FEMA facing $1.3B budget shortfall due to damaging weather in Houston and across US

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — It’s not your imagination. This year, the Houston area and the country have seen a significant amount of damaging severe weather.

In fact, there have been so many weather emergencies that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is already nearing the depletion of its funds.

With hurricane season just beginning, typically the most hazardous time of year for weather events on the Gulf Coast, FEMA is facing a financial crunch. According to the agency’s latest report to Congress, the major disaster relief fund could encounter a shortfall of more than $1.3 billion by August. This report doesn’t even account for the severe weather events in the second half of May. Meanwhile, claims continue to pour in from Houston and other affected regions across the country.

“FEMA continues to work with the Administration and Congress to ensure sufficient funding is available. Without additional funding, FEMA will take steps before funds are exhausted to ensure resources are available for ongoing lifesaving and life-sustaining activities, and to provide a reserve for initial response and recovery operations for a new catastrophic event,” a FEMA spokesperson explained.

Experts advise that if you don’t have flood insurance, now is the time to get it. It takes 30 days for the coverage to become active and it is far more reliable than federal aid.

“The average flood insurance payout for Hurricane Harvey was about $116,000. In contrast, the average disaster assistance check was just over $4,400,” said Gilbert Giron, the FEMA Regional Flood Insurance Liaison for the Houston area. “As you can imagine, if your home is flooded with three or four feet of water, $4,000 is not going to be sufficient to help you get back on your feet.”