Grants & Assistance
The California Safe Homes grant: state money toward a fire-safe roof and Zone 0.
AB 888 created a Department of Insurance grant program for the two most expensive wildfire-mitigation items. Here is what it covers, who qualifies, where the program stands, and how to be first in line when it opens.
By FireReadyHome Editorial Team · Updated August 6, 2026 · 7–9 minute read
What the Safe Homes Act actually created
Two mitigation measures do more to keep a home standing in a wildfire than anything else — a Class-A fire-rated roof and a noncombustible 5-foot zone around the structure (Zone 0). They are also the two most expensive and the two homeowners most often defer. The California Safe Homes Act — Assembly Bill 888, effective January 1, 2026 — directed the California Department of Insurance to stand up a grant program that helps eligible residents pay for exactly these measures, covering part or all of the eligible cost.
What it covers
The program is aimed squarely at the roof and the first five feet:
- Fire-safe roofing — new or replacement Class-A roof assemblies. See Class A fire-rated roofing for the specification a grant-funded roof should meet.
- Zone 0 mitigation — the ember-resistant work in the 5-foot perimeter: removing combustible mulch and vegetation, non-combustible ground cover, detaching wood fencing from walls, and the related items in the Zone 0 framework.
Because these are the costliest items on most mitigation lists, a grant that offsets them can change whether a homeowner does the work at all — which is precisely the program's intent.
Who can apply
AB 888 authorizes grants not only to individual homeowners but also to cities, counties, and special districts — allowing whole neighborhoods or agencies to pursue funding on residents' behalf. The Department of Insurance is developing the detailed criteria, including how need is prioritized. In practice, expect the highest-hazard areas and lower-income households to be favored, consistent with how comparable California mitigation assistance has been targeted.
Other assistance to know about
The Safe Homes grant is not the only source of help:
- California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP) — a state pilot that has funded home-hardening and defensible-space work in selected high-risk communities. Availability is community-specific.
- Local and utility programs — some counties, fire districts, and utilities offer rebates or free defensible-space assistance. Your county guide and local fire department are the place to check.
- Financing — when grants are unavailable or insufficient, our financing path covers how California homeowners fund the work.
How to be first in line
Grant programs with limited funding reward applicants who are ready on day one. Do this now, before the portal opens:
- Confirm your zone. Use the Fire Hazard Severity Zone lookup to confirm you are in an eligible high-hazard area and to document it.
- Get a documented scope. Run the free readiness check, then get written roof and Zone 0 estimates. A defined scope with bids is what a grant application needs.
- Photograph the “before.” Dated photos of the current roof and the 5-foot perimeter. These support both the grant and, later, your insurance mitigation discount.
- Watch the CDI portal. Program terms and the application will be published by the Department of Insurance; be ready to apply promptly when they are.
Then turn the funded work into ongoing savings: a grant-funded roof and Zone 0 also qualify you for mandatory mitigation credits and, on the FAIR Plan, the hardening discounts.
Sources: California Safe Homes Act (Assembly Bill 888, 2025–26 session); California Department of Insurance program materials; California Wildfire Mitigation Program. Program terms, funding, and timing are set by the Department of Insurance and are subject to change — confirm current details at insurance.ca.gov. FireReadyHome is not a government agency and this is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the California Safe Homes grant program?
- The Safe Homes Act (Assembly Bill 888) directed the California Department of Insurance to create a grant program that helps eligible residents pay for the most effective — and most expensive — wildfire mitigation: a fire-safe (Class A) roof and Zone 0 mitigation in the first five feet around the home. The program can cover part or all of eligible costs. It took effect January 1, 2026.
- Who is eligible for a Safe Homes grant?
- The law authorizes grants to individuals as well as to cities, counties, and special districts, subject to criteria the Department of Insurance is developing. Priority is expected to favor lower-income homeowners and the highest-hazard areas, but the specific eligibility rules and the application process are still being finalized. Check the California Department of Insurance for the current requirements before relying on any specific detail.
- How much money can I get, and when does it open?
- Amounts and the application opening date are not finalized. Funding depends on legislative appropriation and any federal grants, so it is expected to be limited and competitive at first. Treat any firm dollar figure or open date you see online as a projection until the Department of Insurance publishes official program terms.
- How do I prepare so I can apply quickly?
- Do three things now. Confirm your Fire Hazard Severity Zone so you know you are in an eligible area. Get a roof and Zone 0 assessment and written estimates so you have a documented scope of work. And keep dated before photos, contractor bids, and any inspection records organized — grant programs move fast when they open and reward applicants who already have documentation in hand.
- Is this the same as an insurance discount?
- No. A grant helps pay for the work up front; an insurance discount lowers your premium after the work is documented. They stack: use the grant to fund a fire-safe roof and Zone 0, then claim the resulting mitigation discounts and, if you are on the FAIR Plan, the hardening credits. Doing the work once can unlock both.
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