CAL FIRE
State agency
Operates 21 units covering State Responsibility Area lands, more than 31 million acres in 56 of 58 counties. Six contract counties, Kern, Los Angeles, Marin, Orange, Santa Barbara and Ventura, provide SRA fire protection themselves under contract with CAL FIRE.
California Association of Resource Conservation Districts
Nonprofit
Email info@carcd.org
Website https://carcd.org
Address 1007 7th St, Sacramento, CA, 95814
Coordinates the 96 RCDs statewide, covering more than 85 percent of California, with an interactive RCD map and an RCD List by Region. The California Land Conservation Assistance Network at californialandcan.org lists every RCD, UCCE office and NRCS center by county.
California Department of Community Services and Development
State agency
California Department of Housing and Community Development
State agency
Website https://www.hcd.ca.gov
The (916) 263-2911 line is the general Housing Policy number; the mobilehome ombudsman line is (800) 952-5275.
California Department of Insurance
State agency
California FAIR Plan
Nonprofit
Insurer of last resort for those who cannot get standard coverage.
California Housing Finance Agency
State agency
CalHFA still offers down payment and first time buyer loan programmes. AB 1332 requires local agencies to publish pre approved ADU plans; see the county building departments for local plan sets.
California Public Utilities Commission
State agency
Email consumer-affairs@cpuc.ca.gov
Website https://www.cpuc.ca.gov
The (800) 649-7570 number is the consumer hotline.
California State Board of Equalization
State agency
Contractors State License Board
State agency
CAL FIRE Defensible Space Inspection
InspectionFree, from CAL FIRE
Free inspections of properties in the State Responsibility Area, structure focused, requested statewide online through the Survey123 portal.
Who qualifies Properties in the State Responsibility Area.
How to apply Request online via the Survey123 portal at fire.ca.gov/dspace; confirmations come from noreply.ofsm@fire.ca.gov.
Apply https://www.fire.ca.gov/dspace
CalHFA ADU Grant
Cost shareClosedFree to qualifying landowners, from California Housing Finance Agency
The 40,000 dollar ADU pre development grant is closed. The last round was fully allocated on December 28, 2023 and it remains closed in 2026. CalHFA warns that any offer to get this grant for you is a scam.
How to apply Do not budget around this grant. Check calhfa.ca.gov for any future funding round, and treat third parties offering access as fraudulent.
California Forest Improvement Program
Forest healthReimbursement, from CAL FIRE
A reimbursement programme covering 75 to 90 percent of costs for non industrial private forest landowners; the 90 percent rate applies when the applicant owns less than 500 acres of forestland. Covers an RPF prepared Forest Management Plan, reforestation, site preparation, thinning, pruning, release, slash disposal and fish and wildlife habitat improvement. Broadcast and controlled burning is not eligible. The flagship programme for vacant, forested raw land.
Who qualifies Serves raw, undeveloped land. Own 20 to 5,000 acres of forestland; the 20 acre minimum is waived for Timber Production Zone land. Forestland means at least 10 percent native tree cover.
How to apply Apply through a regional CAL FIRE Forestry Assistance Specialist; Zsolt Katay serves Tuolumne, Calaveras, Madera and Mariposa.
Check a License
EducationFree, from Contractors State License Board
Verify any contractor's license, bond and complaint history free, before signing a build contract.
Apply https://www.cslb.ca.gov
Disaster Property Tax Relief
PlanningFree, from California State Board of Equalization
Revenue and Taxation Code section 170 calamity relief: after a loss over 10,000 dollars in a county declared calamity, the assessor reappraises to the damaged value and you keep your Proposition 13 base when you rebuild like for like; file within 12 months. Proposition 19 lets a wildfire or disaster victim transfer the base year value of a destroyed primary residence to a replacement home anywhere in California, bought or built within two years. A taxpayer can use one or the other for the same event, not both.
How to apply File with your county assessor.
FAIR Plan Wildfire Hardening Discounts
Home hardeningFree, from California FAIR Plan
Policies effective November 15, 2025 or later can earn up to 12 separate discounts on the wildfire portion of the premium. A Dwelling Fire policyholder earning all 12 could save up to 16.4 percent; commercial policies up to 13.8 percent.
How to apply Find a broker via the Broker Finder at cfpnet.com.
Forestry Assistance Specialists
Forest healthFree, from CAL FIRE
Free technical advice on forest health, tree mortality and CFIP applications from regional CAL FIRE Forestry Assistance Specialists.
How to apply Contact a specialist via the CFIP forest advisor list at fire.ca.gov.
LIHEAP Energy Assistance and Weatherization
Cost shareFree to qualifying landowners, from California Department of Community Services and Development
LIHEAP bill payment help and free weatherization through local community action agencies. The utility Energy Savings Assistance programme separately offers free weatherization and appliances to income qualified customers.
How to apply Apply through your local community action agency; ask your utility about the Energy Savings Assistance programme.
Property Tax Relief for Landowners
PlanningFree to qualifying landowners, from California State Board of Equalization
The Williamson Act lowers assessment on farm and ranch land under agricultural or open space contract. The Mills Act serves historic properties. The Disabled Veterans and Homeowners exemptions, and the State Controller's Property Tax Postponement programme for senior, disabled or blind owners, round out the set. Details vary by county assessor.
How to apply Apply at your county assessor. Property Tax Postponement runs through the State Controller at sco.ca.gov.
Safer from Wildfires Insurance Discounts
Home hardeningFree, from California Department of Insurance
Under Insurance Code section 2644.9, effective October 14, 2022, all admitted property insurers that use wildfire risk in pricing must offer premium discounts for 12 specific mitigation measures in three categories. Nine further laws took effect January 1, 2026, including AB 1, which requires regular review of the Safer from Wildfires regulations.
How to apply Ask your insurer which of the 12 mitigation discounts your policy qualifies for; the CDI consumer hotline can help.
SGIP Battery Storage Incentives
Cost shareFree to qualifying landowners, from California Public Utilities Commission
Self Generation Incentive Program battery incentives: the Equity budget at 850 dollars per kWh and the Equity Resiliency budget at 1,000 dollars per kWh, which can cover roughly the whole cost of a battery for Tier 2 or 3 High Fire Threat District residents and repeated PSPS customers. As of December 31, 2025 new applications are only taken under the AB 209 Residential Solar and Storage Equity budget, which is fully reserved with a waitlist.
Who qualifies Equity Resiliency targets Tier 2 or 3 High Fire Threat District residents and repeated PSPS customers.
How to apply Find an installer via the SGIP administrator site.