Department of Real Estate highlights outreach and emergency response tools for fire victims
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Summary
The Department of Real Estate told lawmakers it has expanded consumer toolkits, launched a Home California podcast and reduced licensing call wait times while standing up an email and web form to track unsolicited purchase offers in fire-affected areas.
The Department of Real Estate told a joint Assembly and Senate oversight hearing it has expanded consumer and licensee education, increased staffing in licensing call centers and created dedicated email and web reporting channels to address unsolicited purchase offers and price-gouging following California wildfires.
Commissioner Chika Sanquist and Chief Deputy Marcus McArthur described the department’s work: the agency licenses roughly 430,000 brokers and salespersons, manages public report disclosures for new-home subdivisions and runs five offices across the state. The department said it has a staff of roughly 383 positions and an annual budget entirely supported by special funds, approximately $65 million.
Disaster response and consumer protection Department witnesses said they have issued toolkits and coordinated with local community groups and media in fire-affected areas to educate residents about unsolicited below-market offers and predatory purchase approaches. The department created a single email address (dre.lafires@dre.ca.gov) and a web form to accept inquiries and referrals; staff said about 40–50 inquiries had been received through those channels at the time of testimony, including requests to extend renewal deadlines, exam reschedules and reports of potential misconduct.
The department said it works with law enforcement and local district attorneys to refer potential criminal or civil matters and is collaborating with regulators in other states (including Hawaii) to learn lessons from catastrophic events elsewhere.
Access and workforce initiatives Sanquist highlighted three higher-education endowments administered by California Community Colleges, California State University and the University of California to support real estate education and better pathways to licensure. The department also noted a new articulation agreement with UCLA to recognize courses that satisfy state salesperson and broker education requirements.
Operational metrics The department reported it has fully staffed its licensing call center and reduced wait times from over one hour to under 15 minutes for callers. Staff said they continue to use preventive outreach and enforcement for serious violations.
Lawmakers’ questions and context Committee members repeatedly asked about the department’s role coordinating with cities and county offices and the attorney general’s office on price-gouging and predatory solicitations in disaster zones. Senators pressed the department on the scale of outreach and on technical questions about which complaints were referred to other agencies. The department described an internal “strike team” of staff who triage incidents and pass credible enforcement leads to investigators and legal teams for follow-up.
Next steps The department said it will keep the dedicated email and web channels in place, deepen collaboration with local partners and continue outreach so residents in affected ZIP codes know about fee deferrals and other consumer protections implemented under recent executive orders.
