ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved 12 disaster loans in the amount of $1,034,900 for Florida businesses and residents affected by the severe storms and tornadoes on Jan. 16.
The SBA is encouraging businesses of all sizes, non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters to take advantage of the opportunity to apply for disaster assistance for their uncompensated physical losses before the July 1 deadline.
The declaration includes Lee County and the adjacent counties of Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades in Florida.
“Our mission is to help businesses and residents rebuild and resume their normal lives as quickly as possible,” said Kem Fleming, director of SBA’s Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.
Interest rates are as low as 2.83 percent for businesses, 1.875 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 1.438 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/ela/s and should apply under SBA declaration # 17436.
Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services), or by emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications may be downloaded at sba.gov/disaster Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is July 1, 2022. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 2, 2023.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit sba.gov.