Following a series of storms that affected the Greater Houston area this spring and summer, federal support has hit more than $1.6 billion, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a Nov. 15 news release.

Nov. 17 will mark six months of recovery efforts at the state, local and federal levels since President Joe Biden made a major disaster declaration on May 17. The declaration made federal funds available in designated counties, both for individual assistance grants, and for public assistance for governments and some nonprofits.

Breaking it down

Funding from the two disaster declarations so far includes:

For May 17 disaster declaration for severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding:
  • Total individual assistance: $266.4 million
  • Public Assistance: $31.6 million (323 requests have been submitted for 1,069 projects)
  • SBA Disaster Loans: $138.07 million
  • National Flood Insurance Claims paid: $72.5 million
For July 9 disaster declaration for Hurricane Beryl:
  • Total Individual Assistance: $777.4 million
  • Public Assistance: $50 million (360 requests have been submitted for 1,169 projects)
  • SBA Disaster Loans: $385.4 million
  • National Flood Insurance Claims paid: $49.7 million
Some context


The funding available following a disaster declaration includes grants and other mechanisms for residents, businesses, governments and other entities.
  • FEMA Individual Assistance provides grants for needs such as temporary housing, home repairs and personal property losses.
  • U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loans can be used by homeowners, renters, private nonprofit organizations and businesses, according to FEMA.
  • FEMA Public Assistance provides funds to help repair and replace damaged infrastructure such as roads, bridges and community buildings, according to FEMA.
  • Hazard Mitigation Grants covering both disasters are estimated to exceed $175.6 million, assisting survivors with retrofitting, risk reduction, structural elevation and other mitigation improvements, according to FEMA.
The impact

Among other statistics shared by FEMA:
  • Around 57,045 survivors visited the 80 Disaster Recovery Centers FEMA opened.
  • About 410,000 homes and 10,000 community locations were visited by FEMA Disaster Assistance crews.
  • One million nights in hotel rooms were provided for households who could not safely inhabit their homes.
As of Nov. 15, FEMA officials said dozens of households were also preparing to move into FEMA Direct Housing units which allow the agency to pay a landlord directly while damaged homes are repaired.

Learn more

For more information about Texas disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4798.