WASHINGTON D.C. (ADAMS) – The Small Business Administration says that there is help at the ready for Hoosiers affected by recent storms. The assistance is applicable to those in certain counties hit by storms the first week of April.
The SBA released the following:
Low-interest disaster loans from the US. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to businesses and residents in Indiana following the announcement of a Presidential disaster declaration due to damages from severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes from March 31 through April 1.
“SBA’s mission-driven team stands ready to help Indiana small businesses and residents impacted by this disaster in every way possible under President Biden’s disaster declaration for certain affected areas,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas 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.”
The disaster declaration covers Allen, Benton, Clinton, Grant, Howard, Johnson, Lake, Monroe, Morgan, Owen, Sullivan and White counties in Indiana, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaste Loans (EIDLs): Adams, Bartholomew, Blackford, Boone, Brown, Carroll, Cass, Clay, De Kalb, Delaware, Greene, Hamilton, Hendricks, Huntington, Jackson, Jasper, Knox, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Miami, Montgomery, Newton, Noble, Porter, Pulaski, Putnam, Shelby, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Vigo, Wabash, Warren, Wells and Whitley in Indiana; and Clark, Cook, Crawford, Iroquois, Kankakee, Vermillion and Will in Illinois; Defiance, Paulding and Van Wert in Ohio.
Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.
A Business Recovery Center (BRC) will open at 9 a.m. on Friday, April 21, at the Grace Assembly of God Church in Whiteland. SBA Customer Service Representatives at the Center will assist business owners and residents in filling out a disaster loan application, accept documents for existing applications, and provide updates on an application’s status. The center will operate as indicated below until further notice:
To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is June 14, 2023. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Jan. 15, 2024.
