U.S. Senators Feinstein, Padilla to FEMA: Provide Update on Reforms to Disaster Assistance Program

On September 6, 2022, U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla wrote a letter to FEMA requesting an update regarding the Individual Assistance program, which provides funding to survivors of major disasters. The inquiry comes one year after the Caldor Fire destroyed nearly 800 homes, 1,000 structures, and 222,000 acres in Grizzly Flats. Despite the devastation, California’s requests for assistance have been repeatedly denied. The refusal by FEMA is understood to be a result of a rule established in 2019, which considers a state’s total resources when determining whether to provide assistance for individuals. In June, when FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell appeared before Congress \, she testified that the agency was considering revising the 2019 rule. Senators Feinstein and Padilla await an update on the status of that review.