Home Hardening Fund for Lower Income residents in High Fire Risk Areas of Lompoc Valley

There is a need to help homeowners prepare their homes for wildfire, particularly for lower income residents in vulnerable areas who lack resources or know how. Doing so will require outreach efforts, incentive programs and funding mechanisms for implementation (see Home Hardening Program for Low Income Communities project). Currently, the only fire agency in the County that has funds available for home hardening is the Montecito Fire Department, which set aside funds from their Fire Defense Zone Budget and initiated a Home Hardening Assistance/Installation Program. While the Montecito Fire Department has a large tax pool to support such a fund, Santa Barbara County Fire and Lompoc City Fire Dept. do not have funding available for such a program in lower income communities. Research is needed to determine funding options and opportunities (tax base, philanthropic investment or grant funding).

Status: Conceptual

Cost: Medium cost

Partners: CommUnify Lompoc Office and Santa Barbara Fire Safe Council (SBFSC)