Disaster relief available in Mendocino County

Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to Mendocino County businesses and residents affected by severe winter storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began Dec. 27, 2022.

The Small Business Administration offers low interest, long-term loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters who need help to recover from the severe winter storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides. These loans are available in Alameda, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Sacramento, San Juaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Ventura counties.

SBA can lend up to $200,000 to homeowners to make repairs to their primary residences and up to $40,000 to help homeowners and renters replace their personal property. The application deadline for physical damage assistance is March 16.

SBA offers up to $2 million to businesses and private non-profits for both physical and economic injury to businesses to help them recover from the earthquake and aftershocks. A business may not have had physical damage but suffered economic losses in the days after the event. For this reason, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLS) in the declared counties and in the neighboring California counties of Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kern, Kings, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Placer, San Benito, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne,

& Yolo. The application deadline for EIDLS for this event is Oct. 16.

Applicants may apply online at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov. Those who have questions should contact the SBA Customer Service Center at Focwassistance@sba.gov or by phone at (800) 659-2955, Mondays through Sundays from 9 am to 9 pm, Central Time.

When disaster strikes

Even with the best preparedness planning, a disaster can affect your business or organization. The SBA'S disaster assistance loans can be used to help you get back to business sooner, help you make property improvements that eliminate future damage or save lives. After a disaster has been declared, loans can even be increased up to 20 percent to make the building upgrades. Loans may also be used for insurance deductibles, required building code upgrades not covered by insurance or to help with relocation.

Business Disaster Loans — up to $2 million SBA disaster loans are available to businesses (regardless of size), and nonprofits including charitable organizations such as churches and private universities.

Loans enable you to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. The loans may also be used for structural improvements such as adding a retaining wall or sump pump, clearing out overgrown landscaping, building a safe room or elevating the property to lessen the effect of future disasters.

Businesses and nonprofits

Economic Injury Disaster

Loans — up to $2 million loans for small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture enterprises and nonprofits affected by disaster to help meet working capital needs or normal business operating expenses through the recovery period. Businesses are eligible for these loans regardless of whether they have suffered property damage.

Questions? Visit www. sba.gov/disaster

Rebuilding stronger is within reach

There is no need to wait for settled insurance claims, potential FEMA grants or contractor estimates before applying. Generally, the deadline to apply for these long-term, low interest rate loans is 60 days from the declared disaster.

Go to disasterloanassistance.sba.gov or Call (800) 659-2955 or (TTY) 7-1-1 to request an application.

Protect against future disasters

Take steps now to protect your home or business and reduce property damage with the help of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Those affected by a disaster can rebuild stronger by increasing their SBA disaster assistance loan up to 20 percent of the verified physical damage to make mitigation improvements. Generally, borrowers have two years after loan approval to request an increase for higher rebuilding costs, code-required upgrades or mitigation.

Consider these projects with your increased loan

Flood mitigation

• seal your roof deck

• landscape your property to improve water runoff and drainage

• elevate structures

• relocate your home or business outside the flood plain

• add a sump pump

• convert your lowest floor to flexible space less likely to be damaged in a flood

Wind mitigation

• strengthen structures to protect against high wind damage

• brace or upgrade to windrated garage doors

• upgrade to pressure-rated windows

• install hurricane roof straps

• install a safe room or storm shelter built to FEMA guidelines

Wildfire mitigation

• install a Class A fire-rated roof

• install one-eighth-inch mesh screening over all vents to keep embers out of eaves and vents

• install noncombustible gutters, fences and gates

• remove roof and gutter debris that can be ignited by airborne embers

• replace single-pane windows with dual- or multi-pane tempered glass windows

Earthquake mitigation

• strengthen and retrofit masonry buildings and concrete facilities that are vulnerable to ground shaking

• install window film to prevent shattered glass injuries

• anchor rooftop-mounted equipment

Call (800) 659-2955 or visit sba.gov/disaster to find a Disaster Recovery Center near you, and ask about increasing your loan for mitigation purposes. There is no cost to apply, and you are under no obligation to accept a loan if approved.

Is there help with funding mitigation improvements?

If your loan application is approved, you may be eligible for additional funds to cover the cost of improvements that will protect your property against future damage. Examples of improvements include retaining walls, seawalls, sump pumps, etc. Mitigation loan money would be in addition to the amount of the approved loan, but may not exceed 20 percent of total amount of physical damage to real property, including leasehold improvements, and personal property as verified by SBA to a maximum of $200,000 for home loans. It is not necessary for the description of improvements and cost estimates to be submitted with the application. SBA approval of the mitigating measures will be required before any loan increase.

Is there help available for refinancing?

SBA can refinance all or part of prior mortgages that are evidenced by a recorded lien, when the applicant (1) does not have credit available elsewhere, (2) has suffered substantial uncompensated disaster damage (40 percent or more of the value of the property or 50 percent or more of the value of the structure), and (3) intends to repair the damage.

Businesses — Business owners may be eligible for the refinancing of existing mortgages or liens on real estate, machinery and equipment, up to the amount of the loan for the repair or replacement of real estate, machinery, and equipment.

Homes — Homeowners may be eligible for the refinancing of existing liens or mortgages on homes, up to the amount of the loan for real estate repair or replacement.

What if I decide to relocate?

You may use your SBA disaster loan to relocate. The amount of the relocation loan depends on whether you relocate voluntarily or involuntarily. If you are interested in relocation, an SBA representative can provide you with more details on your specific situation.

Are there insurance requirements for loans?

To protect each borrower and the agency, SBA may require you to obtain and maintain appropriate insurance. By law, borrowers whose damaged or collateral property is located in a special flood hazard area must purchase and maintain flood insurance. SBA requires that flood insurance coverage be the lesser of 1) the total of the disaster loan, 2) the insurable value of the property, or 3) the maximum insurance available.

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. 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, dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.