Governor Greg Abbott announced today that he requested a disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for North Texas communities impacted by tornadoes, thunderstorms, and damaging straight-line winds that occurred earlier this month. If approved, the SBA declaration would make federal assistance available through disaster loans for Dallas County and its contiguous counties.
“This disaster declaration will be a critical step for Texans and communities in North Texas to recover and rebuild after extreme weather earlier this month,” said Governor Abbott. “The approval of this SBA assistance will help impacted Texans in Dallas County and surrounding areas access crucial, low-interest loans. I thank the Texas Division of Emergency Management for partnering with local officials to ensure Texans meet the eligibility requirements for additional financial assistance. Texas continues working to provide all available resources needed to help Texans recover and rebuild.”
If the request from Texas is approved, the SBA would provide low-interest loans through its disaster programs to qualifying Texans whose homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed by severe weather, including but not limited to, tornadoes, thunderstorms, and straight-line winds.
Governor Abbott’s request follows an analysis of the damage sustained in impacted communities, conducted by local, state, and federal officials. The analysis verifies that Dallas County meets the federally-required thresholds for SBA assistance. Officials also reviewed disaster damage details provided by Texans through the self-reporting Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) surveys.
Governor Abbott continues to take action to provide all available resources to help support local communities impacted by early March severe weather, including:
• Requesting officials from the SBA join state and local partners to conduct joint preliminary damage assessments in North Texas communities impacted by recent severe weather.
• Activating the State Operations Center in advance of severe weather threats to North and East Texas.
• Activating state emergency response resources ahead of severe weather threats and critical fire weather conditions.
