HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Two days after Hurricane Beryl devastated parts of southeast Texas, residents are struggling to rebuild and are hoping for financial assistance from FEMA.
Sandra Edwards, a resident of Houston’s Fifth Ward, is facing a dire situation. Her house sustained roof damage from a derecho in May, and she lacks the funds to repair it. Beryl has now worsened the damage.
“I’m very tired. I can’t take another storm. I’m staying in a home that’s falling apart limb by limb, nail by nail, panel by panel,” Edwards said. “My living room had a swimming pool in it. The water came up to the bottom of my floors. I’m concerned about getting mold again because that’s what happened during Hurricane Harvey.”
Ron Hale is in a similar predicament. He doesn’t have the means to repair the fence on the side of his house in northwest Houston, which was damaged when a tree snapped in his yard during May’s derecho. The damage lifted the back room of his house, causing it to start detaching. Beryl has now added more damage to both the front and back ends of his home.
“I’m completely overwhelmed trying to keep my stress levels down. I have nerve damage, and being on disability, it’s just been a nightmare,” Hale said. “We have two dogs and security cameras, but that’s not going to stop somebody from coming in. It’s every day that someone stops to take pictures, and one day, it could be someone who decides to steal from me.”
Both Edwards and Hale applied for FEMA funding in May to repair their property damage but were denied because their homes were not deemed unsafe to live in. They are currently in the appeals process for the derecho and plan to apply for funds if they become available for Beryl.
Although President Biden approved Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s request to declare Beryl a federal emergency disaster for Texas, a FEMA spokesperson told ABC13 that the declaration only covers public assistance, such as debris clean-up for local governments. Patrick must submit a separate declaration for individual financial assistance. Once that declaration is made, FEMA said survivors can apply immediately.
According to FEMA, the earliest someone could receive funding after applying is five business days, provided all required paperwork and documentation are submitted. If an inspection is needed, it could take weeks or months.
“It’s a timeline that feels incredibly disheartening for people like Hale.
“I’m just kind of in a real tough spot, and it really sucks that the help that we need isn’t coming as fast as it should,” he said. “I’m playing a waiting game, and the waiting game is not paying off.”
