California Launches $100 Million Rebuilding Assistance Program for Eaton Fire Survivors

ALTADENA, CA | September 18, 2026

There is a new recovery resource available for Eaton Fire survivors trying to close the financial gap between insurance proceeds and the actual cost of rebuilding.

California has launched the $100 million Disaster Rebuilding Assistance Program, creating a new financing option designed specifically to help disaster survivors rebuild their homes.

The program was developed in response to feedback from Eaton and Palisades Fire survivors and is being administered through the California Housing Finance Agency, commonly known as CalHFA.

$100 MILLION FOR DISASTER REBUILDING

The goal is to make construction financing more accessible and affordable for homeowners whose insurance proceeds and other recovery resources are not enough to cover today's rebuilding costs.

First, This Is Not a $100 Million Grant Program

This distinction is important.

California is not dividing $100 million among survivors and writing homeowners checks.

Instead, the state is using the money to support construction financing through two primary tools.

1. Construction Loan Interest Rate Buydowns

The state can use program funds to reduce the interest cost associated with eligible construction loans.

2. Loan Loss Guarantees

California can also reduce participating lenders' financial risk, potentially making construction financing available to homeowners who might otherwise have difficulty qualifying.

Homeowners will work through participating construction lenders rather than applying to California for a direct $100,000 payment.

Why This Could Matter in Altadena

For many Eaton Fire survivors, rebuilding is no longer simply an insurance question.

The question is whether the money available from insurance, savings, disaster assistance and other recovery sources is actually enough to rebuild a home at today's construction costs.

For someone who is underinsured, or whose insurance settlement falls short of the actual rebuilding cost, the new program could provide another financing option for closing that gap.

But this does not automatically solve every rebuilding shortfall.

Eligibility requirements still matter.

Income requirements may apply.

Property requirements matter.

And most importantly, the homeowner still needs to determine whether the resulting construction loan is affordable.

This is financing assistance, not free rebuilding money.

There Is Another Program Survivors Should Know About

The new Disaster Rebuilding Assistance Program should not be confused with the separate CalAssist Mortgage Fund.

According to California's latest figures, CalAssist has awarded approximately $54 million to 1,575 households.

Approximately 76% of that assistance has gone to Eaton Fire households.

Those figures were current as of September 14.

CalAssist is fundamentally different from the new rebuilding financing program because qualifying mortgage assistance provided through CalAssist does not have to be repaid.

The Recovery Landscape Is Getting Bigger

For an Eaton Fire survivor, there may now be several different pieces of the financial recovery puzzle.

Depending on individual circumstances, those resources could include:

✓ Insurance proceeds

✓ Southern California Edison compensation

✓ Eaton Fire litigation recovery

✓ CalAssist mortgage assistance

✓ The Disaster Rebuilding Assistance Program

✓ FEMA or other applicable disaster assistance

✓ Other applicable state, federal, nonprofit or philanthropic recovery programs

These programs have different eligibility requirements, different purposes and different financial consequences. They should not be treated as interchangeable.

📷 INSERT RECOVERY OPTIONS IMAGE HERE

What About Southern California Edison?

The launch of this new rebuilding program does not change Southern California Edison's potential liability for the Eaton Fire.

SCE's voluntary Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program continues operating separately.

As of September 17, SCE reported nearly 4,800 claims representing almost 14,600 individuals, trusts and legal entities.

The company has extended more than 2,700 offers to over 6,700 claimants totaling nearly $950 million.

Nearly 3,600 claimants have already received more than $500 million in payments.

SCE WILDFIRE RECOVERY COMPENSATION PROGRAM

NOVEMBER 30, 2026

Current deadline to submit an eligible Eaton Fire claim

Remember: Filing an SCE Claim Is Not Accepting a Settlement

SCE continues to state that submitting a claim, receiving an offer and evaluating that offer do not by themselves waive a survivor's legal rights.

Those rights are released when a survivor accepts an offer and completes the settlement and release process.

A settlement is a settlement.

Before accepting compensation that requires releasing legal claims, survivors should understand exactly what rights they are giving up and consider independent legal advice regarding their individual circumstances.

SB 492 and Edison Liability: What Has Not Changed

We also checked California's wildfire liability situation again as part of today's update.

SB 492 did not become law.

As of September 18, we have found no enacted successor or replacement bill establishing new liability protections for Southern California Edison.

NO new Eaton Fire damage cap.

NO new Edison wildfire liability shield.

NO enacted SB 492 replacement.

NO elimination of insurer subrogation rights.

NO announced special-session agreement changing those liability rules.

That means insurers that have paid Eaton Fire claims continue to retain the ability to pursue responsible third parties through subrogation, including SCE if liability is established.

Why We Are Following All of This Together

Rebuilding after the Eaton Fire is not one program, one insurance check or one lawsuit.

For many families, recovery is becoming a combination of insurance, mortgage assistance, rebuilding financing, SCE compensation, litigation and other disaster recovery resources.

That makes understanding how these programs interact increasingly important.

More options can mean more opportunity.

But survivors still need to understand exactly what each option does, what it costs, whether it must be repaid and whether accepting assistance affects any other recovery source.

The goal is not simply to rebuild houses. It is to give Altadena families a realistic path toward rebuilding their lives and returning home.

Altadena Talks Foundation will continue monitoring the Disaster Rebuilding Assistance Program, CalAssist, Southern California Edison compensation, Eaton Fire litigation, insurer subrogation, SB 492 or any successor legislation, court rulings, regulatory filings and other developments affecting Eaton Fire survivors.

Keep Hope Alive.

Altadena Talks Foundation

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Sources & References

California Governor's Office
Official California wildfire recovery and rebuilding assistance information.
California Governor's Office

California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)
Official information about California housing programs and disaster rebuilding assistance.
California Housing Finance Agency

CalAssist Mortgage Fund
Official mortgage assistance information for qualifying California disaster survivors.
CalAssist Mortgage Fund

Southern California Edison
September 17, 2026 Eaton Fire Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program update, including claims, offers and payments.
SCE Eaton Fire Compensation Update

SCE Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program
Official eligibility, claim submission, settlement and program information.
SCE Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program

California Legislative Information
Official California bill text, legislative history and status information, including SB 492.
California Legislative Information

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Official Edison International financial disclosures concerning wildfire liabilities, litigation, settlements and recoveries.
Edison International SEC Filings

This article is provided for community information and educational purposes and is not legal, tax, insurance or financial advice. Survivors should consider qualified professional advice regarding their individual claims and circumstances.