Department of Real Estate details wildfire outreach, licensing volume and consumer tools
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Summary
The Department of Real Estate told a joint legislative sunset hearing that it has expanded consumer outreach and set up dedicated email and web forms to handle unsolicited below‑market offers and price‑gouging reports in recent wildfire zones, while also describing licensing volumes and education partnerships.
The California Department of Real Estate (DRE) told a joint Assembly and Senate committee on Tuesday that it has mobilized outreach and enforcement resources to assist property owners and consumers affected by recent wildfires and that it continues efforts to increase access to real estate education and licensure pathways.
Chika Sunquist, Real Estate Commissioner, told the committees that the department licenses roughly 430,000 brokers and salespeople and operates with an approximately $65 million annual budget funded entirely by special funds. “Our approach to consumer protection is to engage in preventive and proactive measures and then pursue enforcement actions in the most egregious matters,” Sunquist said.
What DRE has done for wildfire victims
- Single contact points: the department established a dedicated email (dre.lafires@dre.ca.gov) and an online web form for residents and licensees to report unsolicited below‑market purchase offers, price gouging and to request licensing assistance (for example, exam rescheduling or renewal extensions).
- Rapid response and coordination: DRE said a “strike team” of staff reviews incoming reports and refers possible violations to investigators and legal staff; the department has worked with local law enforcement, the attorney general’s office and city attorneys where appropriate.
- Outreach materials: the department distributed toolkits and partnered with local media outlets and community groups in affected areas; staff in Los Angeles and San Diego offices are available for in‑person support.
Education and access efforts
Sunquist described recent efforts to expand education and workforce pathways, including articulation agreements with UCLA so certain UCLA courses count toward state licensing education requirements. The department also launched a Home California podcast to explain the home‑buying process and reported a licensing call center turnaround improvement — average wait times reduced from more than an hour to under 15 minutes after full staffing.
Budget and operations
Committee members asked about a recent 25% rise in departmental expenditures and the near‑term reserve outlook. Sunquist said some cost increases are outside the department’s control (salary, retirement contributions, facility and pro rata charges) while other areas have been constrained through vacancy reviews, reduced travel and reliance on a learning management system for training.
Why it matters: DRE’s work affects homebuyers, sellers, licensees and communities recovering from disaster. Committee members said they want the department to formalize lessons learned from recent fires into durable, post‑disaster protections and clear referral pathways.
Public comment
Representatives of the California Association of Realtors praised the department’s transparency around fees and its improvements in service. The California Mortgage Association commended DRE’s engagement with mortgage originators and said the department has been accessible and collaborative.
Looking ahead
The department said it supports legislation to codify emergency outreach and communication mechanisms for disasters and will continue to work with local partners to ensure consumer protections are available to wildfire victims and other affected Californians.