The state may soon help California seniors and people with disabilities pay to harden their homes against wildfires.
A bill advancing in the state Legislature would allow grants to fund contractors for wildfire mitigation.
Dan Okenfuss is with the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, which supports the bill.
"Thousands of our consumers in the independent living centers network live in high fire risk zones and unfortunately they don't have the ability either physically or financially to harden their homes and property to reduce their exposure. This is why the pilot program will help bridge that affordability gap so these consumers can hire contractors to make these protective modifications."
The bill would appropriate a-million-dollars from the state's General Fund to create The Wildfire Mitigation Aging and Disability Grant Pilot.
The measure has passed the Assembly Aging and Long-Term Care Committee and heads next to Appropriations.