FEMA Individual Assistance Approved for 20 Texas Counties After the July Storms and Flooding

The federal government has approved Texas' appeal for FEMA Individual Assistance after the severe storms and flooding that struck the state in July, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday — opening direct federal help to individual Texans in 20 counties, months after the water came through.

"President Trump has approved Texas' appeal for FEMA Individual Assistance after the July storms and flooding," Abbott said in the announcement. "This brings essential financial assistance and services to eligible Texans in the 20 approved counties." The appeal was submitted by the state through the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

The 20 approved counties are Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Crockett, Dimmit, Frio, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, La Salle, Maverick, Medina, Real, Schleicher, Sutton, Uvalde, Val Verde and Zavala. The program covers disaster-related expenses including temporary housing, emergency home repairs, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, disaster legal services, disaster unemployment assistance, and medical, dental and funeral expenses caused by the disaster.

Before Friday's approval, the federal package for the July flooding had covered public costs — debris removal, rescue efforts and rebuilding damaged infrastructure — rather than assistance to individual households. A separate state appeal for Hazard Mitigation grant program funding remains pending, the governor's office said.

Texans in the approved counties can apply for disaster assistance online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362.