Finance team works to get City reimbursed from state, federal government
Austin Emergency Management (AEM) coordinates the City’s response to disasters impacting our area and the oversight of the long-term cost recovery process following disasters to ensure reimbursement from the federal government. In fiscal year 2025, AEM’s Finance team successfully recovered $34.7 million of expenses associated with response to four disasters: COVID-19, Winter Storm Uri, Winter Storm Mara, and the 2015 floods. For COVID-19, the City is tracking an average 91% reimbursement rate per project.
The Public Assistance cost recovery process is complex and can take many years after the disaster before reimbursement occurs. Long after the disaster has happened and the community has completed recovery , the AEM Finance team continues to track disaster-related expenses to help recoup the city’s expenses that resulted during the response and recovery from these events.
“The COVID-19 pandemic changed many of our lives forever. While most people have moved on or found a new normal, AEM’s finance team is still actively recovering millions of dollars for the City," said Sara Henry, AEM Chief Administrative Officer. "We are working with state and federal partners every week to help get these dollars back into our community."
To meet reimbursement thresholds, the City must show the State of Texas that they meet $56.5 million in uninsured, qualifying disaster damages to qualify for public assistance. The threshold for Travis County to qualify for Public Assistance is $6.2 million in damages reported.
"It is important that we acknowledge the mental and emotional toll of long-term disaster recovery for everyone,” Henry said. “It can take several years after the event to get reimbursed, and I am very proud of the team who shows up to do this work behind the scenes every day. We hope our community will also take time to educate themselves about this process and their role in disaster recovery."
The public can play a role in helping to meet thresholds for cost recovery by submitting damage reports to the state. Individual and Household assistance dollars for residents and businesses to repair their property does do not come from the City. These reimbursements come from federal reimbursement programs in the form of grants or low-cost loans that are tied to disaster declarations. Following a disaster the public can submit damage reports to the state through the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT). Through submissions of self-reported damage to impacted residences and businesses, this tool helps officials understand the scope and size of the incident and aids emergency management in determining the severity of the disaster. These damage reports help in determining in the state and federal thresholds have been met for various forms of disaster assistance.
Residents should take photos and videos of homes and belongings before and after a disaster. This will help with any claims through personal homeowner’s or renter’s insurance and provide documentation for disaster assistance claims.
Learn more about iSTAT and disaster assistance for residents at ReadyCentralTexas.org.