Rich Paces Urges President Trump to Approve FEMA Individual Assistance for Kerr County

News / Flood Recovery

Following the approval of federal Public Assistance for Kerr County, Commissioner Rich Paces is asking President Trump to authorize FEMA Individual Assistance for residents and businesses devastated by the July 2026 flood.

On September 8, 2026, Kerr County Commissioner Rich Paces sent a follow-up letter to President Donald J. Trump asking him to amend the Major Disaster Declaration for Texas and authorize FEMA Individual Assistance for Kerr County.

President Trump approved a Major Disaster Declaration on September 3 covering 19 Texas counties, including Kerr County. That approval makes federal Public Assistance available for eligible emergency work and the repair or replacement of damaged public facilities and infrastructure.

However, FEMA Individual Assistance for Kerr County remains pending, along with additional Hazard Mitigation Grant Program resources requested by Governor Greg Abbott.

Individual Assistance could help eligible flood-affected residents with temporary housing, emergency home repairs, and certain uninsured or underinsured disaster losses.

The Damage Reported in Kerr County Is Extensive

• 966 households reported flood damage through the State of Texas iSTAT system as of August 17.
• 223 homes sustained major damage or were destroyed.
• 123 businesses were affected.
• 25 businesses sustained major damage or were destroyed.
• Additional outreach identified approximately 1,166 affected households.

Many Kerr County families and businesses were still recovering from the devastating 2025 flood when the July 2026 flood struck. Homes have again been damaged by water, mud, debris, and mold. Local charities and volunteers are helping, but available resources are limited.

In his letter, Commissioner Paces thanked President Trump for approving Public Assistance and urged him to approve direct assistance for affected residents.

“Kerr County does not have the resources to recover from a second major disaster in just over a year, and our affected residents urgently need direct assistance,” Paces wrote.

The letter was copied to Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, Representative Chip Roy, and Governor Greg Abbott.

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— Rich Paces, Kerr County Commissioner, Precinct 2