SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to Texas businesses and residents affected by the severe storms and tornadoes that occurred January 24, 2023, announced Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster following the denial of the state’s request for a major disaster declaration for individual assistance on March 15, 2023.
The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Montgomery, Newton, Orange and Waller counties, which also includes the City of Houston in Texas; and Calcasieu and Cameron parishes in Louisiana.
“SBA’s mission-driven team stands ready to help Texas’ small businesses and residents impacted by severe storms and tornadoes,” said Administrator Guzman. “We’re committed to providing federal disaster loans swiftly and efficiently, with a customer-centric approach to help businesses and communities recover and rebuild.”
“As a native Texan who calls Houston and this area home, the devastation of this tornado has been extremely heartfelt. All disaster survivors should know that SBA is supporting this community with the utmost urgency as they rebuild and recover," said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., SBA Associate Administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience. "We have had a representative on the ground since the damage assessment, and now I'm directing the swift movement of personnel and resources to the most devastated areas to start making disaster assistance available. Immediately after the tornadoes, we began actively coordinating with federal, state, and local emergency response officials to assess the degree of damage to businesses and homeowners impacted by this disaster.”
“Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster,” said SBA’s Director Tanya N. Garfield of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West. “Beginning Tuesday, March 21, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the following Disaster Loan Outreach Center to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their application,” Garfield continued. The center will be open on the days and times indicated below until further notice. No appointment is necessary.
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HARRIS COUNTY Disaster Loan Outreach Center John Phelps Courthouse Annex Suite # F 101 S. Richey Street Pasadena, TX 77506 Opens Tuesday, March 21 at 8 a.m. Central Time Mondays – Fridays, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to businesses and homeowners to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.
Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property which includes their disaster damaged personal vehicles.
Interest rates can be as low as 3.305 percent for businesses, 2.375 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.313 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
SBA disaster loan borrowers have up to one year from the date of the note to begin making payments. In addition, interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the initial loan disbursement and accrues only on the amount disbursed.
Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The deadline to apply for property damage is May 16, 2023. The deadline to apply for economic injury is Dec. 18, 2023.
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Recently, U.S. SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced a policy change granting 12 months of no payments and 0% interest. This pertains to all disaster loans approved in response to disasters declared on or after September 21, 2022, through September 30, 2023. This covers SBA disaster loans currently available for Hurricane Fiona and Hurricane Ian. 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 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday, or email: disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
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.