FEMA and the State of California are providing disaster assistance to people with disabilities and access and functional needs that were affected by the Los Angeles County wildfires.

In 2024, FEMA announced updates to disaster assistance for individuals who may have disabilities and need a little extra help. These changes provide disaster support by increasing accessibility and eligibility for affected people, families and communities. This assistance also includes older adults or people who do not speak English as their primary language.

Serious Needs Assistance

Serious Needs Assistance (SNA) helps cover important items like water, food, first aid, breastfeeding supplies, infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene items, fuel for transportation or other emergency supplies for eligible households. It is available in all disasters declared for Individual Assistance and is available to eligible residents who apply within the first 30 days after the disaster was declared.

To qualify for SNA, you must be displaced, need shelter, or have other emergency costs due to the disaster on your application. SNA requires an inspection to confirm eligibility before funds are provided to applicants.

People with Disabilities: This will help those who face greater health risks when access to disability-related supplies is delayed.

Displacement Assistance

Eligible California residents with immediate housing needs who cannot return to their homes may receive up-front funds to assist with housing through Displacement Assistance (DA). Funds could help pay for expenses while an individual is in the process of looking for a rental option.

DA requires an inspection to confirm eligibility before funds are provided to applicants.

People with Disabilities: This immediate short-term funding can also help pay for accessible accommodations, like Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible housing.

Loan Application Requirement

California residents do not need to apply for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest disaster loan before being considered for some types of FEMA Other Needs Assistance.

People with Disabilities: California residents now receive faster payments for necessary repairs and items, which are important to those with disabilities. They may get faster payments to repair or order a replacement vehicle with assistive equipment.

Help for Under-Insured Californians

Residents who get an insurance payment for home damage or personal property losses may be eligible to receive help from FEMA. Financial assistance may be available for the federal Housing Assistance maximum and Other Needs Assistance maximum to cover disaster repair costs not reimbursed by insurance.

People with Disabilities: This reform provides people with disabilities coverage that includes grab bars, ramps, and other home modifications. FEMA may help with underinsured residents to help pay for disaster- related costs that insurance doesn’t cover.

Assistance for Self-Employed Californians

FEMA is simplifying the process for self-employed individuals. Previously, these residents had to secure Small Business Administration (SBA) assistance to help replace disaster-damaged tools and equipment required for their profession.

People with Disabilities: Residents who are self-employed or own their own business may be eligible to use FEMA assistance to help replace damaged items related to their work.

Habitability Criteria

FEMA simplified its definition of “habitability” to include repairs to homes with previous damage that were made worse by the disaster.

People with Disabilities: This will help applicants with medical or health-related needs be able to repair their home even if it was in a bad condition before the disaster.

Accessibility Improvements

California residents with disabilities may use FEMA funding to make accessibility improvements to homes damaged by a federally declared disaster.

People with Disabilities: People with disabilities can make their home more accessible than it was pre-disaster with specific items, such as wheelchair ramps, grab bars, and paved pathways, and it will not count against the federal Housing Assistance maximum.

Temporary Housing Assistance Applications

FEMA is lowering verification requirements for applicants who need to extend their stay in a temporary housing solution.

People with Disabilities: This lessens the documentation needed for people with disabilities who need more help paying for a place to stay.

Process for Appeals

Those who appeal FEMA’s eligibility decisions will no longer need to provide a signed, written appeal letter along with supporting documentation.

People with Disabilities: This allows residents who have difficulty communicating to submit documents to appeal without a written explanation. Residents can choose to send in FEMA’s new appeal form or a signed, written appeal letter if they want to provide more information.

Streamlined DisasterAssistance.gov

Applying for disaster assistance is now faster with the updated DisasterAssistance.gov website. The online application is easy to use.

People with Disabilities: People with disabilities can easily apply with a simpler and more visual site.

Contact FEMA with questions:

For an American Sign Language video on how to contact FEMA, visit FEMA Accessible: Call FEMA with Questions

Upload documents to your disaster assistance account at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Mail to: FEMA, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055.
Fax to 1-800-827-8112 with Attention: FEMA – Individuals & Households Program.
Visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC). To find your nearest DRC, visit fema.gov/drc.

If you have questions or need to speak about your ineligibility status, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

Learn more at fema.gov/disaster/4856 March 2025

LOS ANGELES – FEMA works with private sector vendors to help fulfill the response and recovery needs for disasters like the recent Los Angeles County Wildfires.

The Doing Business with FEMA webpage outlines the steps that companies and small businesses looking to compete for federal contracts should take. During response and recovery, FEMA’s goal is to contract with local businesses in the affected area whenever practical and feasible.

FEMA will only engage with companies through the federal procurement process. Business solicitations sent to individual members of the FEMA workforce will not be processed. The FEMA website outlines how companies can see and respond to the agency’s solicitations. The key steps to beginning the process are:

• Consult your local procurement center: We recommend you consider consulting with these Procurement Technical Assistance Centers.
• Register with SAM.gov: This is the System for Award Management. Entity registrations are free, and registration is required to do business with the federal government.
• Understand the FEMA mission: FEMA’s mission, as authorized by the Robert T. Stafford Act, is to help people before, during and after disasters.
• Monitor contracting sites for opportunities: Contracting sites are listed on FEMA’s webpage.

Debris removal is often contracted locally after a disaster. If your company provides debris removal services, you can sign up with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Contractor Registry. You can also register your business information (including capabilities and locations served).

Additional information can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

FEMA cannot duplicate benefits by providing an award for recovery funds already provided by insurance; but if insurance does not completely cover recovery costs FEMA may be able to help.

If you indicated on your application that you have an insurance policy, FEMA may send you a determination letter indicating that you are not eligible for assistance due to your insurance. Make sure to read the entire letter to confirm the reason for a denial or determination. In many cases, the reason is often because FEMA cannot duplicate insurance benefits.
What are duplicated benefits?

• By law, FEMA cannot provide financial assistance when any other source, such as insurance, charities, etc. has awarded funds for the same disaster-caused need or when that funding is available from another source.
• Example of a duplication of benefits: FEMA cannot pay for home repairs if a homeowner already is receiving sufficient funds from their insurance company for the same repairs.
• FEMA assistance is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate for all losses. Grants from FEMA are intended to meet basic needs and supplement an applicant’s disaster recovery expenses.

If you still need help, you can send FEMA a copy of the documents from your insurance company that show the damage or expenses your insurance covers. FEMA may be able to help with costs that your insurance does not cover.
− To upload documents, you may visit a Disaster Recovery Center or go online to disasterassistance.gov

• Documentation includes but is not limited to a settlement letter from your insurance, a statement of benefits, or a copy of the insurance policy.
• FEMA may provide money to help meet an applicant’s immediate needs when their insurance benefits are delayed for 30 days or more through no fault of their own.
• If a recipient receives an insurance settlement to cover the same expenses, they must pay back the government assistance they received.

Red Cross began outreach to specific individuals whose primary residences were located within these defined areas. These individuals are eligible for this initial Red Cross Immediate Financial Assistance program. For those the Red Cross has contact information for, an invitation is being sent to enroll via email, text message, or phone call directly from the American Red Cross.

If you receive an invitation to complete an application for financial assistance you can complete the entire process virtually by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767) to enroll, confirm eligibility and receive financial assistance. For more information, please visit redcross.org/gethelp.

Please be aware of scams or people posing as Red Cross representatives. Eligible residents will receive an invitation via email, text and phone call based on the contact information the Red Cross has for you. If you’re unsure whether the Red Cross has reached out, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767).

Receiving Red Cross financial assistance does not make you ineligible for FEMA assistance. The Red Cross is only part of the solution to recovery, and we encourage people who were affected by the recent wildfires to apply for federal Disaster Assistance at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362. FEMA approval is not required to be eligible for Red Cross financial assistance.