CA| California leaders have introduced the “California Safe Homes Act” (Assembly Bill 888), a comprehensive initiative aimed at addressing the state’s escalating wildfire and insurance crises. The Act, which passed the Assembly Insurance Committee unanimously, is designed to make homes more resilient to wildfires and improve access to affordable insurance by funding key mitigation measures such as fire-safe roofing, defensible space within five feet of homes (“zone 0”), and community-level wildfire protection strategies. Developed through extensive outreach and modeled after successful programs in other states, the Act empowers homeowners to undertake critical safety improvements that have proven to reduce wildfire risk and expand insurance options.
Key Points:
- The Act funds essential wildfire mitigation efforts, including fire-safe roofing, defensible space, and community protection strategies.
- It aims to make insurance more affordable and accessible by reducing wildfire risk, following models that have succeeded in other disaster-prone states.
- The initiative is widely supported by state officials, community leaders, and nonprofits, and is seen as a vital step in building wildfire resilience across California.