After severe weather caused extensive damage and flooding in the Greater Houston area and surrounding counties since April 26, nearly 24,000 individual assistance applications have been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Texas disaster survivors who applied for federal assistance.

A total of nearly $44 million in federal funding will go toward individuals and households for disaster survivors who applied for assistance, according to May 30 numbers on the agency's disaster declaration report.

The background

On May 2, areas north of Lake Conroe received up to 15 inches of rain overnight, according to the Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The San Jacinto River Authority announced the amount of water being released from Lake Conroe on May 2 nearly tripled to 30,045 cubic feet per second as lake levels sit at 203.3 feet. For comparison, the normal max level of Lake Conroe is 201 feet. Flash flooding also occurred in Montgomery County and parts of Harris County, while school districts across the north Houston area canceled after-school activities and announced closures on May 3.

On May 16, severe thunderstorms hit the Houston area with wind gusts up to 80 mph. The winds pummeled downtown Houston and left some building windows broken, with glass and trees scattered across the streets. By May 17, President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration for Texas, according to a news release.

Just four days after, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell visited Texas on May 21 after debris recovery efforts were underway throughout Harris and Montgomery counties to handle the various neighborhoods needing cleanup after the May 16 storm. Criswell visited the Northwest Houston Apartment Complex in Harris County's Spring Branch neighborhood where broken glass, damaged vehicles and shattered metal parking covers were scattered around the complex's concrete.



Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones said the most immediate message to anyone affected was this: "Apply for FEMA assistance as soon as possible."

What residents should know

According to a news release from FEMA, the individual assistance is for renters and homeowners who experienced damage as a result of any of the flooding or storm winds. The programs available include grants for:
  • Temporary housing
  • Home repairs
  • Low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses
  • Serious needs assistance (a one-time $750 payment per household)
To receive assistance, individuals must file a FEMA claim through one of three ways:
  • File a claim online at www.disasterassistance.gov.
  • Download and file through the FEMA App for mobile devices.
  • Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m and 10 p.m.
For Spanish-speaking residents, the FEMA helpline also provides assistance in Spanish.


Jessica Shorten and Lizzy Spangler contributed to this report.