Overview
- In a Sept. 28 letter, FEMA said damage in Atascosa, Bexar, Blanco, Brewster, Comal, Kerr, Medina, Terrell, Uvalde and Wilson counties did not meet the threshold for Public Assistance and denied the state's request for statewide Individual Assistance and hazard mitigation funds.
- President Trump had already approved a major disaster declaration that made Public Assistance available for 23 of the 30 counties Gov. Abbott requested after the mid‑July storms and floods.
- The state has 30 days from the Sept. 28 letter to file appeals and Governor Abbott’s office and the Texas Division of Emergency Management are reviewing FEMA’s determinations and the appeals process.
- Local officials and recovery groups say the rulings create immediate funding gaps for road and bridge repairs and for residents who need temporary housing and home repairs, with some communities reporting hundreds of damaged homes and urgent unmet needs.
- Public Assistance reimburses local governments for infrastructure work, Individual Assistance helps residents with housing and personal losses, and hazard mitigation pays for projects to reduce future risk, so the denials shift more cost and planning burden to state, county, nonprofit and private sources and could slow repairs and recovery.