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Reverse mortgages in Claremont: counseling, the Joslyn Center and fire-zone insurance

By Tom Jarboe, NMLS #210600Facts checked November 5, 2026

Quick answer

Claremont homeowners have two HUD-listed reverse mortgage counseling agencies within about 10 miles, in Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga, and both counsel in person, by phone or by video. Claremont is in Los Angeles County, and part of the city is in a Very High fire hazard severity zone, which matters for homeowners insurance (more on that below). Here's the plain truth: if you're still working and can afford a regular payment, a reverse mortgage may not be the right fit, and I'll tell you so.

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A HECM, the federally insured reverse mortgage, is FHA-insured. New American Funding is not acting for HUD, FHA or any government agency.

Key points

  • Counseling is close. Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga agencies are about 8 and 10 miles away, and I don't choose or pay yours.
  • Check your fire zone. The city approved CAL FIRE's local fire hazard map on July 22, 2025, and it posts a parcel map.
  • The Joslyn Center offers Medicare counseling (HICAP) by appointment, plus lunch and help finding services.
  • Your contract in your language. If a reverse mortgage is negotiated mainly in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese or Korean, California requires a translated contract.
  • Property Tax Postponement and a reverse mortgage usually don't mix. Postponed taxes come due if you take a reverse mortgage.

Counseling near Claremont

HUD's counselor data, read Nov. 5, 2026, lists these agencies within about 30 miles of Claremont that offer reverse mortgage counseling. None has a Los Angeles County address. Distances are straight-line and approximate. I'm not recommending any of them.

CityAgencyAboutPhoneWhat HUD lists
OntarioInland Fair Housing and Mediation Board8 miles800-321-0911In person, group, online, phone, video; English, Spanish
Rancho CucamongaNeighborhood Partnership Housing Services10 miles909-988-5979In person, phone, video; English, Spanish
RiversideCarolyn E. Wylie Center22 miles951-683-5193Group, online, phone, video; English, Spanish
RiversideCredit.org23 miles800-431-8157In person, group, phone; English, Spanish
OrangeNeighborWorks Orange County24 miles714-409-3444In person, group, phone; English, Spanish, Vietnamese
San BernardinoInland Empire Resource Center25 miles909-887-8700In person, group, online, phone, video; English, Spanish
Moreno ValleyNID-HCA Riverside / San Bernardino County30 miles951-399-4538In person, group, phone; English

Here's what I'd check first. A listing shows an agency offers the service, so ask whether a HECM counselor is available, what it costs, and whether family can join. For another language, call HUD at (800) 569-4287. See counseling near Diamond Bar.

Questions so far? Tom is glad to walk you through it. Call Tom: (909) 869-6588 →

Languages and your contract

If a reverse mortgage on your Claremont home is negotiated mainly in Spanish (or Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese or Korean), California Civil Code 1632 says the business must give each borrower a translation of the full contract before signing. See protecting a parent.

Claremont senior resources

Getting around

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Talk with Tom Jarboe. He's been helping families with home loans since 1986. You'll get plain answers, and he'll tell you if a reverse mortgage isn't the right fit.

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Fire zones and homeowners insurance

On a HECM, keeping homeowners insurance in force is a loan duty, and a lapse can make the loan come due. Private (proprietary) reverse mortgages set their own rules in the loan papers.

The State Fire Marshal's 2025 recommended map shows 3,188 Very High fire hazard zone acres in Claremont's local areas, and the City Council approved the local map as presented by CAL FIRE on July 22, 2025; the city posts a parcel-based map and says the map guides planning, not insurance.

See LA County homeowner help for how to check your address and where to get insurance help.

Home repair help

Claremont's Housing Rehabilitation Program offers 0% deferred loans to low-income owners who hold title to a single-family home and live in it, for code violations, disabled access and other repairs (no remodeling), plus an Energy Efficiency Improvement Grant.

The city's page doesn't list amounts or whether funds are open now, so call (909) 399-5323. Ask the city and me before combining a city loan with a reverse mortgage. On a HECM, the reverse mortgage must be the first lien, and other liens must be subordinate to it (24 CFR 206.27(b)(3)).

County help: taxes, deed alerts and probate

Claremont is in Los Angeles County. Property taxes are due in two installments; LA County homeowner help has the dates, exemptions and who to call. With a reverse mortgage there's no required monthly mortgage payment, but property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA dues and upkeep stay yours with any reverse mortgage.

On a HECM, falling behind on taxes or insurance can make the loan come due; private loans set their own rules.

If you're weighing the state's Property Tax Postponement, know that postponed taxes come due if you take a reverse mortgage (Government Code 16190(f)), so usually you pick one; see Property Tax Postponement or a reverse mortgage?.

Deed alerts come by mail automatically through the Registrar-Recorder's Homeowner Notification Program, and you can add email alerts through the Assessor's Homeowner Alert Service. If a parent dies, probate for a Claremont home is filed at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles; see titles, trusts and probate.

Home values in Claremont

The Census Bureau's American Community Survey puts the median value of owner-occupied homes in Claremont at about $897,000 (2020 to 2024 estimates, as owners reported them). That is a broad average, not your home's value.

For FHA case numbers assigned in 2026, HUD's HECM limit is $1,249,125, and a HECM figures your amount on the lower of your home's value or that limit. Private (proprietary) reverse mortgages set their own rules. See types of reverse mortgages.

The balance grows over time; for when the loan comes due, see how a reverse mortgage works in California.

Want to know what this means for your home? Get your personal estimate from Tom →

Do and don't

My advice:

Do

  • Do look up your parcel on the city's fire zone map before you talk about a loan.
  • Do ask your insurance agent, in writing, which wildfire-safety steps earn a discount.

Don’t

  • Don't let your insurance lapse. On a HECM, a lapse can make the loan come due, and a private loan's papers set its own rules.
  • Don't let anyone rush you past counseling or California's 7-day wait after counseling before a final application or fee.
  • Don't buy an annuity or other product because someone says the loan requires it. No one involved in the loan can require that.

A made-up example to show how it works. Your situation will be different.

Example: Everett checks his fire zone first

Everett, 76, owns his Claremont home near the foothills and is thinking about a HECM. Before anything else, he looked up his parcel on the city's fire zone map and asked his insurance agent which wildfire-safety steps would earn a discount. He did his counseling in person in Ontario with his daughter.

He budgets for his property taxes, insurance and upkeep, and he's taking his time before he decides.

Questions families ask

Where can I get reverse mortgage counseling in person near Claremont?

HUD lists in-person counseling in Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga, about 8 to 10 miles away. Call ahead and ask about fees.

What happens if I can't keep homeowners insurance with a reverse mortgage?

On a HECM, keeping homeowners insurance in force is a loan duty, and a lapse can make the loan come due. Private (proprietary) reverse mortgages set their own rules in the loan papers. See behind on taxes or insurance.

How do I find a reverse mortgage lender near Claremont who explains things clearly?

I can't rate myself, so here's what I'd look for in anyone: someone who explains that counseling is required, lists every cost, says when it isn't a fit, and never pushes other products. Look up any loan officer on NMLS Consumer Access. I'm Tom Jarboe, NMLS #210600, and my office is in Diamond Bar.

Tom Jarboe

Your next step

Talk with me first. I'll answer your questions, go over your options and tell you plainly if a reverse mortgage isn't the right fit. Call (909) 869-6588 or email [email protected], or read about me. There's no pressure.

Before you can apply for a HECM, you'll meet with an independent HUD-approved counselor. It's required, and I'll give you a list of agencies. In California there's also a 7-day wait after counseling before a final application or any fees. Find one on HUD's site or call (800) 569-4287. See also who qualifies.

Questions about a reverse mortgage on your Claremont home? Talk with Tom.

Sources (read November 5, 2026, unless another date is shown)22 sources · show all

Reverse mortgages closed near Claremont

Type Claremont or your own ZIP to see how many FHA-insured reverse mortgages (HECMs) have closed nearby. The counts come from HUD.

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Tom Jarboe, Regional Sales Manager, New American Funding, NMLS #210600, Diamond Bar.

As a loan officer, I want you to be able to check everything. That's why I give you honest answers on both sides, cite the official rules, and make sure you meet an independent HUD-approved counselor before you apply. My goal is that you make an honest, educated decision. More about me.

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Questions? Ask a person, not a robot.

Call or email Tom. No pressure and no obligation: if a reverse mortgage isn't right for you, he'll tell you, and point you to what might be.

Tom Jarboe, Regional Sales Manager, New American Funding
NMLS #210600
20955 Pathfinder Rd, Suite 200
Diamond Bar, CA 91765

(909) 869-6588
[email protected]