FEMA changes spark concern in Louisiana as BRIC program ends, disaster aid questioned
HOUMA, La. (Louisiana First) — As Louisiana braces for another hurricane season, concerns are rising over the future of federal emergency assistance that many residents rely on after natural disasters.
Last week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced it will end the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program—a major funding source for natural disaster mitigation projects across the state. According to FEMA data, nearly 150 Louisiana applications for BRIC funds, totaling more than $720 million, have now been canceled or placed on hold.
In a statement, a FEMA spokesperson called the BRIC program 'wasteful and ineffective,' claiming it was 'more concerned with political agendas than helping Americans affected by natural disasters.'
The decision drew bipartisan pushback in Louisiana. U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) spoke on the Senate floor for 14 minutes last week, urging FEMA to reconsider.
'I would ask FEMA to reconsider the impact cuts to the BRIC program,' Cassidy said. 'Without BRIC funding, none of these projects would happen—whether it's East Baton Rouge Parish, Ascension Parish, Lafourche Parish, or the Coushatta Tribe.'
Cassidy and others argue that mitigation efforts funded through BRIC ultimately save taxpayer dollars by preventing costly disaster damage before it happens.
FEMA's decision comes amid growing criticism from President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who have called the agency bloated and ineffective.
'FEMA turned out to be a disaster,' Trump said during a wildfire tour earlier this year. 'I think we're going to make FEMA go away.'
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The uncertainty surrounding FEMA's future has alarmed local recovery organizations and residents who have relied on the agency after past storms.
Ashley Shelton, executive director of the Power Coalition, said FEMA remains vital, despite frustrations over slow responses and red tape.
'Louisiana's done a decent job of moving these dollars, but we have to continue to have access to those dollars for them to matter,' Shelton said.
She added that FEMA is working to improve its application process, which has often rejected requests due to minor errors or missing documents.
Still, for residents like Pamela Zinz of Houma, FEMA has been a lifeline. After Hurricane Ida, Zinz received housing assistance through FEMA's Rapid Rehousing Program, which included help with rent and a temporary camper.
'They do help a lot of people,' Zinz said.
But Zinz said the assistance ran out April 1. With costs piling up and no permanent housing yet, she and her daughter are preparing to relocate once again—while worrying about what will happen if another major storm hits.
'I thought Andrew was hard, but Ida was worse,' Zinz said. 'The government really needs to step up and do something about this.'
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The BRIC cuts are part of broader FEMA reforms pushed by the Trump administration. Acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton and Secretary Noem have indicated the agency may scale back or eliminate other programs, raising new questions about how future recovery efforts will be handled.
Congressional Democrats from Louisiana, including Reps. Troy Carter and Cleo Fields, have condemned the move, calling FEMA's dismantling 'reckless and dangerous.' They point to more than 500,000 Louisiana households that have applied for federal disaster funding since 2021.
'With hurricane forecasts predicting yet another active season, these proposed changes could not come at a more dangerous time,' the lawmakers wrote in a letter to federal leaders.
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1.
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