NLIHC and Members of the Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition Submit Comments to FEMA Review Council
May 27, 2025
NLIHC and over 30 members of its Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition (DHRC) submitted collaborative comments in response to a request for information published in the Federal Register seeking feedback on experiences with FEMA during recent disasters. The request was issued by the FEMA Review Council created by President Trump on January 24 via an Executive Order (EO). The Council was tasked with reviewing all aspects of FEMA operations and was formed following public statements from members of the Trump Administration suggesting that the agency should be dismantled.
Led by NLIHC, the DHRC consists of more than 900 national, state, and local organizations, many of which work directly with disaster-impacted communities and have firsthand experience navigating FEMA’s recovery process. The DHRC works to ensure that federal disaster recovery efforts are both equitable and effective, reaching the lowest-income and most marginalized survivors.
In their comments, DHRC members provided recommendations to increase access to disaster recovery resources, improve coordination among federal agencies, better protect displaced households, and ensure clear and accessible emergency communications. The comments also emphasized the importance of FEMA’s role in safeguarding communities from future disasters.
While calling for significant reform, commenters were united in affirming that FEMA remains vital to disaster response. They stressed that critiques of FEMA’s processes should not be misconstrued as support for eliminating the agency. As one coalition member noted, “Our comments below should not be misconstrued to support dismantling FEMA or any aspect of its mission. FEMA provides crucial assistance and funding to states and communities before, during, and after disasters” read a portion of NLIHC’s submission. “Dismantling FEMA… will not make communities safer, and it most certainly will not increase access to disaster recovery resources. It will, however, unnecessarily, risk the lives of disaster survivors most in need.”
Read the full version of NLIHC’s comments here.
View a running archive of comments submitted by partners here.