TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — Months after the July 2025 floods tore through areas along Sandy and Cow creeks in northwest Travis County, some residents who applied for recovery help say they are still looking for answers about where the money went and how decisions were made.

The Travis County Cares Fund was created after the floods in collaboration with Travis County and is administered by the Central Texas Community Foundation to help residents recover after many lost significant property in the storms. Central Texas Community Foundation Executive Director Amy Merida described the effort as neighbors helping neighbors, saying, “It’s just the beauty of community coming together to take care of our neighbors.”

Merida said $6.1 million has been distributed in Travis County through the fund, reaching about 200 families.

But some flood victims say the assistance they received did not match the scale of their losses, and others say they never got a response after applying.

John Bothne, a recipient, said his property losses were extensive. “My total loss on my property was approximately $200,000,” Bothne said. He said he, however, received about $78,000. “And I’m not trying to get any more. I’m just trying to figure out where you’re doing your evaluations on this. How are you coming to these figures?” he said.

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Merida says those calculations were done by Texas Mutual Insurance. “They are the big brains. They have AI, they have technology, they have research, they know Central Texas, and they look at loss data all the time.”

Merida says the main driver was, “ultimately, what we’re looking at is what is someone’s ability to get out of this hole? And we wish we could have given total loss numbers to everyone that was impacted.”

Bothne also said he has heard from others who applied and did not receive money and never heard back from them about why.

Merida said of some applicants, “they may have applied and not completed the application, not provided data, not submitted the right materials.” Of others, she said they may have had losses, but they also might have lived outside the geographic footprint eligible for Travis County Cares funds.

Merida acknowledged the process has not been perfect, adding, “We do recognize that there may be one or two that were in real need that just simply could not provide.”

Travis County was contacted for an interview, but no response had been received.