Houston Daily

Governor Greg Abbott has requested a disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for South Texas communities affected by severe storms earlier this month. If approved, this declaration will enable federal assistance through disaster loans for Jim Wells County and its neighboring counties.

"Today, I requested a disaster declaration for Texans in Jim Wells County whose homes or businesses were damaged by recent severe storms," said Governor Abbott. "Approval of this declaration will provide access to low-interest loans to help Texans rebuild their communities. As Jim Wells County and surrounding areas begin to recover, I urge Texans to report any damage to their homes or businesses through the iSTAT damage surveys."

Should the request be granted, the SBA would offer low-interest loans through disaster programs to eligible Texans whose properties were damaged during the severe weather events, which included tornadoes, thunderstorms, and straight-line winds.

The request from Governor Abbott comes after an analysis of the damage conducted by local, state, and federal officials. This analysis confirmed that Jim Wells County meets the federally required thresholds for SBA assistance. The review also included details of disaster damage reported by residents through the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) surveys.

Governor Abbott is actively working to provide resources for local communities impacted by these severe storms. His efforts include requesting joint preliminary damage assessments from local, state, and federal partners and activating state emergency response resources ahead of potential severe weather threats.