One year after devastating floods swept through Central Texas, many residents of Sandy Creek remain unable to rebuild their homes. Insurance gaps, strict new permitting rules, and limited aid have left families in temporary housing like RVs.
The July 2025 floods killed 139 people across the region and caused $1.1 billion in damage. In Sandy Creek, a community of about 600 people in Travis County, the waters destroyed 74 homes and displaced hundreds.
Brandy Gerstner and her family, including daughter Ashlee Willis, spent seven weeks in a hotel before moving into donated RVs near Big Sandy Creek. They have spent $15,000 on design and surveys for new homes that must be elevated 12 feet to meet floodplain codes, adding over $100,000 to costs.
Only 2.4 percent of affected households had flood insurance. FEMA provided $4.3 million to 1,212 households in Travis County, with a cap of $43,600 per household. Nonprofits like Samaritan’s Purse and Rebuild Sandy Creek have offered limited support, but dozens of families still live in RVs or damaged properties.
Residents cite “form fatigue” and enforcement of substantial damage rules that require full code compliance. The county has issued just 24 permits in the Sandy Creek Ranches subdivision since the flood.
