FEMA Funds Vanish for Coastal Hospital | Portland News

Oregon leaders are rallying to get FEMA to release critical $20 million in disaster-resilience funds for Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria, a vital project designed to withstand tsunamis and earthquakes. After FEMA abruptly canceled the grant in 2025 — despite initially selecting the hospital — the money remains unreleased even after a court victory forced FEMA to reinstate the program. Without this funding, hospital officials say they’ll have to divert emergency reserves meant for cancer care. Frustrated stakeholders, including the hospital CEO and top state officials, accuse FEMA of “playing games with people’s lives,” while the $300 million expansion — featuring a rooftop helipad and vertical evacuation stairs — nears completion in early 2028. The clock is ticking as Oregon waits to see if FEMA will finally deliver on its promise. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/95481171d575d1e8