FEMA Denies Individual Aid to Texans Hit by the July Floods. Abbott Is Weighing an Appeal
Families in Kerr County, Uvalde and across the Hill Country will not get FEMA individual assistance for July 2026 flood damage. The state is reviewing an appeal as Washington tells states to carry more of the load.
For some Hill Country families, July brought the water back for a second straight year. Now they have learned that federal help for their homes is not coming.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied Texas’ request for individual assistance after the July 2026 floods, which swamped homes in Uvalde and damaged properties across Kerr County, The Texas Tribune reported Wednesday. Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Division of Emergency Management are reviewing the decision and the process for appealing it, according to a statement from the governor’s office.
What individual assistance pays for
Individual assistance is the part of FEMA aid that goes to residents, not governments. Disaster recovery experts told the Tribune it is a critical way to cover short-term costs: making a house livable again, paying for a hotel or other temporary housing, and replacing lost belongings.
"FEMA individual assistance was the big thing people were counting on and looking towards to be able to help them rebuild in a significant way," said Allison Brim-Estelle, a field director with Rebuild, a national association for disaster survivors.
The denial does not touch every kind of federal help. Abbott announced in September that FEMA would help some local governments recover costs, the Tribune reported. A federal major disaster declaration for the July storm was approved for 23 counties on Sept. 1, according to a letter Abbott sent to the U.S. Treasury on Oct. 15.
Why FEMA said no
FEMA said it reviews requests closely, weighing factors including insurance coverage, other recent disasters, the profile of the population affected, disaster-related unemployment and the state’s fiscal capacity.
"FEMA remains focused on empowering states to take the lead on their community response and recovery activities and is dedicated to providing support when federal assistance is warranted," the agency said.
That fits a larger shift. The Trump administration has pushed states to play a bigger role in disaster recovery. FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton told a national emergency management conference Tuesday that states "must have the appropriate financial reserves" to start the recovery process, Politico reported, according to the Tribune.
Texas helped write that policy. TDEM Chief Nim Kidd and Abbott served on the FEMA Review Council that President Donald Trump assembled. The council’s May report said states and local governments need to lead disaster response rather than always relying on Washington.
Texas pays 2 percent of its own disaster bill
The numbers show what that shift could mean. Kidd told legislators last month that Texas pays only $37 million of the state’s budgeted $1.9 billion for emergency response in 2027, about 2 percent. Federal money covers the rest.
"With changes at the federal level, and some of the slowdown in reimbursements from the federal government, we will be in a place where we could find ourselves in a very different situation this time next year," Kidd said.
Kerr County, again
Kerr County was still rebuilding from the July 2025 flood, which killed more than 100 people, when storms struck again this July across a wide area. Leaders found less financial help and fewer volunteers the second time, and a much longer wait for FEMA, the Tribune reported.
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country said it has provided about $1.3 million in emergency financial assistance to 947 Hill Country households, plus temporary housing help for 58 households. "Families are continuing to recover without FEMA individual assistance, and philanthropy and local nonprofits are helping fill critical gaps," said Chief Executive Officer Austin Dickson.
Brim-Estelle said many survivors are crowded in with family or have left the area. Her group wants the state to create a disaster relief fund for individuals. "The bottom line is that Governor Abbott owes Texas families and flood survivors an explanation and a plan here," she said.
What the state is doing
Abbott’s spokesperson, Andrew Mahaleris, pointed to the governor’s Oct. 15 request to suspend federal tax deadlines and waive late fees, and a July 22 extension for SNAP recipients in some counties to apply to replace food lost in the floods. "Texas will deliver every necessary resource to communities impacted by the July storms and floods," Mahaleris said.
The tax request covers 62 counties. The 23 counties in the federal declaration are Bandera, Crockett, Dimmit, Edwards, Frio, Gillespie, Grimes, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, La Salle, Live Oak, Mason, Maverick, McMullen, Menard, Real, Schleicher, Sutton, Uvalde, Val Verde and Zavala. Abbott asked for relief in 39 more counties under the state’s own disaster declaration, including Bexar, Harris, Travis, Hays, Williamson, Comal and Galveston.
What families can do
Keep records. Save receipts, photos and repair estimates in case an appeal succeeds or other aid opens up. Ask your church, local long-term recovery groups and the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country what help is available. Watch for a Treasury decision on tax deadlines before you file or pay.
And look ahead. Flood insurance is a separate policy from homeowners coverage, and most policies have a waiting period, as our flood insurance explainer notes. If Washington expects states and families to carry more, the time to plan is before the next storm.
A fair question
There is a sound conservative case for states and communities leading their own recovery. Neighbors and churches often respond faster and better than a distant agency. But a policy shift should not land first on families who were flooded twice. If Texas wants to lead, it owes those families a plan, and soon.
