Houston Daily

Governor Greg Abbott has formally requested a disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for several Texas counties affected by severe flooding over the July 4th weekend. The request covers Coke, Concho, Kendall, Mason, and Sutton counties.

"Texas continues to support communities and Texans who are working to recover from the devastating floods that took place over the Fourth of July weekend," said Governor Abbott. "Today, I requested additional federal assistance to ensure that families and businesses in these affected areas have access to the support they need. Texas will continue to provide all necessary resources to help Texans recover and rebuild."

If approved, the SBA disaster declaration would make homeowners, renters, and businesses in those areas eligible for low-interest loans through programs such as Home Disaster Loans, Business Physical Disaster Loans, and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL).

The governor’s office has been active in seeking various forms of aid since the flooding began. Measures taken include extending disaster unemployment assistance for survivors and securing an extension of FEMA Individual Assistance registration deadlines for those impacted by floods.

Other actions involve distributing relief funds with organizations like Vaqueros del Mar Texas Flood Relief Fund and Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country—efforts that have resulted in more than $40 million allocated toward long-term flood recovery initiatives.

Abbott’s administration has also coordinated requests for federal disaster assistance at multiple levels: obtaining approval for Uvalde County's inclusion in presidential declarations; adding additional counties to major disaster lists; announcing eligibility for SNAP replacement benefits; updating state declarations as new areas report damage; providing grants to local hospitals affected by flooding; launching emotional support services for flood victims; deploying emergency response teams ahead of severe weather threats; and maintaining regular communication with both residents and first responders throughout ongoing recovery operations.

The cumulative approach aims to maximize available resources as communities work toward rebuilding after significant losses caused by summer flooding across Central and West Texas.