Bill of the Week: Senate Bill 607 (Wiener) – California Environmental Quality Act
RCRC is co-sponsoring Senate Bill 607 (Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco) with Prosperity California, Housing Action Coalition, and the Bay Area Council. The bill includes several targeted reforms to refocus the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) on real environmental issues while preserving…
Letters Needed in Support of RCRC Sponsored AB 632 (Hart) - Local Ordinances: Administrative Fines or Penalties
RCRC sponsored Assembly Bill 632 (Hart), is heading to the Assembly Committee on Local Government on Wednesday, April 9. RCRC requests that counties send letters of support to the Assembly Committee on Local Government no later than Thursday, April 3rd at 5:00 p.m.…
Congressman LaMalfa Introduces Resolution to Repeal Longfin Smelt Listing in the ESA
On March 21, a group of California Congressmen introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution to repeal the listing of the longfin smelt as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act...
RCRC Affiliate Updates
A monthly update regarding the important work of RCRC’s affiliate entities, providing innovative services for the benefit of rural communities.
New Journey to Homeownership Series Video Release!
GSFA is excited to announce the release of 2025 Episode 1 of our Journey to Homeownership Series, featuring the inspiring story of Mary Bunn.
From a Wildfire-Torn Community to a Place to Call Home
In this powerful episode, Mary takes us through her emotional journey as a resident of Magalia, California, during the catastrophic 2018 Camp Fire. The fire, one of the deadliest and most destructive in California’s history, devastated Butte County, including Mary’s hometown of Magalia and the nearby communities of Concow, Butte Creek Canyon, and Paradise.
In an emotional conversation, Mary opens up about the profound impact the fire had on her and her 18-year-old son. Despite the devastation, she is deeply grateful for the financial assistance provided by the ReCoverCA Homebuyer Assistance Program, which helped her relocate to Chico, California, and purchase her first home in a safer area, away from high fire-risk zones.
“I’ll sing this program’s praises until the day I die,” Mary says, reflecting on her journey. “At the end of this, I’ll have something real big to show for it.”
This is more than just a story of homeownership — it’s a story of resilience, hope, and rebuilding after a life-altering event. Mary’s determination and the financial support she received through the ReCoverCA Homebuyer Assistance Program are truly inspiring, and we’re proud to share her story.
📅 Tune in now to watch this uplifting episode.
Homebuyer Assistance of Up to $350,000 Now Available for Households Impacted by 2017 Wildfires
An additional $9 million in homebuyer assistance is now available through the ReCoverCA Homebuyer Assistance Program, designed to support households impacted by 2017 California wildfires. This program offers up to $350,000 in assistance per household to help bridge the gap between what the household can afford through a first mortgage and the actual purchase price of an eligible property.
The homebuyer assistance is forgiven after five years and is aimed at helping low-to-moderate-income individuals and families who lived in High or Very High Fire Severity Zones in 2017 purchase a home in California outside these high-risk areas.
Eligible areas include:
- Sonoma County
- Ventura County
- Zip Code 95470 (Mendocino County)
- Zip Code 95901 (Yuba County)
- Zip Code 94558 (Napa County)
- Zip Code 95422 (Lake County)
- Zip Code 93108 (Santa Barbara County)
Since its launch in June 2024, the ReCoverCA Homebuyer Assistance Program has already helped over 80 families achieve homeownership, with an average grant of $300,000 per household. The program is provided by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), managed by the Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA), and funded by a Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) from HUD.
For more information, visit the GSFA website at www.gsfahome.org.
CPUC Opens FFA Last Mile Round Two Application Window
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has officially closed Round 1 the Federal Fund Account (FFA) Last Mile program and will open Round 2 for applications likely during the month of April. Round Two is dedicated to bridging the digital divide in six counties that did not receive awards in the first round: Calaveras, Inyo, Monterey, Trinity, Contra Costa, and Orange. GSCA will be submitting applications for projects in Round Two.
To date, GSCA has secured seven FFA Last Mile awards, totaling $185.4 million, for projects spanning Imperial, Alpine, Mono, Amador, Glenn, and Tehama counties, as well as the Town of Mammoth Lakes—ensuring critical broadband expansion across California.
Bulletin Board
Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of rural county importance.
Weekly News Clips
RCRC press releases and related news clips about RCRC and our member counties. Please note that a subscription may be required to read some external publications.
Rural counties are about to lose century-old funding source – CalMatters
For the last century, the money has gone to counties with large amounts of federal land that can’t be taxed. Congress failed to include it in the upcoming budget.
Elon Musk’s broadband satellites have long-term costs, states say – The Mercury News
The Trump administration is making changes to a $42 billion broadband subsidy program that will benefit satellite internet providers like Elon Musk’s Starlink, but some state and federal officials worry the technology isn’t robust enough to connect Americans on a mass scale and at affordable rates.
California doubles down to protect communities from wildfire with 25 key deliverables for 2025 – Office of the Governor
Following the devastation of the Los Angeles firestorms and with escalating risks of catastrophic wildfires, the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force today released a list of 25 key deliverables that will protect communities and natural landscapes statewide.
Legislative Update
Information related to the current status of legislation impacting California’s rural counties. This report updates in real time.
For a full list of RCRC-tracked legislation, by issue area, use our Legislative Tracking Tool.