AUSTIN — Today Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., released a new video on social media encouraging residents in communities impacted by recent severe weather to report damage to homes and businesses using the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s (TDEM) Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) survey. iSTAT surveys can be filled out in English and Spanish at damage.tdem.texas.gov.

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“Texas General Land Office stands ready to help our communities with housing recovery efforts, if federal funds are allocated,” said Commissioner Buckingham. “The GLO is monitoring the ongoing damage assessments and has prepositioned resources should federal funds be allocated for long-term disaster recovery in the coming months. Due to the federal process, our recovery and rebuilding efforts will not kick in until several months down the road – if federal funds are allocated. Damage assessments are critical in determining the state’s eligibility for various forms of federal disaster assistance from Small Business Administration loans to long-term housing assistance. Texans can report storm damage to homes and businesses using TDEM’s Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool.”

Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 29 Texas counties impacted by severe storms and flooding. The counties in the Governor’s declaration currently includes Baylor, Chambers, Dickens, Ellis, Freestone, Galveston, Grimes, Harris, Haskell, Hill, Hood, Hunt, Kaufman, Knox, Leon, Liberty, Limestone, Madison, McLennan, Montgomery, Navarro, Polk, San Jacinto, Somervell, Tarrant, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, and Wichita counties. However, more counties may be added to the disaster declaration pending additional damage reports. Damage assessments are critical in determining the state’s eligibility for various forms of federal disaster assistance.