King County, WA opens Disaster Recovery Center for December flooding victims
KING COUNTY, Wash. - King County residents who suffered losses during the massive flooding in December 2025 can now receive face-to-face help applying for federal aid.
Disaster center opens to help flood victims
What we know:
The King County Disaster Recovery Center is located at the King County Elections Office in Renton. Starting Tuesday, staff can help guide residents and business owners through the application process for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program.
The center is a response to the "major disaster declaration" approved by the Trump administration after a series of relentless atmospheric rivers. The storms caused an estimated $182 million in damage across Washington, affecting nearly 4,000 homes from Mason County to Yakima County.
How to apply for assistance
What you can do:
There are four ways to apply for FEMA aid:
- In person: Visit the center at 919 Southwest Grady Way, Renton. (Open Tuesday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
- Online: Visit disasterassistance.gov.
- Phone: Call 800-621-3362.
- Mobile: Use the FEMA app on your smartphone.
The deadline to apply for assistance is June 10. Officials recommend that individuals first file a claim with their insurance providers before seeking federal funds.
What they're saying:
"I’m thankful for the collaboration with local, state, and federal partners that made this critical disaster assistance possible for those who need it most in King County," said Executive Girmay Zahilay. "We’re working to make this assistance as accessible as possible so that residents and business owners can rebuild and recover."
(FOX 13 Seattle)
The backstory:
In late 2025, the flooding was so severe that National Guard troops were deployed to patrol levees across western Washington. Levees along the Green and White rivers failed on back-to-back days.
While an initial "emergency declaration" provided immediate resources in December, the current "major disaster declaration" allows for more permanent support, including infrastructure repair and reimbursement for local government response efforts.
Desimone Levee breach. (Dana Ralph, Kent Mayor)
What we don't know:
While federal funding is available to all impacted counties, the specific dollar amount allocated to individual King County applicants remains unclear.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Office of the King County Executive and previous FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
