FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund is running out of money. What’s to blame?

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

AMERICA’S DISASTER EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCY HAS SOME BAD NEWS — AND IT COMES AS WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF HURRICANE SEASON: FEMA IS RUNNING OUT OF MONEY.

FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR, THE AGENCY’S DISASTER RELIEF IS GOING TO BE SHORT ON FUNDS.

NOW AT LEAST 650 PROJECTS ARE REPORTEDLY ON HOLD ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ENSURE ENOUGH RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR NATURAL DISASTERS.

WHEN THE AGENCY WILL GET MORE MONEY, ALL DEPENDS ON WHEN CONGRESS APPROVES IT.

IT WON’T BE THIS MONTH– AS LAWMAKERS AREN’T SET TO RETURN FROM AUGUST RECESS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 9TH.

THE FUNDING SHORTFALL ALSO COMES AS WILDFIRES AND FLOODS POP-UP ON A REGULAR BASIS.

SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS SAY THEY’VE BEEN HIT BY SEVEN FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTERS SINCE 2017.

THE COUNTY SAYS UNTIL THE FEDERAL FUNDS COME THROUGH, THEY WON’T BE ABLE TO ADDRESS 150 REPAIR PROJECTS ON HOLD.

HEARST NEWS TALKED WITH SANTA CRUZ COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER CARLOS PALACIOS ABOUT THE IMPACT.

[CARLOS PALACIOS]

THE CASH FLOW ISSUE FOR OUR COUNTY HAS BEEN SEVERE.

NOW THAT I HEAR THAT FEMA IS BASICALLY FREEZING ANY NEW EXPENDITURES… IT’S REALLY DEVASTATING TO OUR EFFORTS TO CONTINUE TO RECOVER.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

FEMA BLAMES PART OF THE PROBLEM ON UNDERESTIMATING COVID-19 RELATED COSTS– WHICH STILL HAVE THE AGENCY REIMBURSING COMMUNITIES.

THE AGENCY SAYS THE PANDEMIC STRAINED RESOURCES ALREADY STRETCHED THIN BY MORE FREQUENT NATURAL DISASTERS AND WARNS FUNDING WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM UNTIL REFORMS ARE MADE.

THE AGENCY SAID IT’S SHIFTED ITS PRIORITIES AT LEAST NINE TIMES SINCE 2001 DUE TO BUDGET SHORTFALLS.

AGENCY WATCH DOGS SAY PART OF THE PROBLEM IS PROJECTS AND DISASTER RESPONSES REMAIN OPEN FOR TOO LONG– SOME FOR DECADES.

THEY RECOMMEND STREAMLINING PROJECTS TO GET FUNDS OUT FASTER.

FOR MORE UPDATES ON FEMA FUNDING– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN-DOT-COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.