FEMA denies aid to individual Texans hit by July floods, and the governor's office is weighing an appeal

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has turned down Texas' request for aid to individual residents hurt by the July 2026 floods, which damaged homes in Uvalde and across Kerr County, The Texas Tribune reported Wednesday.

Gov. Greg Abbott's office said in a statement that the governor and the Texas Division of Emergency Management are reviewing the decision and the process for appealing it.

FEMA's individual assistance program helps households with short-term costs after a disaster, such as repairs to make a home livable, hotel stays or other temporary housing, and replacing lost belongings, disaster recovery experts told the Tribune. A separate decision Abbott announced in September will let FEMA help some local governments recover their costs from the storms.

FEMA points to the states

In a statement, FEMA said it weighs requests closely, looking at insurance coverage, other recent disasters, the makeup of the affected population, disaster-related job losses and the state's ability to pay. The agency said it "remains focused on empowering states to take the lead" on recovery while supporting them when federal help is warranted.

The Trump administration has been pushing states to carry more of the load. FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton told a national emergency managers' conference Tuesday that states "must have the appropriate financial reserves" to start recovery after a disaster, Politico reported. Abbott and TDEM Chief Nim Kidd both served on the FEMA Review Council, whose May report said state and local governments should lead disaster response.

Kidd warned legislators at a hearing last month that the state would have to change how it pays for recovery. Of the $1.9 billion Texas has budgeted for emergency response in 2027, the state itself covers $37 million, or about 2%, he said.

Who is filling the gap

In Kerr County, where residents were still rebuilding from the deadly July 2025 flood when the 2026 storms hit, nonprofits have stepped in. The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country said last week it has provided about $1.3 million in emergency financial help to 947 households and temporary housing help to 58.

Allison Brim-Estelle, a field director with the disaster survivors' group Rebuild, said individual assistance was what many families had been counting on. Her group wants the state to create a relief fund for individuals. "Governor Abbott owes Texas families and flood survivors an explanation and a plan here," she said.

Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris pointed to the governor's Oct. 15 request to suspend federal tax deadlines and waive late fees for people and businesses affected by the floods, and a July extension that gave some SNAP recipients more time to apply for replacement of food lost in the storms.

"Texas will deliver every necessary resource to communities impacted by the July storms and floods," he said.

Sources

The Texas Tribune