relief wouldn't be limited to just the Los Angeles fires. To qualify, homeowners would have to have their property destroyed or substantially damaged by a declared emergency since Jan. 1, 2023.
'As survivors heal from the trauma of recent disasters, the threat of foreclosure should be the last thing on their minds," Newsom said in a statement. "This disaster mortgage relief program would help lift this burden and give families more time to focus on recovery.'
In the meantime, some temporary help is available.
Newsom previously announced agreements with several big banks and hundreds of state-chartered lenders to provide a streamlined process for fire victims to receive a 90-day pause on their mortgage payments.
A bill submitted in the state Legislature would also enable people with a fire-related financial hardship to delay up to a year's worth of mortgage payments.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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CBS News
19 minutes ago
- CBS News
Downtown L.A. curfew goes into effect after California Gov. Gavin Newsom addresses ICE protests
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"The curfew will be in place tonight from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.," she said. "We certainly expect for it to last for several days." It runs for one-square mile in the downtown area from the 5 Freeway to the 110 Freeway and from the 10 Freeway to where the 110 Freeway and 5 Freeway merge. "The city of Los Angeles is a massive area, 502 square miles," Bass said. "The area of downtown, where the curfew will take place, is one square mile ... Some of the imagery of the protest, of the violence gives the appearance as though this is a citywide crisis and it is not." Protesters gather in front of California National Guard soldiers and LAPD officers guarding the Edward R. Roybal Federal building as protests continue in Los Angeles on June 10, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. / Getty Images Demonstrations continue Tuesday Dozens gathered once again Tuesday, but police were quick to close in on the growing crowd near the Metropolitan Detention Center. 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When the curfew went active 30 minutes later, dozens of LAPD officers arrived outside of the building, which prompted much of the crowd to begin leaving the area. Still, dozens of people attempted to hang around, resulting in their arrests. It's unclear exactly how many people were taken into custody. With the CBS News helicopter overhead, a group of dozens were seen still moving through the area, some stopping to tag the side of buildings and Metro buses. By 11 p.m. most of the people who had previously gathered downtown appeared to have left the area. A crowd of protesters outside of the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles on June 10, 2025. KCAL News How it started The protests began Friday night after several immigration raids took place in the Westlake District, downtown and South LA. The CBS News Los Angeles helicopter flew over the locations where crowds quickly formed, and protesters attempted to prevent federal agents from placing individuals into vans. One of the 45 people arrested that day was local union leader David Huerta. The protests that took place over the weekend were declared unlawful assemblies and people were ordered to disperse and clear the area. In each case there were small pockets of the demonstrations that turned chaotic, which included hundreds of people converging on the 101 Freeway to block traffic on Sunday afternoon. That same day, several Waymo vehicles were torched to the ground by one group of people. The day prior, hundreds of demonstrators clashed with law enforcement in Paramount and Compton. Reporters on the ground saw as law enforcement and troops dressed in riot gear attempted to clear crowds by using tear gas, beanbag rounds and flash bangs into crowds to try and disperse people. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X that people who "lay a hand" on law enforcement officers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. 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20 minutes ago
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25 minutes ago
Arizona governor vetoes bill banning teaching antisemitism, calls it an attack on educators
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