Governor Greg Abbott has requested a rural area disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in response to severe flooding that occurred over the July 4th weekend in Texas. The request includes the counties of Coke, Concho, Kendall, Mason, and Sutton.
“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, this declaration would allow residents and business owners in the specified counties to apply for SBA Home Disaster Loans, Business Physical Disaster Loans, and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). These programs offer low-interest loans for homeowners, renters, and businesses impacted by the recent flooding.
Governor Abbott’s office has taken several steps since July to address flood recovery efforts across Texas. Actions include extending disaster unemployment assistance for survivors, securing an extension for FEMA Individual Assistance registration periods for those affected by flooding, presenting relief checks with the Vaqueros del Mar Texas Flood Relief Fund to families in Hill Country, and announcing more than $40 million in long-term relief funding alongside the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country.
Other measures have involved requesting additional counties be added to federal disaster declarations and providing updates on state emergency responses as conditions evolved. Governor Abbott has also visited impacted areas with officials such as President Trump and General Steven Nordhaus during recovery operations.
Additional initiatives include launching an emotional support line for those affected by flooding, announcing SNAP replacement benefits eligibility for impacted counties, deploying emergency resources before forecasted rainfall events, and providing grant funding to hospitals affected by floods.
The governor’s request is part of ongoing efforts aimed at supporting local communities as they recover from flood-related damages.
