[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]Billions in delayed federal disaster aid were released this week, but California received no Public Assistance awards in the new tranche — leaving Altadena’s ongoing Eaton Fire recovery without new FEMA support even as other states receive major awards, according to federal documents.
The Trump administration released more than $5 billion in FEMA Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation funding during the week of Feb. 24–28, according to The Hill and CNN. The release occurred while the Department of Homeland Security remained in a partial shutdown that began Feb. 14. FEMA said the money covers recovery projects nationwide, some dating back more than 15 years, with five jurisdictions excluded.
California — along with Illinois, Minnesota, Colorado, and the U.S. Virgin Islands — did not receive any Public Assistance awards in this round.
Media reports indicated that “some recently released funds were allocated to two tribes in California,” but the state itself was excluded from the core disaster-recovery awards.
The omission leaves Los Angeles County and fire-affected communities such as Altadena still waiting for reimbursements tied to the January Eaton and Palisades wildfires. The L.A. County Office of Emergency Management called FEMA’s restrictions “unprecedented,” “frustrating,” and “highly disappointing,” saying delays “affect the restoration of our communities and impact ongoing hazard mitigation for future hazards and disasters.”
Under FEMA’s Public Assistance program, the agency can reimburse 75% or more of eligible costs for debris removal, infrastructure repairs, and other disaster-related work. Local officials warn that delays in Public Assistance reimbursements will slow restoration for communities still rebuilding from the Eaton and Palisades fires.
The funding release follows months of delays tied to a June 2025 directive from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requiring her personal approval of all expenditures over $100,000. The policy created a backlog that reached approximately $17 billion as of Jan. 27, according to The New York Times. CNN separately reported more than $14 billion stuck in the pipeline, and The Hill reported that more than $10 billion in Public Assistance funds remain awaiting approval even after this week’s release.
FEMA Associate Administrator Gregg Phillips told lawmakers in February: “We’re going as fast as we can… I can’t go any faster than we actually are.”
Federal officials have disputed accusations that the exclusion of certain states was politically motivated. A FEMA spokesperson said the decisions were based on “outcomes, not politics,” and the Department of Homeland Security pointed to allocations made to a “diverse group of states,” including some governed by Democrats. Critics, including Sen. Alex Padilla of California, argued that the administration was “playing political games while disaster survivors and local governments are forced to wait for desperately needed federal resources.”
The release also came four days after Noem placed FEMA into “emergency operating status,” halting Public Assistance for ongoing or legacy disasters and pausing all non-emergency recovery work. FEMA said the emergency measures were about preserving limited funds during the shutdown.
According to Semafor, the $5 billion release is expected to reduce the Disaster Relief Fund to roughly $5 billion or below.
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