A monthly update regarding the important work of RCRC’s affiliate entities, providing innovative services for the benefit of rural communities.
Funds Still Available – ReCoverCA Homebuyer Assistance (HBA)
GSFA is pleased to remind our business partners that funding remains available through the ReCoverCA Homebuyer Assistance (HBA) Program to help eligible households who were living in qualifying California disaster areas purchase homes in lower wildfire and flood risk communities.
The program provides substantial down payment and closing cost assistance to bridge the affordability gap and expand safe housing opportunities for households seeking greater long-term housing stability. Assistance is structured as a deferred-payment, zero-interest loan with no monthly payments and is fully forgiven after five years of ownership and occupancy — creating a strong pathway to sustainable homeownership.
Current allocations include:
- 2017 Fire Recovery – Up to $350,000 for eligible households who were living in designated areas of Sonoma and Ventura Counties and select ZIP codes in Santa Barbara, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Yuba Counties.
- 2018 Fire Recovery – Up to $350,000 for eligible households who were living in designated areas of Butte, Lake, Los Angeles, and Shasta Counties
- 2023/24 Flood Recovery – Up to $300,000 for eligible households who were living in designated areas of the Hoopa Valley Tribe and Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Tulare, Tuolumne, and San Diego Counties
The ReCoverCA HBA Program is provided by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in collaboration with GSFA as Program Manager. Funding for the Program is made possible through a Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grant from HUD. Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis while funds remain available.
For full program guidelines and application details, visit: www.gsfahome.org/recoverca-hba.
Rural Advancement Institute Continues 2026 Initiatives
The Rural Advancement Institute (RAI) continues its work in 2026, advancing research and educational efforts that deepen understanding of rural issues. Serving as a bridge between research and policy, RAI equips decision-makers with trusted data, context, and firsthand perspectives to help address the distinct opportunities and challenges facing rural California and beyond.
We look forward to sharing more in the months ahead and invite partners and supporters to stay engaged as this work progresses. To learn more about RAI or explore opportunities to collaborate, visit ruraladvance.org.
GSNR Advances Grizzly Flat Cull Deck Removal Project
On December 2, hauling operations officially commenced at Iron Mountain, launching the Grizzly Flat Cull Deck Removal Project—the first such project under Golden State Natural Resources’ (GSNR) Biomass Transportation Assistance Program, a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The project aims to lower the costs of transporting forest residuals and to reduce wildfire risk. No new harvesting or tree cutting will take place under this program as this initiative only involves moving previously felled material. Operations are slated to continue through 2026, serving as a blueprint for future forest resiliency work across the state.
The project, based in the Eldorado National Forest, will remove about 21,773 tons of unmerchantable “cull decks”—large piles of wood left from past emergency fuel reduction and post-fire salvage work. These piles present a major wildfire hazard because they can intensify a fire’s spread. By hauling this woody material to facilities that use it for renewable energy and wood products, GSNR helps make forests safer while supporting California’s sustainability goals.
In coordination with USFS personnel, GSNR is also continuing preliminary discussions to identify and prioritize additional deck removal opportunities.