UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT

TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) December 18, 2008                                                                                                                    

Heritage Oaks Bancorp

 (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

California

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

000-25020	77-0388249
(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

545 12th Street, Paso Robles CA	93446
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

(805) 239-5200

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

o                 Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o                 Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o                 Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o                 Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

ITEM 7.01       REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

Paso Robles, CA – December 18, 2008 – Heritage Oaks Bancorp (NASDAQ: HEOP), parent company of Heritage Oaks Bank, today announced that as part of its continued effort to maintain loan quality and assess values of distressed assets during the current deterioration in the country’s economic environment, it has written down 23 loans made to 12 borrowers to the current fair market value of the underlying collateral.  In aggregate, the Bank charged-off nearly $6.0 million in loan balances in the fourth quarter of 2008, with the majority of these charge-offs occurring during December.  Of the loans that were charged-off this quarter, valuation allowances in the aggregate amount of $2.3 million had been recorded prior to September 30, 2008.

Please refer to the Press Release dated December 18, 2008 attached hereto and made part of.

SECTION 9 – FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

Item 9.01 - Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description
99	99.1 Press Release dated December 18, 2008.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: December 18, 2008

Heritage Oaks Bancorp
By:	/s/ Margaret Torres
Margaret Torres
Chief Financial Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Press Release dated December 18, 2008.