SBA disaster assistance tops $110M
Hurricane Ida aid reaching small businesses, homeowners, renters and nonprofits
WASHINGTON » The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced it has awarded more than $110 million in disaster rescue funds, as recovery from Hurricane Ida continues. The aid has been delivered to small businesses, homeowners, renters and nonprofit organizations that were impacted by the storm earlier this month.
As of Sept. 19, the Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Assistance has approved more than 2,600 low-interest disaster loans delivering a combined $110 million in financial assistance to areas impacted by Hurricane Ida. The Small Business Administration is processing applications as quickly as possible and will continue to work to meet the needs of all those affected by this disaster, according to a press release.
“From the Gulf Coast to the Northeastern states, Hurricane
Ida left a wide swath of damage in its wake, and SBA’s missiondriven team is working hard to help affected small businesses and residents get the help they need swiftly and efficiently,” Isabella Casillas Guzman, Small Business Administration administrator, said in a statement.
The availability of federal assistance in Pennsylvania was made possible following President Joe Biden’s Sept. 10 Presidential disaster declaration. The federal disaster declaration covers Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Bucks, Philadelphia and York counties, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the agency.
In addition, small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in adjacent counties are eligible to apply for Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Those counties include: Berks, Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lehigh and Northampton
in Pennsylvania; New Castle in Delaware; Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil and Harford in Maryland; and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer and Warren
in New Jersey.
Affected businesses and individuals may continue to apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the Small
Business Administration’s secure website at www.sba.gov/disasterassistance and should apply under Small Business Administration declaration #17147, not for the COVID-19 related Economic Injury Disaster Loan.
Questions about disaster loans can be emailed to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or directed to the Small Business Administration’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard of hearing).
In addition, Small Business Administration personnel are onhand at Disaster Recovery Centers that have been established in Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.
The Chester County Recovery Center opened on Monday, Sept. 20 at 945 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown, in the Ashbridge Square Shopping Center. The Delaware County Recovery Center is located at 10 Ring Road, Chadds Ford. The Montgomery County center opened on Friday, Sept. 17 at Montgomery County Community College’s Blue Bell Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike.
The Disaster Recovery Centers provide disaster residents with information from Pennsylvania state agencies, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Victims can also get help applying for federal assistance, learn about the types of assistance available, learn about the appeals process and get updates on applications.
The Office of Disaster Assistance helps businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters recover from the devastation caused by federally declared disasters. Disaster Assistance has been part of the Small Business Administration since its inception in 1953. For more information visit www.sba.gov/disasterassistance.
As of this month, Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Assistance personnel are responding to 60 open Presidential disaster declarations, 29 Small Business Administration Administrative disaster declarations, 57 Governor’s certifications, 168 Secretary of Agriculture declarations, and one Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration, according to the agency. The Office of Disaster Assistance has also loaned nearly $425 million to individuals affected by natural disasters.
Hurricane Ida disaster assistance is part of a growing total or assistance this year, “as the SBA has now approved more than $267 billion to help residents across all 50 states and five territories recover from COVID-19 and natural disasters, including multiple hurricanes, floods, and wildfires,” the release stated.