California Gov. Gavin Newsom is pressing Washington for yet another round of federal disaster aid, seeking to extend a key Federal Emergency Management Agency program for survivors of last years catastrophic Los Angeles-area wildfires.
According to Just The News, Newsom has formally asked FEMA to prolong the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) for an additional 12 months, a move that would keep federal relief flowing to residents affected by the Palisades Fire in the Los AngelesMalibu corridor and the Eaton Fire in the PasadenaAltadena region. The IHP mechanism is designed to provide direct assistance to individuals after disasters, but its expansion also underscores Californias heavy reliance on federal taxpayers to backstop the states own emergency and housing policies.
The governor previously demanded that FEMA unlock more than $732 million in public assistance tied to the wildfires, yet the funds remain largely bottled up in federal bureaucracy. While the money has cleared the regional level, Newsoms office says California is still awaiting final sign-off from the Department of Homeland Security, with only $37 million actually disbursed so far.
Newsom has simultaneously moved to widen state-level financial aid, announcing more than $100 million in grants through the CalAssist Mortgage Fund to help homeowners remain in their properties during the long rebuilding process. That program, however, is layered atop an already sprawling state budget, raising questions about Sacramentos fiscal priorities and its dependence on federal intervention even as Californias regulatory climate has contributed to high housing and construction costs.
The Democratic governor, whose office did not respond to The Center Squares request for comment, framed the situation as an urgent plea for continued federal backing. Were doing everything in our power to support survivors, but they need continued federal support to rebuild safely and fully, said Newsom, adding, Cutting off assistance now would leave families without the resources they need at a critical moment in their recovery.
A FEMA spokesperson, declining to be named, confirmed that the governors request for an IHP extension is currently under review. We will inform the governor as soon as a determination has been made, the spokesperson said in an email, adding, FEMA remains committed to supporting survivors of the wildfires and to the locally executed, state-managed, and federally supported approach to disaster recovery.
The Governors Office estimates that nearly 30,000 homes may qualify for this assistance, with close to 1,000 households still receiving Continued Temporary Housing Assistance from the federal government. Those figures highlight both the scale of the disaster and the prolonged nature of recovery in a state where permitting, environmental rules, and labor constraints routinely slow construction.
Although thousands of rebuilding permits have been issued and more are pending, many families remain stuck in limbo, unable to break ground due to financial uncertainty, insurance disputes, and a tight labor market. Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park echoed those concerns earlier this year, pointing to the financial squeeze on ordinary homeowners.
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. As President Trumps second administration weighs Californias request, the standoff over delayed funds and the states own policy choices will determine whether these families see timely relief or remain trapped between red tape in Sacramento and gridlock in Washington.
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