Few existing studies of federal disaster aid examine the logics that govern assistance access. Applying the lens of administrative burdens, we identify four onerous aspects of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) housing aid program-regulations regarding application unit, documentation, and damage sufficiency, and long processing times-that prompt assistance delay or denial for in-need households. Our empirical strategy pairs administrative records from FEMA on denied applications (N = 206,157) after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita with survey (N = 354) and in-depth interview data (N = 106) from a longitudinal study of low-income survivors of Katrina. Results show that applications from poor, communities of color were disproportionately denied or delayed due to burdensome program requirements and their implementation. Interviews and survey evidence elucidate the compliance costs and suggest a toll on post-disaster well-being.