KERR COUNTY, Texas — President Donald Trump says more federal relief will be made available for communities affected by this summer’s Hill Country flooding, as Texas appeals the denial of assistance for individuals and families.
Trump made the announcement Tuesday during a campaign rally in Corpus Christi. He said the additional relief was being made available at the request of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
President Donald Trump says more federal relief will be made available for communities affected by this summer’s Hill Country flooding, as Texas appeals the denial of assistance for individuals and families. (SBG San Antonio)
“I will be making available more FEMA relief funds from this year’s floods in Texas Hill Country,” Trump said. “So we’ll work that out on Monday.”
It remains unclear how much additional money will be available, which communities will qualify or whether the relief will include individual assistance.
The Texas Division of Emergency Management appealed FEMA’s denial of individual assistance on Tuesday. The state is seeking reconsideration for 20 counties, including Bexar, Kerr and Uvalde. Individual assistance can help eligible people with needs such as temporary housing and home repairs.
In its appeal, the state said 21 homes were destroyed and 242 sustained major damage in Kerr County. In Uvalde County, the state reported four homes destroyed and 171 with major damage.
FEMA has already approved public assistance for some counties to help cover emergency work and repair or replacement of disaster-damaged public facilities. That assistance is separate from aid to individual households.
Claudia Limon, who lives in Kerrville, said Town Creek rose near her home while her mother was recovering from surgery. Limon said her family was safe, but her property was damaged and she remains concerned about neighbors whose homes were destroyed.
“It hurts me a lot because I can sleep in a bed, and they can’t. And then I live in a home that I can call home, and they’re don’t,” Limon said.
Kylie Nidever, a flood survivor in Hunt, said she questions the timing of Trump’s announcement, which came days before the Nov. 3 election.
“We’ve been waiting three months for help, for FEMA to show up,” Nidever said.
Texas is also appealing FEMA’s denial of separate hazard mitigation funding. In its appeal, the state said the funding could help communities address gaps in flood warning systems and reduce damage from future disasters.
Separately, the Internal Revenue Service has postponed certain federal tax filing and payment deadlines until Feb. 1, 2027, for eligible taxpayers in 62 Texas counties affected by the July storms. Those counties include Bexar, Kerr and Uvalde.