Summer flood damage focus of fed loan

In those Pennsylvania counties covered by Gov. Tom Wolf’s disaster declaration following a summer of flash floods, businesses and residents still reeling from physical or economic damage can now apply for disasterrelief loans from the federal government.

The Small Business Administration has announced the availability of low-interest loans of up to $2 million for businesses and up to $200,000 for homeowners who sustained damage from the flash flooding that occurred July 11-12, bringing a disaster declaration to Berks, Chester, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery and Schuylkill counties.

The SBA has opened an outreach center in Berks County at the Salvation Army of Boyertown on South Reading Avenue, open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and closing at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The loans can cover destroyed real estate, machinery and assets, as well as mitigation improvements for homeowners such as storm shelters, sump pumps and retaining walls.

Interest rates are a minimum of 4% for businesses, 2.75% for nonprofits and 1.938% for homeowners and renters.

The filing deadline for loans covering physical damages is Nov. 4. For economic damages, the deadline is June 3.

Apply online at DisasterLoan.sba.gov, visit the temporary recovery center or call 800-659-2955 for an application.

Morning Call reporter Kayla Dwyer can be reached at 610-820-6554 or at kdwyer@mcall.com.

RICK KINTZEL/THE MORNING CALL Chelsea Artigliere, left, of Roxbury, N.J., and her friend Erin Racano of Wyckoff, N.J., both students at Lehigh University, take pictures of the American flags Wednesday in front of the University Center on the school’s campus in Bethlehem. Students from the university’s Senate and in the ROTC Steel Battalion placed 2,977 American flags on the University Center lawn to honor those who died in the Sept. 11 terror attacks.