Department of Real Estate emphasizes consumer outreach, rapid licensing turnaround and wildfire response

Real Estate Commissioner Chika Sanquist and Chief Deputy Marcus McArthur summarized the Department of Real Estate’s (DRE) licensing, consumer‑protection and wildfire response activities at a legislative sunset review hearing, highlighting education partnerships, outreach toolkits for fire‑affected communities and reduced licensing wait times.

Commissioner Chika Sanquist said the department “safeguard[s] and promote[s] the public interests in real estate matters through licensure, regulation, education, and enforcement,” and reported the department licenses roughly 430,000 brokers and salespersons and operates on approximately $65 million in special‑fund resources. She said the department processed about 3,000 public‑report applications for new‑home subdivisions last year and has five regional offices and five examination centers across the state.

How the department helped fire-affected homeowners

Sanquist described DRE’s work on unsolicited, below‑market offers to purchase from fire victims. The department created an email and web reporting form (drefire@dre.ca.gov / web form) monitored by a strike team of staff who triage inquiries and refer suspected violations to investigators, law enforcement and local city attorneys when appropriate. Sanquist told lawmakers the department has received about 40 inquiries through the special fire email and web form, including exam rescheduling requests, license‑renewal extensions and reports involving potential price‑gouging by licensees.

Other consumer‑protection and workforce items

- Licensing and customer service: DRE reported it is fully staffed in its licensing call center and reduced average wait times from more than an hour to under 15 minutes. - Education partnerships: The department described articulation agreements — including one with UCLA — that identify courses meeting state real‑estate education requirements and help students apply coursework toward licensure. - PropTech and technology: DRE highlighted a 2024 PropTech report meant to catalogue evolving technology uses in real‑estate practice and flagged ongoing discussions about AI, photographs and listing accuracy.

Questions from legislators

Lawmakers asked about scale and enforcement in disaster zones, connectivity with local prosecutors and civil‑rights offices, and the department’s fiscal condition. Sanquist said DRE has been coordinating with the attorney general’s office and local city attorneys on enforcement and is tracking about 40 inquiries to the dedicated fire email and webform. She emphasized the department’s role as a consumer educator and a partner to local groups and media outlets in affected areas.

What the record shows

- DRE has created a dedicated web form and email for fire‑related homeowner issues and reported about 40 inquiries at the time of the hearing. - The department reduced licensing call wait times to roughly 15 minutes after staffing changes. - DRE operates with five offices and five exam centers; its annual budget is roughly $65 million in special‑fund resources.

Ending note: Commissioner Sanquist told the committees the department would continue working with local partners to expand consumer outreach and coordinate enforcement referrals to law‑enforcement partners when licensee misconduct is alleged.