Ridgely v. FEMA

Class Certification Decision

NLCHP and a coalition of public interest organizations and private law firms filed a class action lawsuit against FEMA on behalf of low-income individuals driven from their homes by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New Orleans, alleges that FEMA unlawfully terminated assistance to the plaintiffs without proper notice or a fair opportunity to appeal the decision.   The suit claims that this practice violates their right to due process under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  The suit also alleges that FEMA acts unlawfully when it cuts off assistance to individuals that it claims were overpaid without explaining why it believes the person was overpaid, without informing them that they can request a hardship waiver, and without providing an opportunity to contest the overpayment determination.

This document is the court's decision regarding class certification.

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