LA Officials Urge FEMA To Release Funds For Wildfire Recovery

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Wednesday urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency to speed approval of grant funding to aid the region's recovery from the devastating 2025 wildfires and help prepare for future disasters.

Bass said funding for six Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects requested by the city have been pending final action by FEMA for more than four months. According to Bass' office, data cited by the Congressional Research Service found that no new Hazard Mitigation Assistance funding had been approved since March 2025, aside from certain congressional earmarks.

"Los Angeles is doing everything we can to rebuild stronger and safer following the January wildfires, but we cannot do it alone," she said Wednesday. "FEMA's hazard mitigation funding is critical to protecting our communities from future disasters. These projects have been submitted, reviewed, and are ready to move forward. I urge FEMA to provide transparency on their status and immediately release funding for projects that are ready for obligation. Every month of delay is a missed opportunity to strengthen our communities before the next wildfire, earthquake, or flood."

The mayor's letter comes two days after Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, and Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, wrote to FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton requesting an update on the status of the six HMGP projects and greater transparency into FEMA's approval process.

"In January of 2025, the Pacific Palisades and Eaton Fires took the lives of 31 people and destroyed over 16,000 homes and businesses across Los Angeles. In total, these devastating fires caused over $60 billion in direct losses — more than any other climate-related U.S. disaster in 2025," they wrote.

" ... A year and a half later, FEMA has yet to obligate any of the $745 million in potential HMGP funding for Los Angeles' recovery. Awarding funding to these six HMGP projects would strengthen the city's resilience by protecting critical infrastructure, housing, and essential public services from future wildfires, earthquakes and flooding."

In her letter, Bass said, "Los Angeles cannot afford for critical mitigation projects to sit indefinitely in a federal review queue. Cal OES has advised the city that it does not have visibility into FEMA Headquarters' review process or a timeline for final action. This lack of transparency is unacceptable for projects that have already advanced through the state review process and are intended to protect communities from future disasters.

"I am therefore requesting that FEMA immediately provide the city with a clear status update and timeline for each of these six projects, identify any outstanding issues preventing final action, and promptly obligate funding for any projects that have completed all required reviews and are ready to proceed."

The six projects are as follows:

• LA Fire Department, Fire Code Environmental Compliance Update: Reduces wildfire and emergency communication risks by supporting expert fire hazard evaluations and new communication system standards.
• LA Department of Building and Safety, Post-Wildfire Disaster Code Enforcement Project. Establishes a One-Stop Recovery Center to provide coordinated and expedited permitting and inspection services for fire-impacted properties.
• LA Housing Department, Home Hardening Residential Retrofit Project. Provides rebates for homeowners to implement wildfire hardening measures and create defensible space while rebuilding residences damaged in the 2025 fires.
• LA Department of Water and Power, Seismic Retrofits (Tilt-Up Walls). Strengthens nine critical LADWP electrical substations with seismic upgrades to reduce earthquake damage and ensure continued power service during emergencies.
• LA Public Works Bureau of Sanitation, Drainage Project. Reduces recurring flooding at four high-risk locations by installing enhanced stormwater infrastructure designed to manage high-intensity rainfall and prevent localized flooding.
• LA Department of Water and Power, Wooden Cable Trench Cover Retrofit. Reduces wildfire risk at 21 high-priority LADWP substations by installing fire-resistant covers over cable trenches to protect critical underground electrical infrastructure from heat and debris exposure.

FEMA officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

City News Service