Board Directs Investigation Into Funding Delays
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday ordered its legal team and county executive to prepare a comprehensive report regarding pending applications for federal dollars intended for recovery efforts related to the Palisades and Eaton fires. The board also instructed officials to identify possible legal steps the county can take to secure these funds.
The directive follows a motion filed by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, which contends that the Trump administration has been prioritizing disaster-relief funding toward historically Republican states and jurisdictions while leaving California’s applications in limbo. The motion passed without discussion during the board meeting.
Horvath directed county attorneys and the CEO to report back to the board in a closed session scheduled for the following week. This report will detail the current status of pending federal funding applications and outline potential legal recourse available to the county.
Disparity in Federal Obligation Data
The motion cites data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding disasters in 2024 and 2025 to support claims of unequal treatment. According to the motion, $2.5 billion was obligated to North Carolina, $1.6 billion to Georgia, $1.6 billion to Florida, $637 million to Tennessee, $556 million to South Carolina, and $520 million to Texas.
Horvath’s filing asserts that hardly any funding has been allocated to any state that voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. The motion argues this pattern indicates a political bias in how federal disaster funds are distributed.
California Applications Remain Stalled
Following a disaster declaration by then-President Joe Biden in January 2025, Los Angeles County applied to FEMA for reimbursement of more than 190 fire-recovery projects. Horvath stated that the county has requested more than $455 million in FEMA reimbursements for approximately 190 disaster response and recovery projects.
Despite these applications, less than $1.4 million has been released to the county. The motion notes that the majority of these projects have cleared FEMA’s initial technical and oversight reviews but remain pending final approval.
Twenty-two months after the fires, the motion states that the majority of projects remain "pending obligation," awaiting the final obligation of federal funds to the state. Additionally, Los Angeles County requested approximately $347 million in federal hazard mitigation funding to help protect communities from future disasters, with no dollars awarded to date.
Impact on Residents and Rebuilding Efforts
Horvath highlighted the ongoing struggles of residents affected by the fires in her motion. "Our fire survivors have already been through hell. Some are still living in what is supposed to be a temporary rental unit, wondering when they’ll have a home to return to," Horvath said.
She added that survivors "should not have to spend another day waiting on a federal government that overpromised and underdelivered." The supervisor emphasized the county's readiness to continue rebuilding community infrastructure and helping families restore their homes, noting that these efforts cannot proceed without the disaster recovery investments promised to communities.
Horvath concluded by stating that L.A. County is exploring every legal option to hold the federal government accountable for the delays in funding distribution.