Texas Governor Greg Abbott requested a disaster relief declaration for the North Texas communities impacted by major August flooding. Abbott made the request to the U.S. Small Business Administration on September 13, according to a press release from the governor’s office. If the designation is approved, Dallas, Collin, Tarrant, Denton, Kaufman, Rockwall, and Ellis Counties will be able to receive federal assistance.
The North Texas flooding was caused by unusually heavy rainfall in the area, which the National Weather Service said broke several records at DFW Airport, WFAA reported. One of the buildings damaged was the Dallas Firefighters Museum, which saw 18 inches of water flood the building. More than 8,000 Dallas County residents also lost power during the storms. Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to 94 water rescues.
This assistance can be used to address flood damage, the press release states.
“I respectfully request the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) make a disaster declaration to provide SBA Disaster Loans for Dallas County in response to severe storms and flooding that occurred on August 22, 2022, through August 25, 2022,” Abbott’s letter said. “The severe storms and flooding damaged many homes and businesses in Dallas County, creating an economic emergency for the residents of the county. The SBA should declare Dallas County a disaster area so that affected citizens and businesses can access long-term, low-interest loans to cope with economic injury and physical damage to homes and businesses.”
Local officials in affected counties had damage assessments to determine the exact kind of assistance needed, according to Abbott. Assessments done in Dallas County show it meets the thresholds required for SBA assistance.
The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) was asked last week to discuss the eligibility of North Texas counties to receive aid, according to a September 7 press release. State and local officials used the State of Texas Individual Assessment Tool (iSTAT) to assess damage before finding it sufficient enough to warrant a declaration.
Residents were also asked to submit information about their own property through the tool.
“The State of Texas thanks all North Texas residents impacted by the August flooding event who submitted damage information through the self-reporting damage surveys,” Abbott said on September 7. “This information has helped local and state officials determine eligibility for federal assistance, and we are working swiftly to help Texans and ensure our communities are provided with all resources available at the state and federal level to recover.”
Over 1,200 submissions were made through iSTAT.
“On September 9, 2022, a joint preliminary damage assessment was conducted by local officials, the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), and SBA to determine the extent and type of disaster assistance necessary to assist with recovery efforts. The damage survey indicates that at least 47 total homes and businesses in Dallas County sustained major damages and suffered an uninsured loss of more than 40 percent,” the governor’s letter reads.
If Abbott’s request is approved, the SBA would provide long-term, low-interest rate loans to eligible Texans who experienced damage to their business or home.
