Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Debris Removal Recovery topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
EMD and CAO report progress: debris removal ahead of schedule, unmet-needs survey flags high uninsured rate
Summary
Emergency Management Department and the CAO reported faster-than-expected debris removal, a National Disaster Recovery Framework–aligned recovery structure, and unmet-needs survey findings showing high rates of underinsurance among affected households.
City emergency managers and the City Administrative Officer briefed the ad hoc recovery committee on debris removal, recovery coordination, unmet needs and early economic estimates for disaster response and recovery.
Emergency Management Department (EMD) officials said Army Corps work and city coordination have cleared thousands of parcels and that debris removal is running ahead of initial projections. EMD reported 3,205 parcels cleared and ready for rebuilding as of the weekend of the briefing; the Army Corps is scheduled to complete its public debris removal mission in the Palisades by August. EMD said 80% of opt-in parcels were cleared by the Army Corps while 52% of opt-out parcels were cleared by private contractors; just 16 parcels remained unresponsive after outreach efforts.
EMD described recovery organization using the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) approach: EMD leads six Recovery Support Functions (RSFs) and seven task forces, with participation from 32 city departments, 31 schools and multiple nonprofits. Hagerty Consulting was retained to bring disaster-recovery subject-matter expertise; EMD said Hagerty provides staffing, training, and technical assistance in recovery program management under the NDRF. The CAO’s contractor IEM is working on FEMA reimbursement and hazard‑mitigation documentation; the Mayor’s Office retained AECOM for long-term recovery and infrastructure planning.
The first community unmet‑needs survey reached more than 8,000 people and returned a 22% response rate. EMD said 30% of respondents have children under 18, 20% are seniors, and about 70% are uninsured or underinsured — a figure EMD described as driven largely by “underinsured” respondents. The survey also recorded 371 requests for mental-health or emotional‑support resources.
Housing and economic updates: EMD and FEMA data show 651 renters and 560 homeowners receiving FEMA housing assistance; EMD flagged the Casa Gateway project to provide housing for about 68 seniors who have been displaced. CAO officials said a damage inventory submitted to FEMA (due June 16) currently estimated roughly $310,000,000 in damages across 60 projects and 22 city departments, though the CAO cautioned that FEMA review could change that estimate. The city also submitted notice-of-intent packages to the state Hazard Mitigation Grant Program amounting to about $3,000,000,000 across 78 projects; one project — a proposed One-Stop Permitting and Inspection Center — was invited to submit a full subapplication with a September 15 deadline and a project estimate of $61,700,000.
EMD said much of the city’s recovery tracking is available in a public ‘‘Recovery by the Numbers’’ dashboard and story map that shows parcel status, permitting and other metrics. The department outlined a 90‑day recovery outlook focused on stabilizing community needs, helping reopen schools, expediting permitting and inspections, capturing ongoing unmet needs, and connecting residents to recovery resources.
Ending: Officials said progress on debris removal and sheltering is steady but recovery will require sustained coordination among city departments, county and federal partners, contractors and community organizations; officials emphasized continued outreach to seniors and underinsured households.
