A Texas city hit hard by flooding in March 2025 has secured $1 million in federal funding to improve drainage, offering help to a community where limited tax revenue makes major infrastructure projects difficult to afford.
Here's what to know
La Feria officials received the funding from U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, who represents Texas' 34th Congressional District, ValleyCentral reported.
A new stormwater pumping facility is planned for La Bonita to help move water out of the neighborhood during future heavy rains. The federal funding will pay for its construction.
Places residents depend on for work, education, and worship were damaged in the March 2025 floods. Gonzalez said witnessing the destruction led him to help secure the funding.
"We had churches and schools and businesses that really suffered," Gonzalez told ValleyCentral. "And we're making infrastructure investments to try to prevent that next time it happens. So we want to make sure that we have the infrastructure investment to assure that we can move water out fast. And we hope to continue building reservoirs and projects to assure that when future rains like the ones we had last year do not devastate our community."
More background
Federal funding can put major infrastructure projects within reach when a small municipality's tax revenue falls short. Gonzalez described working with La Feria and Combes, two communities facing that difficulty.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
La Feria Mayor Olga Maldonado described the city's financial challenges.
"We're a medium-sized city, and it is true, the tax revenue, it's very difficult," she said, per the publication. "So any funding that we get from the federal government, whether it be federal or state, you know, does help the cities, not only La Feria, but other small cities like ours, you know, that get this funding from the government and we start the infrastructure or start the projects that we need to start for our people."
Where can I learn more?
Other Texas communities are also trying to secure flood aid and pay for drainage improvements.
• Uvalde County, Texas, was left waiting for federal aid six weeks after flooding.
• In San Antonio, a stalled drainage fix left four homes flooding whenever rain fell.
• Houston retained federal Hurricane Harvey flood money for another year as bond projects lagged.
• In Socorro, Texas, neighbors raised arroyo walls as officials deflected responsibility for floodwaters.
• Texas flood survivors pressed Washington for aid while families faced mold and businesses closed.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
