FEMA Reimburses $3.5B to States, Delays Burden Counties Post-Helene Floods

Several states and local communities impacted by disasters such as Hurricane Helene continue to face challenges with delayed reimbursements and funding from FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). North Carolina, for example, is still waiting on millions in FEMA reimbursements, leading nonprofits like Pisgah Legal Services to receive grants from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy to fill recovery gaps, particularly for legal aid and environmental restoration. Meanwhile, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced nearly $3.5 billion is being returned nationwide through non-disaster grants to improve emergency preparedness, focusing funds strictly on core disaster response and excluding unrelated agendas. In Tennessee, local officials express frustration over slow FEMA reimbursement processes for critical infrastructure projects, with some projects approved but unfunded and others facing negotiation challenges, such as the expansion of a flood-damaged jail. Calls for reform include transitioning FEMA’s Public Assistance Program to a grant-based model for faster fund access, establishing a universal disaster application, and increasing transparency through dashboards to help counties better manage disaster recovery efforts. These reforms aim to enhance local resilience by streamlining aid delivery and improving disaster mitigation planning at the county level.