Fresno Realtor Don Scordino stands in front of a four-bedroom house in Madera Ranchos that his clients purchased in this February 2020 file photo. Photo by David Castellon

The recent Southern California wildfires have left several homeowners and renters facing significant challenges. As communities begin the recovery process, Heather Ozur,  president of the California Association of Realtors, released a letter informing people of some of the legal protections, financial assistance programs and potential risks that could arise.

Don Scordino, a broker associate at Realty Concepts, shared some advice to people who could be at risk.

“Don’t make a snap decision,” Scordino said. “Think it through, think of the what-ifs, but also, most importantly, contact somebody trusted that you can run it by and make sure that it’s legitimate and in your best interest.”

The first concern mentioned in the letter was price gouging.

“Under California law, rent increases in disaster-affected areas cannot exceed 10% of pre-disaster pricing. For properties that were not previously rented, the maximum rental price is determined by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines. These regulations remain in effect until at least March 8 and are intended to prevent landlords from taking advantage of displaced individuals,” Ozur wrote.

Homeowners should also watch for undervalued offers for their property. California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order prohibiting land speculators from making such offers in wildfire-impacted areas.

Homeowners who receive uninvited calls, emails, or texts with below-market offers are encouraged to report them to the California Department of Real Estate.

Disaster-related fraud is another concern, as scammers may use fake rental listings, fraudulent crowdfunding campaigns, or impersonate officials. Ozur recommends that residents verify contractor credentials at the CLSB website and avoid making upfront rental payments without proper documentation.

The REALTORS Relief Foundation offers up to $1,000 in housing-related aid to those in need. Additionally, Proposition 19 allows eligible homeowners to transfer their existing property tax base to a new home anywhere in California, helping to ease financial burdens.

Scordino said he hadn’t heard of any victims relocating to Fresno, which was surprising to him, but anticipates it will come later on.

Scordino, who is currently attending meetings for the California Association of Realtors in Indian Wells, said that they have a booth set up for people to make donations to the California Association of Realtors Disaster Relief Fund.