For release:
February 10, 2025

California REALTORS^® to award $1 million in housing assistance grants to Southern California fire victims

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 10) – Thanks to a generous donation by the REALTORS^® Relief Foundation, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^® (C.A.R.) is awarding housing assistance grants to homeowners and renters affected by the Southern California wildfires in January 2025.

Through a $1 million gift from the REALTORS^® Relief Foundation, C.A.R. is offering disaster relief grants up to $1,000 per household to provide housing-related financial assistance. Eligible applicants may receive assistance for mortgage relief, rental payments, or temporary housing, such as hotel stays due to displacement from their primary residence. 

"With so many homes and businesses lost and a housing crisis that existed long before the fires, REALTORS^® recognize the importance of reaching out and helping their communities to recover and rebuild," said C.A.R. President Heather Ozur. "As residents begin the long process of starting over, the REALTOR^® community is glad to be able to provide some immediate support in their time of need. We encourage impacted families to apply today and take the first step toward recovery," said Ozur.

Grant details:

• Relief assistance is limited to a maximum of $1,000 per applicant household. 
  
  
• Applications open February 10, and the deadline for submission is April 30, 2025, contingent on the availability of funds. Applications will be processed in the order in which they are received. 
  
  
• Assistance is for housing relief for displacement from or damage to primary residences only; other expenses such as second mortgages (home equity loans), clothing, appliances, equipment, vehicle costs, or other non-housing-related expenses are ineligible for reimbursement under this program.
  
  
• This program is available to full-time residents who are U.S. citizens or legally admitted for residence in the United States and have experienced displacement or damage to their primary residence due to the recent wildfires.
  
  

How to apply:

• Complete the application online at www.car.org/difference/realtorscare by April 30, 2025.
  
  
• Submit required documentation to verify wildfire-related displacement or damage.
  
  
• Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds are allocated.
  
  
• Grants are limited to one per household.
  
  
• All information submitted will remain confidential and will only be used to verify eligibility.
  
  
• For questions or application assistance, email communitygrant@car.org.

For more than 24 years, the REALTORS^® Relief Foundation has been a lifeline for communities affected by disasters, providing housing-related assistance to be distributed by state and local associations. Since 2001, the foundation has distributed more than $43 million in aid, helping more than 25,000 families nationwide.

About the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS:
Leading the way® in California real estate for nearly 120 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^® (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States with 200,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Sacramento.

Article belongs to CAR.org