If you left your residence under the May evacuation orders, the GKN claims program provides a way to seek compensation for qualifying expenses and losses. The court has approved a program of up to $100 million. Approval does not give you an application opening date.
This guide is educational, not legal or tax advice.
Can you submit a claim yet?
As of the City of Garden Grove’s October 20, 2026 news release, the Orange County Superior Court has approved the claims program, and “GKN has not yet announced when it will begin accepting claims.” GKN will host a community meeting about the program on October 27.
The City’s release says application instructions will appear on a dedicated claims website when the program opens. Instructions will be available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Korean.
Earlier coverage from Voice of OC described an anticipated October opening. Use the City’s later status statement when checking whether applications are available. The opening date remains uncertain.
Who does the program cover?
GKN says the program will be open to residents who lived in areas subject to evacuation orders and were displaced, as well as businesses located in the evacuation zone.
The Orange County District Attorney reports that a chemical storage tank problem at the GKN Aerospace facility led to evacuation orders affecting more than 50,000 Orange County residents. An estimated 13,000 to 17,000 households were evacuated during a five-day period beginning May 21, 2026.
At its widest, the City’s page described the area as bounded by Valley View St. on the west, Ball Rd. on the north, Trask Ave. on the south and Dale St. on the east. Those boundaries changed during the incident. Check whether your address was under an order.
GKN’s eligibility statement refers to residents who lived in areas under evacuation orders and were displaced; questions about a specific household’s eligibility go to the claims administrator once the program opens.
What expenses and losses are listed?
The City says the independent administrator will review qualifying lodging, meals, transportation, lost wages and loss-of-use claims within specified limits.
GKN’s community site lists these amounts for qualifying claimants:
- Lodging up to $300 per night for up to five nights, with up to $500 per night or additional nights in certain circumstances.
- Meals of $50 per person per day for up to five days.
- Transportation of $20 per household per day for up to five days, or up to $50 per day with documentation.
- A $500 payment per household for loss of use of the residence.
- Documented lost wages for hourly employees, up to $500 per day for a maximum of three working days.
- Documented business lost profits up to $5,000 per day for businesses required to close.
These are the limits GKN lists, not a payment determination for your claim. The administrator will review qualifying expenses and losses.
What records can you prepare?
You can keep lodging receipts and wage documentation ready while waiting for the application instructions.
GKN expressly calls for documentation for lost wages, business lost profits and transportation claims of up to $50 per day.
The loss-of-use payment has a different documentation rule. GKN says the $500 household payment requires no additional documentation beyond a completed claim application. Don’t extend that statement to other categories.
A homeowner who evacuated for a few nights under an evacuation order would keep lodging receipts and transportation documentation ready while waiting for the program to open. Once application instructions appeared, that homeowner could compare those expenses with GKN’s listed limits and review the requirements for each category. If the homeowner were an hourly employee seeking lost wages, the listed documentation requirement and maximum of three working days would also guide which wage records to prepare.
What can a rental property owner ask for?
The City of Buena Park’s summary lists rent refunds given to displaced tenants among the items businesses can ask for.
That is a specific item for multifamily property owners in the Buena Park settlement summary. The summary does not provide an amount or additional conditions for that category.
Eligible businesses may also seek compensation for lost profits. GKN lists documented lost profits up to $5,000 per day for businesses required to close.
Say a rental building owner provides rent refunds to displaced tenants and wants to understand how those refunds fit into the claims program. The City of Buena Park’s settlement summary lists rent refunds given to displaced tenants among the items businesses can ask for, specifically for multifamily property owners. The summary does not state an amount or additional conditions for that category. The owner would still need the application instructions when the program opens to understand how to submit a claim.
Who runs the program, and how long will it accept claims?
An independent administrator and a retired federal judge serving as Special Master will run the program, according to Buena Park’s summary.
The Orange County District Attorney says the third-party administrator is not affiliated with GKN. Buena Park says administrative costs will not reduce the $100 million available to residents and businesses. Its summary also says claims will be accepted for six months or until $100 million in claims have been approved, whichever comes first.
The District Attorney’s release describes a $125 million civil agreement that includes the claims program.
GKN says an explanation of the legal effect of participation will be provided before launch. Its site also says multiple putative class actions and individual proceedings have been filed in Orange County Superior Court and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Read that explanation and ask a lawyer about your specific situation.
What does this tell a buyer or seller about the property?
The claims program addresses qualifying evacuation expenses and losses; it says nothing about property condition.
The City separately reports court approval of a safety plan requiring upgrades to chemical storage and handling systems, improved operating and emergency procedures, and employee training. Independent annual audits will assess compliance. GKN remains subject to applicable City laws, orders and regulatory requirements, which the plan does not replace.
Insider Realty’s seller disclosure guide and NHD report guide address transaction documents. For how a different hazard status is explained for buyers, see the South Gate Cooper Drum explainer.
The short version
You can prepare records now, but the City’s October 20 release does not provide a claims opening date.
Check the City’s incident page and GKN’s community site for application updates. GKN offers notification sign-ups and will announce details for the October 27 community meeting.
Match your expenses to the listed categories and read the participation explanation before deciding.
If you’re thinking about selling, start with the home value tool.
Common questions
Has the GKN claims program opened?
As of the City of Garden Grove's October 20, 2026 release, GKN had not announced when it would begin accepting claims.
Who can participate in the claims program?
GKN says the program will be open to residents who lived in areas subject to evacuation orders and were displaced, as well as businesses located in the evacuation zone.
What documentation does the loss-of-use payment need?
GKN says the $500 household payment for loss of use requires no additional documentation beyond a completed claim application.
Can multifamily property owners ask for rent refunds?
The City of Buena Park's settlement summary lists rent refunds given to displaced tenants among the items businesses can ask for.
