Disaster survivors across US still await over $10 billion in long-term aid
Survivors of recent U.S. disasters say they have been waiting months for long-term federal recovery money, with more than $10 billion still unfunded.
Survivors of three major 2025 disasters - a tornado in St Louis, flooding in Texas Hill Country and wildfires in Los Angeles - say they are still waiting for long-term recovery assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s CDBG-DR program, which has not allocated any money since Hurricane Milton in 2024. Federal officials estimate that rebuilding needs exceed $10 billion for just Los Angeles County and St Louis.
The program, funded only after congressional appropriation for each event, has historically caused long delays, as seen after Puerto Rico’s 2020 earthquakes. Advocates from Rebuild: the National Disaster Survivors Association have met lawmakers in Washington, urging a permanent funding mechanism amid growing climate-driven disasters. Some modest gains, such as a $6 million release for the Disaster Case Management Program, have been achieved, but overall long-term aid remains insufficient.
Why it matters
Without reliable federal funding, disaster-hit communities struggle to rebuild, worsening the human and economic toll of climate-related events.
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