Texas flood victims hoping for direct federal help got hard news this month. According to a Sept. 28 letter obtained by Spectrum News, FEMA denied the state’s request for individual assistance and statewide hazard mitigation for 2026 flood survivors. Individual assistance is the funding that reaches households directly. Without it, families still living out of damaged homes are left to rebuild with little to no federal support.

Gov. Greg Abbott’s office and the Texas Department of Emergency Management say they’re reviewing the determination and the appeals process. That deadline is Oct. 28, so the window is nearly closed. The state points to steps it has already taken: a disaster declaration, extended SNAP replacement benefits, a federal tax relief request, and Public Assistance approval for 23 counties. But Public Assistance funds infrastructure, not the personal losses families are still living with.

Locally, the need is easy to see. Homes in flooded neighborhoods still sit half-finished, and residents say they have no money or guidance left to finish the work. The governor’s press secretary has said the state is reviewing its options. We’ll keep following whether an appeal is filed before the deadline. Have you or a neighbor been affected by this year’s floods? Tell us what you’re hearing at the station.