Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance (GA & SC)

Administrator Linda McMahon of the U.S. Small Business Administration issued the following statement after the announcement of the Presidential disaster declaration for the counties in Georgia affected by Hurricane Irma that began on Sept. 7, 2017:

“The SBA is strongly committed to providing the people of Georgia with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist businesses, homeowners and renters with federal disaster loans. Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.”

The disaster declaration covers Camden, Chatham, Glynn, Liberty and McIntosh counties in Georgia, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Brantley, Bryan, Charlton, Effingham, Evans, Long, Tattnall and Wayne in Georgia; Nassau in Florida; and Jasper in South Carolina.

Businesses and nonprofits can apply up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged real estate, machinery, equipment, inventory, and other business assets.  Loans for working capital, known as Economic Injury Disaster Loans, are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. Homeowners can apply up to $200,000 to repair or replace disaster damaged real estate. Homeowners and renters can apply up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged personal property including automobiles.Interest  rates  are  as  low  as  3.305  percent  for  businesses,  2.5  percent  for  private  nonprofit organizations,  and  1.750  percent for  homeowners and renters,  with terms up to 30 years.  The SBA customizes loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s circumstances.Applicants  may  be  eligible  for  a  loan  amount  increase  up  to  20  percent  of  their  physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster. 

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. To  be  considered  for  all  forms  of  disaster  assistance,  applicants  should  register  online  at www.DisasterAssistance.gov  or  on  the  FEMA  mobile  App.   If  online  or  mobile  access  is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711  or  Video  Relay  Services  may  also  call  800-621-3362.  People  who  use  TTY  may  call 800-462-7585. Additional details on the locations of Disaster Recovery Centers and the loan application process can be obtained by  calling the SBA Customer Service Center  at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an e-mail to  disastercustomerservice@sba.gov

.Completed  applications  should  be  returned  to  a  recovery  center  or  mailed  to:  U.S.  Small Business  Administration,  Processing  and  Disbursement  Center,  14925  Kingsport  Road,  Fort Worth,  TX  76155.  For  more  information  about  SBA  recovery  assistance,  visit www.sba.gov/disasterThe filing deadline to submit  applications  for  physical  property damage  is  Nov.  14, 2017.  The deadline for economic injury applications is June 15, 2018


For more information, contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at http://www.sba.gov/disaster.  Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.


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