Local Congresswoman Demands FEMA Expand Housing Aid As Eaton Fire Survivors Face Ongoing Crisis

U.S. Rep. Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) demanded expanded federal housing assistance Tuesday for survivors of January’s devastating Eaton Fire during a roundtable with 15 community groups and emergency management officials, criticizing current aid programs as insufficient amid ongoing displacement. The May 27 event at Altadena Library included representatives from Federal Emergency Management Agency, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, and nonprofits, according to a statement from Chu’s office. 

Chu urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency to activate its Direct Lease program, which would allow the agency to rent apartments directly for displaced residents unable to secure housing through existing vouchers. The fire destroyed nearly 13,000 homes, with more than half the losses in Altadena and surrounding communities, displacing over 20,000 residents, her office reported May 28. 

“Survivors of the Eaton Fire are slipping through the cracks,” Chu said at a press conference following the roundtable, citing ongoing struggles to find housing despite $135 million in total Federal

Emergency Management Agency assistance as of Tuesday. The aid includes $40 million for housing programs that provided rental grants to nearly 3,300 households, according to a May 27 Los Angeles Times report. 

A Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesperson told the Times the agency believes Direct Lease isn’t needed in Los Angeles County, asserting that 75% of applicants secured long-term solutions. Chu disputed this, telling reporters: “We know from anecdotal evidence that that cannot be true. It is far from the truth,” a rebuttal first reported by the Times. 

“There is a huge gap between availability and vacancy and accessibility,” said Jasmin Shupper, president of the Greenline Housing Foundation, during the meeting. An unidentified advocate added: “We all have contacts of folks still needing emergency housing,” in comments recorded by Audacy KNX News. 

Survivors face rejections due to credit scores, income requirements, and landlords refusing Federal Emergency Management Agency vouchers, with available units often located in distant areas like Antelope Valley, the Times reported. 

Participating organizations included Altadena Town Council, Habitat for Humanity, and NAACP Pasadena, according to Chu’s office. 

Chu plans to formally request expanded aid programs in a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency this week, Audacy KNX News reported.