SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to Texas businesses and residents affected by the Smokehouse Creek Fire and the Windy Deuce Fire that began Feb. 26, announced Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster in response to a request SBA received from Gov. Greg Abbott on March 11.
The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Armstrong, Carson, Donley, Gray, Hansford, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Moore, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman and Wheeler counties in Texas; and Ellis and Roger Mills counties in Oklahoma.
“SBA’s mission-driven team stands ready to help Texas’ small businesses and residents impacted by the Smokehouse Creek Fire and the Windy Deuce Fire,” 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.”
“The U.S. Small Business Administration has issued disaster declarations to help Texans recover from the deadly Smokehouse Creek Fire and the Windy Deuce Fire, which have burned hundreds of homes, destroyed millions of acres, and wreaked devastating economic damage. SBA joins agencies across the Biden-Harris Administration, like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Department of Agriculture that have swiftly deployed relief and resources to the Texas Panhandle,” said Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “I have directed SBA’s disaster teams to deliver every resource available to disaster survivors in the Texas Panhandle counties of Carson, Hemphill, and Hutchinson and to be on the ground for as long as it takes.”
SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the following Disaster Loan Outreach Centers to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program.
HEMPHILL COUNTY
Disaster Loan Outreach Center
Hemphill County Courthouse, Room 202
400 Main Street
Canadian, TX 79014
Mondays – Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Opens at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 14
HUTCHINSON COUNTY
Disaster Loan Outreach Center
Dome Civic & Convention Center
Eddie Edwards Room
1113 Bulldog Boulevard
Borger, TX 79007
Mondays – Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Opens at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 14
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 help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize 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 $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.
Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.250 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.688 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.
Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.
Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. 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.
The deadline to apply for both declarations for property damage is May 13. The deadline to apply for economic injury is Dec. 13.
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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.