Cuts, Delays, and Red Tape Leave Disaster Survivors Homeless and Hopeless as Climate Change Drives Record Displacement
Mass environmental displacement abounds amid the climate crisis. In Davenport, Iowa, a family of seven struggles to put their pieces back together in the wake of the July 27th flash floods. Ms. Appleby sobs into the camera, wondering aloud where she and her five sons will go since an EF2 tornado and subsequent flooding collapsed the family home. Among the missing belongings is the tablet her autistic son uses to communicate.
“My kids lost everything,” she said. “We’ve lived here for 25 years.”
She begins to verbally tally up the damage, tears welling up around her eyes.
“Having to know where your kids are going to sleep, having to know if they’re going to eat. I never would think of this in my life.”
Her story is heartbreakingly common. Each year, 3 million Americans are displaced by natural disasters—and FEMA too often makes recovery harder, not easier.
Across the country, as wildfires blaze, thunderstorms pound, tornadoes swirl, families wait for aid that arrives late, in smaller amounts, or not at all.
Families Left in Limbo
In 2023, the US Census Bureau released a survey known as Household Pulse, which featured a one-of-a-kind bird’s-eye view of the nationwide impact of natural disasters.
The economic toll, approximately $150 billion in annual storm-related damages, is well documented. However, the Pulse Survey calculated the human toll, revealing that about one in 70 US adults is displaced by natural disasters due to climate change, and a lack of resources to aid storm victims.
Common causes of displacement include:
- Hurricanes
- Wildfires
- Floods
- Tornadoes
Research shows that these disasters hit poorer demographics hardest, leading to homelessness, food insecurity, job loss, and the loss of vital possessions like medications, school equipment, and documents used to identify people seeking assistance.
Investigations into FEMA distribution practices found that low-income households:
- Received about 50% less financial assistance on average
- Endured longer wait times for aid
- Faced more obstacles in the application process
- Were more likely to be denied their claims
Cuts and Red Tape, When Help Is Needed Most
Long-term homelessness is a consequence of climate change and an overall lack of preparation. These recent surveys give a terrifying glimpse into our present reality, one where 1 million people experience substantial disaster-related displacement and another million are subject to food insecurity. This is a time when we need more aid, but are receiving less.
FEMA is one of the most vital disaster response agencies in the US. The agency is supposed to distribute federal aid where state and local governments fall short. Yet as climate change worsens disasters, the Trump administration has cut billions of dollars in FEMA funding, including hundreds of millions of dollars already promised to low-income communities.
California, for example, which already has the largest homeless population in the country and is dealing with untenable wildfire activity, will miss out on $1.1 billion in previously promised aid.
Delays in FEMA Aid That Cost Lives
FEMA aid often arrives late, or not at all. This undermines trust in the system when families need it most.
Part of the problem is how FEMA operates:
- Application hurdles. Families must navigate lengthy forms, strict ID requirements, and confusing appeals processes.
- Understaffing and budget cuts. Fewer caseworkers means longer delays.
- Prioritization of wealthier homeowners. Low-income renters and vulnerable families are often denied or receive less, while wealthier applicants see their claims prioritized.
Richard Rosario, a trauma response coordinator in Philadelphia who has also endured homelessness, said every extra form and every repeated retelling of a disaster story forces survivors to relive their trauma.
“By making these resources inaccessible, you become the crack that people fall through rather than the lifeboat that saves them,” he said.
Former Philadelphia firefighter Ken Pagurek spent more than ten years in the field as FEMA’s search and rescue director. This summer, after a calamitous flood hit Texas, toppling houses and collapsing condominiums, Pagurek claims he encountered unfathomable “bureaucratic hurdles” to distributing aid.
The death toll reached a horrifying 135 people, and mass displacement ensued. As a result of these obstacles, Pagurek resigned. He is among several other FEMA leaders who have recently stepped down, citing mismanagement of funding as well as delays in aid distribution.
In 2023, FEMA delayed an astonishing $2.8 billion in promised financial assistance. That money could have rebuilt schools, homes, and roads as it was originally intended to do. Instead, families were left in limbo.
Rosario said the consequence isn’t just material, it’s psychological for the victims: “Their safety is compromised. Their choices are limited. From their position, it’s difficult to trust anybody. The goal shouldn’t be to test them or challenge them. The goal should be to get them into housing.”
We Need Housing in Every Disaster Plan
Scientific evidence is clear: climate change is fueling harsher disasters, creating displacement at record levels. Yet instead of improving response, funding is being cut, and survivors are being left behind.
This is not just about repairing roofs or rebuilding roads. It’s about recognizing that housing must be central to disaster recovery. That means:
- Faster FEMA payouts without endless paperwork
- Emergency rental assistance for displaced families
- Rebuilding funds that prioritize low-income communities
- Housing-first strategies that prevent survivors from falling into homelessness
Call your representatives and tell them disaster response must prioritize housing—not red tape. Families like Ms. Appleby’s can’t afford more delays.