Los Angeles County is exploring a lawsuit against the federal government to pry loose hundreds of millions of dollars in wildfire recovery money that remains stuck in Washington.
Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath introduced a motion on Tuesday, Nov. 10 directing County Counsel and the Chief Executive Officer to examine potential legal action over unpaid federal disaster funding, according to Horvath's office. The motion covers recovery from the Palisades and Eaton fires, which struck in January 2025.
Among the stalled county requests is about $347 million in federal hazard mitigation funding for projects including fire-hardening homes and public facilities, undergrounding power lines and strengthening water systems. None of that money has been awarded, according to the announcement.
The county has requested more than $455 million in FEMA reimbursements for roughly 190 disaster response and recovery projects. Less than $1.4 million has been released, Horvath's office stated. Most projects have cleared FEMA's initial technical and oversight reviews but remain pending final approval.
Federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding, meant to help homeowners rebuild, also remains unavailable, the announcement stated.
"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 in a statement. "They should not have to spend another day waiting on a federal government that overpromised and underdelivered."
Horvath added that the county "is exploring every legal option to hold this federal government accountable."
Case-management funding has faced separate disputes. Rep. Judy Chu’s office said FEMA released the final installment of previously approved funding on Oct. 7, but subsequently upheld its denial of California’s request for supplemental funding.
California has advanced $217 million to Los Angeles County, but federal rules can jeopardize FEMA reimbursement if projects begin construction before receiving federal approval.
The motion directs County Counsel and the CEO to report to the Board of Supervisors in closed session on Nov. 17 on the status of pending federal funding and potential legal options. The discussion would take place privately, but residents can submit written comments and address the board during the public-comment period for closed-session matters.
