More Than $191 Million in Southern California Infrastructure Projects Face FEMA Backlog That Causes Delays

BRIC delays and rising costs

FEMA data show a backlog affecting major Southern California projects worth more than $191 million. The projects are intended to limit damage from natural hazards, including floods, earthquakes, fires and landslides.

FEMA announced that its BRIC program had been reinstated, but emergency management sources told CBS California Investigates that no pending California BRIC projects had been approved this year. They also reported slow payments for projects already obligated.

Chris Currie, who leads the GAO’s Homeland Security and Justice team, said inflation, higher labor costs and project rework have made some work unaffordable. He said some projects could not proceed after costs doubled.

Communities await updates

California emergency management sources said some communities abandoned BRIC projects because of the delays. Counties with affected projects have also reported limited communication about their status and possible next steps since the program resumed.

The sources said FEMA’s staff responsible for California projects has been significantly reduced, which could add to delays. Currie warned that when resilience projects remain unfinished, the risks they were designed to reduce remain in place.

Capistrano Beach project at risk

In Capistrano Beach, the county says the construction phase is scheduled to begin next year. FEMA is expected to pay $9,377,094 for that phase, but experts fear the next stage could take longer to advance amid the backlog.

Flooding has battered the coast this year, making timely progress important. An OC Parks spokesperson said a $2.4 million Ocean Protection Council grant will help cover county construction costs for the Nature Based Shoreline project, supplementing rather than replacing federal BRIC funding. Homeowner Natalie Driessen called the delays “horrible” and said available funds should be used to help people while remaining fiscally responsible.

Broader concerns and response

FEMA has sought more project applications for this fall, even as hundreds of projects nationwide remain unpaid, according to the article. A written statement criticized the handling of disaster relief and said California aid requests remained unanswered; the statement’s speaker is not identified in the text.

The statement also said families were still waiting for help nearly two years after the January 2025 Southern California wildfires. The article does not reconcile that timing with its reference to the fires as “devastating” or provide further context. In a letter dated September 2, 2026, FEMA financial management and systems executive director Jeffrey Bobich told the GAO that FEMA concurred with its recommendations.