Flooding Batters Hill Country Once Again
A massive amount of rain once again engulfed the Hill Country, causing widespread flooding in several counties, including Uvalde, Kerr, Kendall and Gillespie. At least two fatalities were reported near Comfort and Uvalde.
More than 270 people were rescued. Damage was widespread from rains bringing as much as 25 inches to parts of Kerr County and 10 to 15 inches in other counties.That is much lower than the toll from last summer’s flooding, which killed more than 130 statewide, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
Officials and residents credit improved warning systems, including text alerts and flood sirens, and fewer people clustering on riverbanks, since it was not a holiday weekend — unlike the July 4, 2025, flood.
Law enforcement officials fanned out to campgrounds, hotels and RV parks as the floodwaters began to raise, though this time the flooding built up over a few days.
“We weren’t caught off guard by something nobody expected,” state Rep. Wes Virdell, R-Brady, said at a news conference Friday. “We had a lot of critical, key people that were in the proper locations that were very instrumental in helping us. Residents were very aware of the possibility of what’s going to happen when that river floods.”
Gov. Greg Abbott signed a major disaster declaration seeking federal assistance for rebuilding efforts in 28 affected counties.
State Agencies Asked to Cut Spending by 3% in Next Budget Cycle Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced their top four priorities for the 2028-2029 budget cycle last week, including requiring state agencies to reduce base spending requests by 3%. Other priorities include addressing affordability concerns, fully funding public education, supporting teachers, and advancing property tax reform.
In a news release, Abbott said the budget guidance “protects our historic investments in public education and teachers, delivers even more property tax relief, and makes the cost of living more manageable for Texas families through strict standards of efficiency and accountability from every state agency.”
The 90th legislative session begins in January.
Mortgage Delinquencies Up Among First-Time Homeowners
First-time homeowners in Texas are increasingly failing to make their mortgage payments on time, the Houston Chronicle reported. Increasing homeowner insurance costs are the primary culprit, according to data from the Federal Housing Administration. Most FHA borrowers are first-time homebuyers and typically have lower credit ratings and less money for a down payment, making them more vulnerable to rising monthly costs. Roughly 6% of FHA loans in Texas were at least 90 days past due, up from 3.7% a year earlier.
“This unfortunately positions Texas at the epicenter of the national affordability squeeze,” Scott Norman, CEO of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association, told state lawmakers in June.
Home insurance rates have increased by an average of 80% since 2020, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. Compounding the situation, homeowners with low credit scores are paying almost $3,000 more annually for home insurance than those with high credit scores.
Late payments on conventional mortgages have remained flat, with less than 1% of borrowers seriously behind on their payments.