AUSTIN — Residents in 20 Texas counties affected by severe summer storms and flooding can now apply for federal assistance after the White House approved the state’s appeal for help that goes directly to individuals and families.
The amended disaster declaration covers damage from severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding that occurred from July 12 through Aug. 14, according to a Federal Emergency Management Agency announcement issued Friday, Oct. 30.
The counties approved for FEMA Individual Assistance are Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Crockett, Dimmit, Frio, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, La Salle, Maverick, Medina, Real, Schleicher, Sutton, Uvalde, Val Verde and Zavala.
Individual Assistance is different from the public funding used to reimburse governments for debris removal and repairs to roads, bridges and other infrastructure. It can help eligible households pay for temporary housing, emergency home repairs and uninsured or underinsured personal-property losses. Other available services may address disaster-related unemployment, legal needs and medical, dental or funeral expenses.
Residents with losses should first file a claim with their insurance provider, FEMA said. They may then apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA mobile app or by calling 800-621-3362. People who use a relay service should give FEMA the number for that service when applying.
FEMA also said assistance may include low-interest loans for uninsured property losses and other recovery programs. Approval of the declaration does not guarantee that every applicant or expense will qualify; assistance is based on eligibility and documented disaster-related losses.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced the decision after the Texas Division of Emergency Management appealed an earlier denial. “This brings essential financial assistance and services to eligible Texans in the 20 approved counties,” Abbott said in the state’s Oct. 30 announcement.
Before filing its appeal, Texas gathered additional damage information from affected communities. TDEM Chief Nim Kidd wrote that the state had received reports involving more than 3,700 homes and small businesses and validated damage to 2,944 properties, including 132 destroyed structures and 618 with major damage, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
The approval is especially significant for Hill Country and South Texas communities still facing displacement, repair costs and lost property months after the storms. Federal officials named Roland W. Jackson as the coordinating officer for recovery operations and said additional counties could be designated if further assessments support the request.
Texas also appealed for funding through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which supports projects intended to reduce damage from future disasters. That request remains pending, according to the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
Applicants should keep insurance letters, repair estimates, receipts, photographs and other records connected to their losses. FEMA warns that disaster survivors should not pay anyone to submit an application and should protect personal information from people claiming they can guarantee approval.
