LA Wildfires 2025 | 1,397 Fire Survivors Stand to Lose Their Case Managers at End of Sep. 2026
Little Tokyo Service Center Asks Public to Stand with Survivors: Save Case Management for Fire Survivors
From Little Tokyo Service Center Newsletter Published on September 15, 2026
At the beginning of September 2026, Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) received notice that our Disaster Case Management Program, which has assisted survivors of the disastrous 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires, is set to lose all funding at the end of the month (of September 2026).
The 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires were amongst the worst natural disasters Southern California has ever experienced. In response, LTSC has been one of the five local agencies responding through disaster case management – and you can learn more about one of the survivors we have been working with here.
Here’s what happened: At the onset of the fires, FEMA (the federal government) promised to provide California with $13 million in aid specifically for case management, pairing case managers with survivors to walk them through housing, insurance, paperwork, and the rebuilding process.
Only 20 months later, FEMA has delivered $3 million of the promised $13 million to the state. With the federal government ignoring all requests to release the rest of the funds, California has been forced to shut down the Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP), cutting funding to LTSC and our partners. On September 30th, survivors will be left in the dark to continue through the healing process alone.
Last Thursday (Sep. 10, 2026), LTSC joined all the local long-term recovery groups and fellow DCMP providers to urge the federal government to not only release the promised $10 million that has already been appropriated, but also to approve funds to extend the DCMP program and support the longer-term recovery of the region. Most immediately, 1,397 fire survivors stand to lose their case managers at the end of the month (and there are nearly 700 on a waitlist for a case manager) – this disruption to their recovery process would be disastrous.
Stand with us, and help save the Disaster Case Management Program for fire survivors. Tell your representative LA fire survivors are still recovering – call the US Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.