Houston Daily

Governor Greg Abbott has requested a disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for North Texas communities affected by severe weather earlier this month. The request, if approved, would enable federal assistance through disaster loans for Dallas County and its neighboring areas.

"This disaster declaration will be a critical step for Texans and communities in North Texas to recover and rebuild after extreme weather earlier this month," stated Governor Abbott. He added that the approval of SBA assistance would provide "crucial, low-interest loans" to those impacted in Dallas County and surrounding regions. Governor Abbott expressed gratitude towards the Texas Division of Emergency Management for collaborating with local officials to ensure Texans meet eligibility requirements for financial aid.

The potential SBA declaration aims to offer low-interest loans through its disaster programs to eligible residents whose properties were damaged or destroyed by tornadoes, thunderstorms, and straight-line winds.

This request follows an assessment conducted by local, state, and federal officials on the damage sustained in affected areas. The analysis confirmed that Dallas County meets the federally-required criteria for SBA assistance. Officials also evaluated disaster damage reports submitted by residents via the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) surveys.

Governor Abbott is actively working to provide resources to support communities impacted by early March's severe weather. Actions include requesting SBA officials to join state and local partners in conducting joint preliminary damage assessments in North Texas, activating the State Operations Center ahead of severe weather threats in North and East Texas, and deploying state emergency response resources before such threats arise.