Governor Greg Abbott (R) announced today that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved his request for a disaster declaration for several Northeast Texas counties hit by severe storms and tornadoes earlier this month. The declaration includes Bowie, Camp, Cass, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus, and Upshur counties.
“The State of Texas continues to work to provide Northeast Texans with the necessary resources to recover from recent tornadoes and severe weather,” said Governor Abbott in a statement. “With this approval, impacted Texans will be able to qualify for low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration so they can begin to rebuild their homes and businesses that sustained storm damage.”
The SBA disaster assistance includes access to Home Disaster Loans, Business Physical Disaster Loans, and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). These programs provide low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, and businesses to help repair or replace damaged property and recover from economic losses.
To support the recovery effort on the ground, the SBA will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center in Daingerfield, located at the Morris County Collaborative to operate on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., offering in-person assistance with loan applications and guidance on the disaster relief process.
Governor Abbott praised the Texas Division of Emergency Management for working closely with federal agencies to secure assistance for storm-impacted communities.
“I thank the Texas Division of Emergency Management for working with our federal partners to ensure Texans have the resources and assistance to recover from these storms,” Abbott said.
This action is part of a broader state response to the recent weather disasters. In addition to requesting the SBA declaration, Governor Abbott also activated state emergency response resources ahead of the severe weather and coordinated damage assessments across local, state, and federal levels.
“Texans are resilient,” Abbott added, “and we will continue to stand with them every step of the way.”
With the SBA aid now available, affected residents and business owners have more tools to begin their recovery.
