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AB-1847 • 2026

Mortgage forbearance: state of emergency: wildfire.

Mortgage forbearance: state of emergency: wildfire.

Crime Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Harabedian
Last action
2026-04-22
Official status
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 3.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how many people will benefit from this legislation.

Wildfire Mortgage Help

AB-1847 extends the period of mortgage forbearance from 12 months to 36 months and allows homeowners until January 7, 2029, to request this delay if they are affected by specific wildfires declared as a state of emergency.

What This Bill Does

  • Extends the period for delaying mortgage payments from 12 months to 36 months for those impacted by specific wildfires declared as a state of emergency.
  • Allows homeowners until January 7, 2029, to request this delay in their mortgage payments if they are affected by the specified wildfires.
  • Requires lenders to offer borrowers an option to defer repayment of missed mortgage payments to the end of their loan term.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Homeowners who are behind on their mortgages due to financial hardship caused by specific wildfires declared as a state of emergency, such as the Eaton Wildfire, Palisades Fire, and Straight-line Winds.

Terms To Know

Forbearance
A temporary delay in making mortgage payments when someone is having trouble paying because of an unexpected event like a wildfire.
State of Emergency
A declaration by the government that allows special measures to be taken during times of crisis, such as wildfires.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if someone misses the deadline to request forbearance.
  • It is unclear how many people will actually benefit from this extended period and new payment option.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-22 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 3.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-04-21 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (April 20). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  3. 2026-04-13 California Legislative Information

    (Pending re-refer to Com. on JUD.)

  4. 2026-04-13 California Legislative Information

    Assembly Rule 56 suspended.

  5. 2026-02-23 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on B. & F. and JUD.

  6. 2026-02-12 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 14.

  7. 2026-02-11 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1847, as introduced, Harabedian.
Mortgage forbearance: state of emergency: wildfire.
Existing law authorizes a borrower to request forbearance on their residential mortgage loan for a period of 12 months if, among other things, the borrower affirms that they are experiencing financial hardship that prevents them from making timely payments on the loan due directly to the wildfire disaster described in the proclamation of a state of emergency issued by Governor Gavin Newsom on January 7, 2025, or the federally declared disaster, declared on January 8, 2025, related to the Eaton Wildfire, the Palisades Fire, and the Straight-line Winds. Existing law requires that request to be made before the earlier of either 6 months after the date upon which the state of emergency is terminated or January 7, 2027.
This bill would extend the period of mortgage forbearance to 36 months and extend the latest possible deadline for a borrower’s
request for forbearance to January 7, 2029. Because the bill would expand the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law requires a mortgage servicer to disclose to a borrower to whom a forbearance has been granted that the forborne mortgage payments are required to be repaid. Existing law prohibits requiring a borrower who was current on the residential mortgage loan when they entered forbearance to make a lump sum payment.
This bill would require a mortgage servicer to offer the borrower the option to defer repayment of forborne amounts to the end of the loan term, as specified.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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