SAN ANTONIO — Kerr County residents affected by July’s severe flooding are asking U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz to help secure federal Individual Assistance funding they say is needed to repair and rebuild damaged homes.
Members of the Kerr County Organizing Committee were scheduled to visit Cruz’s San Antonio office Wednesday, according to a news release from the group. The residents are urging the senator to advocate for approval of FEMA Individual Assistance, which can help eligible households with disaster-related expenses.
The committee said 384 homes in Kerr County were destroyed or sustained major damage in the floods. Sherri Chatfield, a member of the organization, said many residents are facing mounting bills and do not have insurance that covers the damage.
For families in Kerr County who either lost their homes or can’t live in them due to flood damage, Individual Assistance is the missing piece,” Chatfield said in the release. “So many members of our community are in dire need of essential home repairs. They are watching the bills mount up, and do not have insurance that will cover the damage. We are calling on Senator Cruz to use the power of his office to advocate for his constituents who have nowhere else to turn.
The federal government has approved FEMA Public Assistance for Kerr County and 18 other Texas counties affected by the July storms and flooding. That program helps eligible public entities with emergency work and repair or replacement of damaged facilities. Individual Assistance, which is intended to support eligible residents and households, has not been approved for the county, according to state and federal information. Texas Governor’s Office | FEMA
The visit comes before a planned trip to Washington, D.C., later this month, where members of the group say 2025 and 2026 flood survivors will meet with congressional offices. They plan to press for FEMA Individual Assistance and Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery funding.