Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order extending emergency housing protections for survivors of the 2025 Los Angeles area wildfires, allowing them to remain in hotels and short-term rentals beyond the typical 30-day limit without being classified as tenants.
The extension runs through Oct. 1, 2025, continuing protections that were first implemented March 7 as part of the state's response to devastating wildfires that swept through the Los Angeles area earlier this year.
"California has removed red tape and cut bureaucratic barriers to help the Los Angeles area recover," Newsom said in a statement. "We will continue to support the rebuilding of Los Angeles by ensuring that those who have lost their homes have adequate access to temporary housing."
The executive order suspends state regulations that typically require hotels, motels and short-term rental operators to treat guests as tenants after 30 days of occupancy. Under normal circumstances, extended stays trigger tenant protections that can complicate housing arrangements and discourage property operators from offering long-term accommodations to displaced residents.
By maintaining the classification of fire survivors as short-term occupants rather than tenants, the order gives housing providers flexibility to offer extended stays without navigating complex landlord-tenant laws. This regulatory relief is designed to boost the supply of temporary housing available to wildfire survivors who lost their homes.
The housing protection extension represents one element of Newsom's broader recovery strategy for Los Angeles, which has included multiple executive orders aimed at streamlining rebuilding efforts and cutting regulatory barriers.
In recent months, the governor has suspended permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act for rebuilding destroyed homes and businesses. He also announced the development of an artificial intelligence tool designed to accelerate building permit approvals.
Additional executive orders have focused on removing barriers and extending deadlines to help fire survivors access essential services and recover more quickly from the disaster.
The wildfire response has also included the launch of "Engaged California," a new digital platform that allows residents to share input on recovery efforts and connect with government officials on policy issues. The platform debuted in February with its initial focus on addressing the impacts of the Los Angeles wildfires.
The extension of housing protections comes as many fire survivors continue to face challenges finding permanent housing in Los Angeles' tight rental market. The temporary housing relief is intended to provide stability while residents work to rebuild their homes or secure long-term accommodations.
Under the extended order, survivors can remain in temporary housing arrangements without triggering the legal complexities that typically arise when hotel or short-term rental stays exceed 30 days. This classification distinction is crucial for both housing providers and displaced residents, as tenant status would impose additional legal obligations and protections that could discourage operators from offering extended accommodations.
The March 7 implementation date of the original order suggests the protections were put in place several weeks after the initial wildfire emergency, indicating the state recognized early in the recovery process that standard housing regulations could impede relief efforts.
The October deadline provides fire survivors with approximately six additional months of housing flexibility as rebuilding efforts continue across the region. The timeline also gives state officials and local communities an extended window to develop longer-term housing solutions for residents whose homes were destroyed.
State officials have not released specific data on how many wildfire survivors have utilized the extended housing protections or how many hotels and short-term rental operators have participated in the program.
The executive order represents part of California's efforts to balance emergency response needs with existing regulatory frameworks, temporarily setting aside rules that could hinder recovery while maintaining other consumer and safety protections.