ATLANTA, July 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The U.S. Small Business Administration announces today the opening of three additional Disaster Loan Outreach Centers and one Business Recovery Center on Monday, July 21 at 9 a.m. The locations of the Centers will make it convenient for disaster victims affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding of June 5 and continuing to apply for disaster loan assistance. The SBA encourages victims to visit the Centers to apply for assistance.
Victims are urged to register with FEMA by calling 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA). “If you were issued an SBA loan application, complete and return the application to the SBA, even if you don’t want a loan. If SBA is not able to approve a home loan, you will be referred to FEMA for possible grant assistance. Anyone who has not completed their disaster loan application is encouraged to meet with one of the SBA representatives at any of the Centers located throughout the disaster area for assistance,” said Frank Skaggs, Director of SBA Field Operations Center East.
The locations of the new Centers are listed below and hours of operations as indicated below:
Columbia County
Columbus High School
1164 Farnham Avenue
Columbus, WI 53925
Opens: Monday, July 21 at 9 a.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.,
until further notice
Grant County
Grant County Law Enforcement
1000 North Adams Street
Lancaster, WI 53813
Opens: Monday, July 21 at 9 a.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.,
until further notice
Columbia County
Portage High School
301 East Collins Street
Portage, WI 53901
Opens: Monday, July 21 at 9 a.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.,
until further notice
Fond du Lac County
(Business Recovery Center)
UW Fond du Lac, Room A-127
400 University Avenue
Fond du Lac, WI 54935
Opens: Monday, July 21 at 9 a.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
until further notice
SBA existing Centers are located in the following communities:
Vernon County
Living Faith Church
852 North Main Street
Viroqua, WI 54665
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.,
until further notice
Milwaukee County
(Business Recovery Center)
Milwaukee County Facilities Management
10310 West Watertown Plank Road
Wauwatosa, WI 53226
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
until further notice
“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,” Frank Skaggs added.
Businesses of any size and non-profit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, inventory, machinery and equipment. The SBA also offers mitigation loans to disaster victims based on 20 percent of the verified physical loss. These funds are designed to help borrowers pay for protective measures to minimize damages of the same kind in the future.
For small businesses, and private non-profit organizations of all sizes, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs, such as ongoing operating expenses. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
Interest rates are as low as 2.687 percent for homeowners and renters, and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based upon each applicant’s financial condition.
Anyone unable to visit one of the Centers may obtain a Disaster Loan application or program information by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (or 1-800-877-8339 for the hearing impaired) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT or by emailing our customer service center at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Business loan applications may be downloaded from www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Applications may be returned to one of the Centers or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, Texas, 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is August 13, 2008. The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 13, 2009.
For more information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Programs, visit our website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration
CONTACT: Michael Lampton of the SBA, +1-404-331-0333
