Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has asked the U.S. Small Business Administration for a disaster declaration covering El Paso County, a move aimed at unlocking federal help for residents and businesses still cleaning up after late-October storms and flooding. The request, made as recovery efforts continue, would open the door to low-interest federal disaster loans if approved, though that approval has not yet come through.
What Abbott's Request Could Mean For Flood Victims
According to CW39 Houston, Abbott said Texas would support families and businesses impacted by the storms and flooding, and that his request would help eligible Texans access low-interest disaster loans to rebuild homes, businesses and communities. If the SBA grants the declaration, eligible borrowers would include homeowners, renters, businesses and private nonprofit organizations, with the loans intended to help cover the costs of repairing damaged property and rebuilding. For now, federal assistance through the SBA remains pending approval, per the same outlet's reporting.
The request follows weeks of assessment work by local, state and federal officials, who have been evaluating damage across communities hit by the flooding. El Paso County currently has a state disaster declaration in effect, which allows state resources to support local recovery efforts separate from any federal determination.
Damage Assessments Still Underway Weeks After Flooding Hit
The flooding traces back to late October, when heavy rain near Horizon City caused extensive water damage, power outages and road closures, with evacuations following on October 26, according to the El Paso Times. An October 27 update from KVIA put the toll at that point at 34 homes affected, with 11 homes evacuated and 10 under shelter-in-place orders. Later reporting described a larger scope: the El Paso Times reported that county officials said more than 190 homes were impacted by the flooding, while CBS4Local cited reports indicating 190 homes were damaged across areas including Horizon City and parts of West El Paso. The two figures differ in wording, and it is not clear whether they describe the same count using different terms.
El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego issued a local disaster declaration on October 27, and Abbott followed with the state disaster declaration on October 29, per CBS4Local's reporting. Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd said the ongoing assessments would help determine whether the state meets the thresholds for federal disaster assistance, the station reported, after TDEM said it had asked the SBA to join state and local partners in conducting preliminary damage assessments.
How Residents Can Report Storm Damage
TDEM is encouraging residents and business owners to report storm damage through its iSTAT tool, short for the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool. Affected Texans are urged to report damage to homes and businesses using the iSTAT damage survey at damage.tdem.texas.gov when it is safe to do so, the agency said in comments reported by the El Paso Times. Officials use those damage reports to evaluate the extent of the damage and identify additional recovery needs.
CBS4Local has reported that the county's immediate-assistance process runs separately from the state assessment, which focuses specifically on documenting physical damage to homes and property. Residents and business owners can submit damage reports through the state's assessment portal, giving officials a clearer picture as they work toward a federal determination.
Should the SBA approve Abbott's request, the agency's own guidance states that small businesses, homeowners, renters and nonprofits in declared disaster zones can apply for low-interest disaster loans to cover physical damage or economic injury, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. No confirmation of that approval has been reported, leaving El Paso County residents in a holding pattern as assessments continue.
