One year after the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, new research from the Home Depot Foundation and Morning Consult reveals a growing challenge facing disaster recovery efforts nationwide: even when financial resources are available, there often aren’t enough skilled workers to rebuild.
According to the survey, nearly 60% of Americans lack high confidence in their community’s ability to recover quickly after a natural disaster. Among professional contractors who have worked on disaster recovery projects, the shortage of qualified labor emerged as the single greatest need slowing progress.
The findings come at a critical time for the construction industry. With 40% of the current construction workforce expected to retire by 2031, the shrinking talent pool is contributing to prolonged rebuilding timelines and economic lag in disaster-affected regions, the survey found.
The survey also found:
-Roughly one-third of U.S. adults (36%) say their communities have been affected by a natural disaster in the past five years.
-Among those rebuilding, more than half (52%) believe recovery has taken longer than expected.
-In regions recently impacted by disasters, including Florida, Kentucky, Los Angeles, North Carolina, Ohio, Tampa, and Texas, 78% of residents reported challenges with long-term recovery and rebuilding.
-More than half of professional contractors surveyed cited difficulty hiring skilled labor, a figure that rises to 60% among those who have worked on disaster recovery project.
“We are seeing a clear trend where disaster-impacted communities are experiencing delays in long-term recovery and the rebuilding process, with the lack of available labor being one of the primary issues,” says Erin Izen, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. “Our Path to Pro program will help ensure the workforce is there to meet the demand when a community is rebuilding what they’ve lost.”
To address the nationwide skilled labor shortage, The Home Depot Foundation is expanding its Path to Pro workforce development initiatives. In 2026, the Path to Pro Education Grants program, which was initially created to support rebuilding efforts following the Southern California wildfires, will expand to all 50 states. The program will allow construction trade programs across K-12 schools, community and technical colleges, and nonprofit organizations to purchase equipment, tools, or remodel training spaces for students pursuing skilled trades careers.
As part of the $3 million committed in 2025 to Southern California wildfire recovery, the Foundation also continues to offer Path to Pro Scholarships in partnership with SkillPointe Foundation. The $2,500 scholarships support students within 60 miles of Los Angeles who are pursuing post-secondary education in construction-related fields. To date, more than 70 scholarships have been awarded in the region, in addition to hundreds distributed through the Foundation’s ongoing national scholarship program.
The Foundation is also investing in workforce readiness through a $1 million partnership with Team Rubicon. The initiative supports a workforce development pilot that provides veterans and other volunteers with Home Builders Institute industry-recognized PACT credentials, helping create a mobile corps of skilled volunteers capable of stabilizing housing in disaster zones.
“As an organization focused on community resilience, before, during and after disasters, Team Rubicon feels the impact of the increasing gap in skilled trades workers,” says Danica Deming, vice president of Workforce Development for Team Rubicon. “Investing in skilled trades training alongside partners like The Home Depot Foundation is essential for building both strong communities and storm-resistant housing.”
The online survey of 6,348 U.S. adults was conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of The Home Depot Foundation between November 26 and December 17, 2025.
