The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $135 million in disaster recovery and hazard mitigation funding for five states, including Texas, just one day after news broke that the agency would not provide individual disaster assistance to Texans affected by the July 2026 floods.
FEMA announced the funding Thursday, Oct. 22, saying the money will support Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
The announcement comes as Texas flood survivors face uncertainty about financial help from the federal government. As KPRC 2 previously reported, FEMA decided against opening its Individual Assistance program to Texans affected by the July floods, which damaged homes and properties in Uvalde and Kerr counties.
Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Division of Emergency Management are reviewing the decision and the process for appealing it, according to the governor’s office.
Of the more than $135 million announced Thursday, more than $114.1 million will go toward Public Assistance projects. The program helps eligible state and local governments recover costs associated with disaster-related damage, including repairs to infrastructure, public buildings and roads.
Nearly $21 million will support hazard mitigation projects intended to reduce the risk of damage from future disasters.
In Texas, the newly announced funding includes nearly $644,000 for Kerr County to implement emergency measures following severe storms and winds. FEMA also approved more than $10.8 million for Hidalgo County to build a hurricane shelter, according to information about the funding announcement.
The funding is part of FEMA’s broader disaster recovery and mitigation efforts across the five-state region.
The newly announced grants do not mean FEMA has reversed its decision on individual assistance for Texans affected by the July 2026 floods.
Individual Assistance can help eligible disaster survivors pay for essential expenses, including temporary housing, making homes safe to live in and replacing certain personal belongings damaged by a disaster.
The decision not to open that program has left some residents in the Hill Country struggling to find money to repair their homes and recover from repeated flooding.
According to the Texas Tribune, which reported the decision for KPRC 2, local nonprofits and charitable organizations have been helping fill some of the gaps for families still recovering.
FEMA has said it evaluates disaster assistance requests based on several factors, including insurance coverage, the population affected, disaster-related unemployment and a state’s financial capacity.
The agency has also emphasized a shift toward having states take the lead in disaster response and recovery, with federal assistance provided when warranted.
Abbott’s office has said Texas will provide necessary resources to communities affected by the July storms and floods. The governor’s office is reviewing whether to appeal FEMA’s decision on individual assistance.
For now, the newly approved funding will support designated recovery and mitigation projects across the five states, while the question of additional federal assistance for individual Texas flood survivors remains unresolved.
