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Virtual outreach center now open
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to Texas businesses and residents affected by Hurricane Beryl that occurred July 5-9, announced Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster in response to a request SBA received from Gov. Abbott on Aug. 30, 2024.
The SBA Rural disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available to both rural and non-rural areas of Colorado, Hardin, Panola and Tyler counties.
“SBA’s mission-driven team stands ready to help Texas’s small businesses and residents impacted by Hurricane Beryl,” said Administrator Guzman. “We’re committed to providing federal disaster loans swiftly and efficiently, with a customer-centric approach to help businesses and communities recover and rebuild.”
“Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster,” said Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration.
SBA has established a Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center to provide personalized assistance to business owners, homeowners and renters. SBA customer service representatives will be available to business owners and individuals to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each person complete their electronic loan application. Applicants may call or email as indicated below.
Virtual Disaster Loan Outreach Center
Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
FOCWAssistance@sba. gov 916- 735-1160 Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to businesses and homeowners to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize disaster damage from occurring in the future.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.
Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.
Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at //SBA.gov/ disaster. 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, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
The deadline to apply for property damage is Nov. 4, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is June 3, 2025.
