ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters in Mississippi affected by damages cause by severe storms and tornadoes from March 31 through April 1 to apply for physical damage disaster loans by the June 26 deadline.
“Waiting to file an SBA application could cause unnecessary delays in receiving disaster assistance, and survivors may miss the application deadline. Submitting the loan application is an essential part of the disaster recovery process,” said Kem Fleming, director of SBA Field Operations Center East.
Anyone in the declared counties with physical property damage should apply for the low-interest disaster loan program. The declaration covers DeSoto County and the adjacent counties of Marshall, Tate and Tunica in Mississippi; Crittenden in Arkansas; and Shelby in Tennessee.
Interest rates are as low as 4 percent for businesses, 2.375 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 2.375 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 the SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ and should apply under SBA declaration # 17895.
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 June 26, 2023. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Jan. 25, 2024.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
Recently, U.S. SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced a policy change granting 12 months of no payments and 0 percent interest. This policy change will benefit disaster survivors and help them to decrease the overall cost of recovery by reducing the amount of accrued interest they must repay. Details are available through the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955. Individuals with verbal or hearing impairments may dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday, or email: DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov.
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. 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, 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 www.sba.gov