A task force created by President Donald Trump plans to recommend the most sweeping overhaul of FEMA in decades, dramatically reducing the federal agency’s role in disaster response by cutting its workforce in half and rolling out a new block grant system designed to get aid to communities faster and with less bureaucratic hassle.

At the December 9 City Council meeting, Council members undertook consideration of several Helene Recovery agenda items as the City and community continue to move forward with recovery related projects and needs. Below is a list of the items, grouped by topic or category,  actions, and impacts. 

Mayor Ken Welch announced Monday that the city would open applications for the $159.8 million Sunrise St. Pete program Dec. 15. The government shutdown delayed the launch of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-funded disaster recovery initiative.

U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) reintroduced today the Clean Up Disasters and Emergencies with Better Recovery and Immediate Support Act or Clean Up DEBRIS Act. This bill would allow common interest communities, condominiums, and other private housing cooperatives to receive debris removal assistance from the federal government after a natural disaster or emergency.

State Auditor Dave Boliek said Wednesday he wants his office and other statewide elected offices to have more input in North Carolina’s hurricane recovery efforts for the ongoing Helene rebuild and future disasters.

The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded $4 million in additional funding to support continued disaster-relief jobs for Missouri residents affected by severe storms that occurred in spring 2025. 

Vermont officials are building a case to appeal President Donald Trump’s rejection of a state request for federal disaster aid that would help a number of Caledonia and Essex county towns foot the bills from major flooding this past July.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Nebraska of the Dec. 9 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought beginning April 1.

Six months after the St. Louis tornado, residents say Trump's new disaster policy has left them on their own.

The USDA Farm Service Agency has extended the application deadline for the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) to November 21, ensuring livestock producers affected by major floods and wildfires have more time to apply.

Unincorporated areas in Conception Bay North have struggled with government representation; meeting with new Justice Minister bodes well.

Bipartisan legislation that would overhaul the disaster relief and recovery process and restore the Federal Emergency Management Agency to Cabinet-level status likely will move next year, its Republican sponsor said Tuesday.

Kaua‘i County and University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program, also known as Hawai‘i Sea Grant, have developed a framework aimed at helping Kauaʻi’s communities prepare more effectively and, in turn, better support recovery following natural disasters.

The Small Business Administration says some disaster victims can still apply for relief loans as they wind down operations in Kentucky.

State Sen. Rob Hutton, R-Brookfield, testified before the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Veteran and Military Affairs in support of Senate Bill 558 and its companion Senate Bill 557, collectively known as the Wisconsin State Emergency Relief Act, or WISER Act.

For nearly 50 years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has been the source for disaster relief. Now, it's under political and performance fire.This week, county emergency management officials from around the country, including Texas, were in Washington asking lawmakers to support changes to FEMA in legislation working its way through the House.

Food banks will not be able to handle the influx of hungry people, leaders said

The Oklahoma Disaster Mitigation and Recovery Matching Fund Program (ODMRMF) was created to provide dedicated state funding to help local governments and related entities secure and maximize federal disaster mitigation and recovery funds.

About half of the United States’ $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation market is at risk from wildfire and flooding, but there are steps communities can take to shore up both the landscape and their economies.

County leaders from 15 states are pushing for legislation that would establish a universal disaster application and create a new website to allow the public to track project approvals and payments.