ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today survivors of Tropical Storm Helene that occurred on Sept. 26-30, now have more time to apply for SBA’s low-interest physical disaster loans. Businesses and residents who have damage from the storm now have until Jan. 7, to apply and see how SBA can help.
The disaster declaration covers Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA EIDLs: Grainger, Hancock, Jefferson, Sevier and Sullivan in Tennessee; Ashe, Avery, Haywood, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga and Yancey in North Carolina; Grayson, Scott and Washington in Virginia.
“SBA’s Business Recovery Centers are a cornerstone of our support for business owners,” said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “At these centers, business owners can meet face-to-face with specialists to apply for disaster loans and access a wide range of resources to guide them through their recovery.”
Customer Service Representatives are available at center to answer questions, assist business owners complete their disaster loan application, accept documents, and provide updates on an application’s status. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment at an SBA Business Recovery Center in advance. The center will operate as indicated below.
Portable Loan Outreach Center (PLOC)
Johnson County
Food Lion
2291 South Shady Street
Mountain City, TN 37683
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property.
Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.25% for nonprofit organizations, and 2.813% 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. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.
Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.
With the changes to FEMA’s Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover. FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition. Do not wait on the decision for a FEMA grant; apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster.
Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to 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 Jan. 7, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 2, 2025.
###
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.