LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – State Sen. Mike McGuire will host a community meeting in February to discuss $7.2 million in state loans that will be used to help rebuild homes in the Valley and Clayton fire areas.

All throughout the devastating Valley fire and Clayton fire events, McGuire has been active and engaged in the response, recovery and now the rebuilding of southern Lake County.

He announced – late in 2016 – $7.2 million had been secured to fund the building of 80 to 100 homes between the two burn areas.

McGuire announced that two Lake County nonprofit organizations have been selected to lead the rebuilding efforts.

Lake County’s Habitat for Humanity and Hammers for Hope are working together to implement the state-funded rebuilding efforts for homeowners and renters impacted by the Valley and Clayton fires.

The two local nonprofits have been awarded a total of $7.2 million in state funds to pay for loans to rebuild homes lost in the fires.

“We have all worked incredibly hard to get this funding secured for Lake County, and we are thrilled to be able to introduce this rebuilding program at our community town hall on Feb. 16,” McGuire said. “Lake County has been through so much the past 18 months, and thanks to hard work and resilience, the community continues to move forward and come back stronger than ever.”

The $7.2 million in funds – called the CalHome program – can be used in two ways:

• The program supports low income homeowners with loans to rebuild homes damaged or destroyed by the Valley or Clayton fires through the volunteer work of the partnering nonprofit organization. As the loans are repaid to the non-profit, the money will be available for more of the same kinds of loans, which means it will be recirculated to continually help rebuild Lake County.

• It also provides loans to rebuild homes for low-income households who were formerly renters by partnering with the local nonprofit.

Loan repayment plans will be determined based on the homeowner’s income and expenses, and may be structured as a deferred payment loan. These loans are due at the end of the 30-year term and must be paid off if the property sells.

Hammers for Hope in Lake County has received $4.6 million that can be used to assist homeowners whose homes were damaged or destroyed by wildfires in Lake County.

“Hammers for Hope is honored to have an opportunity to assist fire survivors in Lake County through the state’s CalHome program,” said Rob Brown, chair of the organization's board of directors and also a member of the Lake County Board of Supervisors. “Since 2012, we've been assisting folks in our community who need help with home repair projects like wheelchair ramps and weatherization and now we are ready to get to work to help those in our community who need to rebuild their homes.”

Habitat for Humanity in Lake County has received $2.6 million that can be used for both rebuilding homes for homeowners, as well as for former renters, who will become first-time homeowners.

“We are very grateful to once again to be the recipient of a CalHome grant,” said Habitat for Humanity Lake County President Richard Birk. “This grant will help those in our community who were displaced by the most recent wildfires.”

The community will have the first opportunity to find out more about the program, get an understanding of eligibility requirements, and begin the application process at the Lake County Rebuilds Town Hall.

This community meeting will be held on Thursday, Feb. 16, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at in the gymnasium at Middletown Middle School, 20932 Big Canyon Road.

At the town hall, McGuire, along with the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the state agency that oversees the CalHome program, as well as the county of Lake and representatives from Habitat for Humanity and Hammers for Hope, will all provide information.

There will be plenty of time for residents to ask questions related to the rebuilding efforts at the town hall and after at booths that will be set up by the two nonprofits.

To RSVP, contact Karlene Rebich at 707-576-2771 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .