Help Is Available After the July 4th Hill Country Flood — And You Can Help, Too

Lone Star Legal Aid stands in solidarity with Texans in the aftermath of the Kerr County flash floods, and are ready to help.

On July 4, 2025, a catastrophic flash flood struck the Texas Hill Country—especially along the Guadalupe River—resulting in more than 119 confirmed deaths and many more missing. The loss of life has been the most heartbreaking outcome of this disaster. 

If You Were Affected and Need Legal Help

Although the floods affected the Hill Country, many families impacted had visited from elsewhere in Texas and have since returned home. Your current location determines which legal aid can help you:

• South or West Texas (Serves 68 counties, including  floods federally-declared in Kerr County and state-declared Bandera, Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Comal, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, Mason, Reeves, Travis, and Williamson counties) → Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA)
• Southeast/Central Texas (Serves 72 counties in Texas and 4 counties in Arkansas)→ Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA)
• North Texas or Panhandle (Serves 114 counties, including the state-declared Coke, Concho, McCulloch, Menard, San Saba, and Tom Green Counties)→ Legal Aid of Northwest Texas (LANWT)

If you’re uncertain which legal aid is in your area, please call the State Bar of Texas’s toll-free hotline at 800-504-7030 to be connected with the legal aid provider for your area. 

We can assist with:

• FEMA applications and appeals (including funeral expenses)
• Insurance claims
• Housing disputes
• Replacement of vital documents
• Probate 
• Public benefits applications and issues caused by charitable donations

If You’ve Lost a Loved One

We extend our deepest condolences to everyone grieving the loss of a loved one due to the devastating flooding in the Hill Country. No words can truly ease the pain of such a loss, but please know that help is available to support you during this tough time.

FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program, part of the Individuals & Households Program (IHP), may be able to help cover funeral and burial expenses for immediate family members lost as a result of this federally declared disaster. This assistance can help with costs such as:

• Caskets or urns
• Mortuary and handling services
• Transportation of remains
• Burial plots or cremation/interment
• Death certificates
• Funeral or memorial services

To apply for assistance, FEMA will ask for specific documentation, including a death certificate, receipts for funeral-related expenses, proof that you are the next of kin, and confirmation that other sources haven’t fully paid these costs.

As of July 9, 2025, FEMA is providing individual assistance to all eligible individuals affected in Kerr County, including non-residents (survivors out of state or residing in another county in Texas) who were present during the disaster.

We know this may feel overwhelming; you don’t have to go through it alone. Legal aid is available at no cost to help guide you through the application and appeal process, answer your questions, and ensure your rights are protected. Please reach out — we are here to support you.

Lawyers & Volunteers: How to Help

• Pro bono attorneys: You can help survivors from any region, in the Hill Country or your home area.
  • Sign up with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid for local cases in hard-hit counties.
  • Sign up with Lone Star Legal Aid or Legal Aid of Northwest Texas for clients statewide.
  • Visit Texas Disaster Legal Help for training, statewide case updates, and referrals across programs.
    • Upcoming Training: Legal Response After Disaster: Assisting Survivors of the Hill Country Floods  on Monday, July 21st, 12p-1p central. Severe flooding over the July 4th weekend devastated communities across the Texas Hill Country. This one-hour CLE, hosted by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid in partnership with the State Bar of Texas’ Disaster Legal Task Force, will equip attorneys with the knowledge to assist survivors in navigating post-disaster legal issues. Presenters will cover common civil legal needs after a disaster—such as housing, benefits, and contractor fraud—as well as recent changes to FEMA Individual Assistance. Attendees will also learn how to connect with legal aid efforts and support survivors through direct service or referrals.  To register (and be sent the link for the CLE):  Registration.

Disaster recovery takes time—some legal issues emerge immediately, others later. Please be patient as legal aid teams assess needs and place cases appropriately.

This tragedy has affected communities across Texas—but help is available statewide. Whether you’re grieving, rebuilding, or seeking to give back, together we can support those who have lost so much.