SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked Congress to accept nearly $40 billion in aid to help the Los Angeles area recover from the terrible wildfires that happened in January. He said that the disaster could end up being the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history.
On Friday, Newsom sent a letter to politicians, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), who is in charge of the House Appropriations Committee, asking them to back him.
Newsom wrote, “Los Angeles is one of the most economically productive places in the world, but it can only bounce back and thrive with help from the federal government as it recovers from this unprecedented disaster.”
The overall economic damage from the firestorm is thought to be more than $250 billion. A Los Angeles Times analysis says that real estate losses from the Palisades and Eaton fires could be more than $30 billion. More than 16,200 homes were burned by the fires in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Pasadena, and Altadena.
Newsom promised that the money would be used to rebuild homes, businesses, schools, churches, and health care facilities, as well as to help people who had been touched by the damage.
Newsom wrote, “Don’t get it wrong; Los Angeles will use this money well.”
His biggest request is for an extra $16.8 billion from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Most of this money will be used to rebuild homes and infrastructure, with $5 billion set aside to clean up after the disaster.
Newsom also asked the Small Business Administration for $5.29 billion in loans for businesses and homeowners, as well as $9.9 billion from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for funds to help fire victims, homeowners, businesses, and renters.
Newsom thanked President Donald Trump for helping to get rid of the trash quickly. There was nothing in the letter about recent threats by the Trump administration that government aid could have conditions.
“We will always be grateful,” Newsom said.
Trump has often said bad things about Newsom and California’s water policies. The envoy for special missions for Trump, Ric Grenell, said on Friday that any federal help for the state would come with “conditions.” Grenell is a supporter of Trump.
He said that cutting off funds to the California Coastal Commission, which controls coastal development and protects public beach access, was one of the conditions that were being talked about. Trump has said that the agency is too strict, too bureaucratic, and slows down attempts to rebuild.
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