Los Angeles County Board on Nov. 10 Orders Report on Federal Fire Relief: More Than $455 Million in Reimbursement Sought, Less Than $1.4 Million Released
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, California - The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on November 10 directed county attorneys and the chief executive to prepare a report on the status of pending federal funding applications for Palisades and Eaton fire recovery projects, and on possible legal steps to free up the money.
A motion by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said that, following a disaster declaration by then President Joe Biden in January 2025, the county has applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for reimbursement of more than $455 million for 190 fire recovery projects, and that less than $1.4 million has been released to date. The motion said that 22 months after the fires, most projects remain pending obligation, meaning they have cleared FEMA initial technical and oversight reviews and await final obligation of federal funds to the state.
The motion also said the county applied for about $347 million through the federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, for projects such as fire hardening of homes and public facilities, undergrounding of power lines and upgrading water system capacity, and that no funding under that program has yet been awarded to the county for this disaster. It said both funding streams have been appropriated by Congress and are allocated by formula, pending administration approval.
The board directed county attorneys and the chief executive to report back next week in closed session on the pending applications and potential legal recourse. A White House spokesperson told The Associated Press this summer that there is no politicization to disaster relief decisions and that the administration conducts more extensive reviews to ensure tax dollars are used appropriately.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国林务局人员在洛杉矶县帕利塞兹大火现场作业。Pacific Southwest Forest Service, USDA from USA 供图，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons / Photo: 2025 Southern California fires and the United States Forest Service (USFS) - Taskforce 160. By Pacific Southwest Forest Service, USDA from USA, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
