Bill to notify fire agencies via property-transfer forms advances despite assessors’ objections to using the PCOR

The author of SB 911 told the committee the bill would close a gap in defensible-space compliance by using the preliminary change of ownership report (PCOR) as an existing form to notify CAL FIRE and local fire agencies when a property in a high wildfire severity zone changes ownership. "More than 2,000,000 California households, approximately 1 in 4, are located within proximity to high or extremely high fire risk areas," the author said, and argued that the PCOR is an existing, widely used form that can be made available to specified agencies.

Steve Aubert, representing the California Fire Chiefs Association and the Fire Districts Association, said SB 911 "is a practical and important wildfire resilience measure" that provides local fire agencies and CAL FIRE with notification and the ability to verify defensible-space requirements. "Defensible space works," Aubert told the committee, adding that noncompliant parcels contribute to community risk and that verifying compliance improves firefighter safety and survivability.

The California Assessors Association, represented by Laura Avila, opposed the use of the PCOR. Avila said the PCOR is an administrative document for assessment functions and should not include questions unrelated to assessment; she also noted the PCOR is not legally required for a property transaction and that redesign or additions to the PCOR are done by the State Board of Equalization in consultation with assessors. The association proposed a stand-alone recorder document that could be recorded concurrently with a sale as an alternative notification mechanism.

The author acknowledged the concerns but said the statute already authorizes the PCOR for several government uses and reiterated the public-safety rationale. The committee voted to pass SB 911 to the appropriations committee for further review.