Austin Watershed Offers Flood Insurance Grants to Homeowners | The Locally Times
A new pilot offers homeowners up to $2,000 for flood insurance, but city records omit the program's total budget and projected reach.
The Flood Insurance Assistance Program is a partnership between the Watershed Protection department, Austin Housing, and the Del Valle Community Coalition. The stated aim of the program is to support residents in high-risk flood areas by reducing financial barriers to insurance coverage. The program offers up to $2,000 in financial assistance for an Austin homeowner to obtain or maintain a flood insurance policy for one year. ## Program Eligibility and Application To qualify for the assistance, an applicant must be a current homeowner in Austin and reside within a designated floodplain. The department's website provides a link to a map of these areas. The program is income-restricted, with eligibility limited to households with an income below 140% of the Median Family Income (MFI). According to the program announcement, applicants must provide evidence of their income, residency, and homeownership. The funds must be used to obtain, renew, or maintain a flood insurance policy. The Austin Watershed Protection website directs interested homeowners to the Del Valle Community Coalition’s website for more information and to apply for the program. ## Program Scope and Budget Undisclosed While the announcement details the aid for individual homeowners, public records do not specify the pilot program's total budget or the number of residents it will serve. The records also omit the planned duration of the pilot, the metrics for evaluating its success, and the criteria for selecting the Del Valle Community Coalition and Austin Housing as partners. ## Other Department Initiatives The department is also addressing a surge of hydrilla in Lake Austin. According to its website, coverage of the nonnative invasive plant grew from less than 5% of the lake in June to approximately 30% by November. In response, the department added approximately 1,950 sterile grass carp to the lake in November, maintaining a rate of five carp per acre of hydrilla. The department is also running a Flood Safety Video Contest for students in 6th through 12th grade to promote the 'Turn Around - Don’t Drown®' message. Submissions for the contest were due March 25, 2026.