Biden approves major disaster declaration in Texas

AUSTIN, Texas - President Joe Biden has partially approved a major disaster declaration in Texas, says Gov. Greg Abbott.

Abbott says that while he requested individual assistance and public assistance for all 254 Texas counties, the Biden administration approved individual assistance for 77 counties and public assistance in all 254 counties.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster, says the White House.

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The following counties were approved for individual assistance:

Angelina
Aransas
Bastrop
Bee
Bell
Bexar
Blanco
Brazoria
Brazos
Brown
Burleson
Caldwell
Calhoun
Cameron
Chambers
Collin
Comal
Comanche
Cooke
Coryell
Dallas
Denton
DeWitt
Ellis
Falls
Fort Bend
Galveston
Gillespie
Grimes
Guadalupe
Hardin
Harris
Hays
Henderson
Hidalgo
Hood
Jasper
Jefferson
Johnson
Kaufman
Kendall
Lavaca
Liberty,
Madison
Matagorda
Maverick
McLennan
Montague
Montgomery
Nacogdoches
Nueces
Orange
Palo Pinto
Panola
Parker
Polk
Rockwall
Sabine
San Jacinto
San Patricio
Scurry
Shelby
Smith
Stephens
Tarrant
Travis
Tyler
Upshur
Van Zandt
Victoria
Walker
Waller
Wharton
Wichita
Williamson
Wilson
Wise

FEMA also released information for applying for disaster assistance.

FEMA says those who have insurance and are applying for disaster assistance must also file a claim with their insurance company as soon as possible. By law, FEMA says it cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. If insurance does not cover all the damage, you may be eligible for federal assistance.

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The fastest and easiest way to apply is by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov.

If it is not possible to register online, those seeking assistance should call 800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585). The toll-free telephone lines operate from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT, seven days a week. Those who use a relay service such as a videophone, Innocaption, or CapTel should update FEMA with their specific number assigned to that service.

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Those applying for assistance should have the following information readily available:

A current phone number where you can be contacted
Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
Your Social Security number, if available
A general list of damage and losses
If insured, the insurance policy number, or the agent and company name

If it is safe to do so, Texas can start cleaning up now, but FEMA says to take photos to document the damage. Residents should begin cleanup and repairs to prevent further damage and remember to keep receipts from all purchases related to the cleanup and repair.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available to businesses, homeowners, and renters. Call the SBA at 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 800-877-8339) or visit www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.