California governor seeks more FEMA money for fire victims

(The Center Square) – California Gov. Gavin Newsom has requested an extension of Federal Emergency Management Agency funds for survivors of last year's devastating Los Angeles wildfires.

The request asks for another 12 months of the Individuals and Households Program through FEMA. IHP is a service or tool used by FEMA to aid people after disasters such as the Palisades Fire in the Los Angeles-Malibu area and the Eaton Fire in the Pasadena-Altadena area.

Previously Newsom called for FEMA to release more than $732 million in public assistance funding associated with the wildfires. The money is approved at the regional level, but the governor said California is still waiting for final approval from the Department of Homeland Security. Only $37 million has been distributed, according to the Governor's Office.

Newsom also has expanded direct financial support for survivors. This includes making more than $100 million in grants available through the CalAssist Mortgage Fund to help homeowners stay housed during recovery.

The Democratic governor, whose office did not respond to The Center Square's request for comment, said in a news release Friday that thousands of Californians are still navigating the long road to recovery.

“We’re doing everything in our power to support survivors, but they need continued federal support to rebuild safely and fully,” said Newsom. “Cutting off assistance now would leave families without the resources they need at a critical moment in their recovery.”

A FEMA spokesperson who declined to provide a name told The Center Square that Newsom's request for the IHP extension is under review.

“We will inform the governor as soon as a determination has been made,” said the spokesperson in an email. “FEMA remains committed to supporting survivors of the wildfires and to the locally executed, state-managed, and federally supported approach to disaster recovery.”

Nearly 30,000 homes may be eligible for this assistance. That is according to the governor’s office, which said that nearly 1,000 households continued to receive federal Continued Temporary Housing Assistance.

While thousands of rebuilding permits have been issued and more are in progress, many survivors are reportedly waiting to begin construction due to delays such as financial uncertainty, lack of information about insurance and labor constraints.

Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park made similar comments to The Center Square in February.

“Many people are paying mortgages on houses they can't live in, and lots they can't afford to build in, because they don't have access to affordable capital to cover the gaps, the financial gaps, because so many people were under and uninsured and just simply do not have the resources,” said Park.