WASHINGTON – Michigan businesses and residents affected by the severe storms and tornadoes on May 7, are eligible to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman announced today.
Administrator Guzman made the loans available in response to a letter from Michigan Governor Gretchen Esther Whitmer on July 5, 2024, requesting a disaster declaration by the SBA.
The declaration covers Kalamazoo County and the adjacent counties of Allegan, Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties in Michigan. Eligible applicants in the declared area can now apply for low-interest, long-term disaster loans from the SBA to support the economic recovery of the impacted community.
“The SBA is strongly committed to providing the people of Michigan with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist businesses of all sizes, homeowners and renters with federal disaster loans,” said Guzman. “Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.”
The SBA will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) at the Portage City Hall to assist businesses and residents complete their disaster loan application, accept documents, and provide updates on an application’s status. The temporary DLOC opens on Friday, July 12, at 11 a.m., and closes on Friday, July 26, at 2 p.m. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment at an SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center in advance. Hours of operations are indicated below.
Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)
Kalamazoo County
Portage City Hall
7900 S Westnedge Ave.
Portage, MI 49002
Opening: Friday, July 12, at 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Closed: Sunday
Permanently Closes: Friday, July 26 at 4 p.m.
Businesses and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
Loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of 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, sump pump, French drain or retaining wall to help protect property and occupants from future damage.
“The opportunity to include measures to help prevent future damage from occurring is a significant benefit of SBA’s disaster loan program, said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “I encourage everyone to consult their contractors and emergency management mitigation specialists for ideas and apply for an SBA disaster loan increase for funding.”
Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.25% for nonprofit organizations, and 2.688% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and monthly payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the initial disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
To apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information visit 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 filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Sept. 6, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 8, 2025.
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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 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 www.sba.gov.