Kotek appeals to Trump for more federal emergency assistance for Oregon’s spring floods

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek is asking President Donald Trump to reconsider his decision denying individual financial assistance to households in Coos, Curry, Douglas and Josephine counties that experienced major losses after intense spring flooding.

In March 2025, record-breaking rainfall triggered flooding and landslides across southwest Oregon, damaging 529 homes, according to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. 

The president and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to Kotek’s request for emergency funding issued financial assistance in July for those counties on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair and replacement of damaged facilities. 

The federal assistance did not include funding for individual families whose homes were damaged or funding to prevent future natural disasters. Without that assistance, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management said communities in southwest Oregon will face gaps in recovering from the spring floods and long-term resilience. 

Many Oregonians remain displaced living with relatives, or in RVs and other unsafe conditions. Additional funding would help cover mold remediation, septic system repairs and restoration of private roads and bridges, as well as help prevent future disasters through infrastructure protection, streambank restoration and landslide stabilization. It’s estimated that less than 2% of people affected had flood insurance. according to the Oregon emergency management department.

Oregon to receive federal emergency assistance for spring floods

“Our communities are resilient, and with the help of their local leadership and the state have begun the recovery process but they cannot recover alone,” Oregon Emergency Management Director Erin McMahon said in a statement. “Federal support is not just warranted — it is essential to restore safe housing, protect public health and reduce the risk of future disasters.”

While the Small Business Administration is offering $1.44 million in disaster loans, many Oregonians do not qualify or cannot afford to repay loans. Local governments along the coast are also facing financial shortfalls from declining timber revenue, and the loss of Secure Rural Schools Act has further reduced county budgets by $80 million each year. The state, which is already financially strained from back-to-back wildfire seasons, has allocated $2 million for recovery. However, emergency officials and the governor say it’s not enough. 

“I urge the federal government to reconsider its denial of individual assistance and hazard mitigation funding for survivors from our March storms,” Kotek said in a statement. “These programs are vital to restoring safe housing, protecting public health and building long-term resilience in our communities.”  

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX