ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration has added more counties to the disaster declaration in Indiana for businesses and residents affected by the severe storms and flooding from Feb. 14 through March 4, 2018.

The disaster declaration covers the counties of Carroll, Clark, Dearborn, Elkhart, Floyd, Fulton, Harrison, Jasper, Jefferson, Kosiusko, Lake, La Porte, Marshall, Ohio, Porter, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Spencer, Starke, Switzerland, Vanderburg and White 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 Disaster Loans: Benton, Cass, Clinton, Crawford, Dubois, Franklin, Fulton, Gibson, Howard, Jasper, Jennings, Kosciusko, La Porte, Lagrange, Miami, Newton, Noble, Perry, Porter, Posey, Pulaski, Ripley, Scott, Starke, Switzerland, Tippecanoe, Wabash, Washington Warrick, White and Whitley in Indiana; Cook, Kankakee and Will in Illinois; Boone,  Carroll, Daviess, Gallatin, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Jefferson, Meade, Oldham and Trimble in Kentucky; Berrien, Cass, and Saint Joseph in Michigan; and Butler and Hamilton in Ohio.

Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.  Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes.  Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster.  Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate.  Homeowners and renters are eligible up to $40,000 to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed personal property.

Interest rates are as low as 3.58 percent for businesses and 2.5 percent for nonprofit organizations, 1.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years.  Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the SBA’s secure website at Disasterloan.sba.gov.

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.  Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.

Additional details on the locations of Disaster Recovery Centers and the loan application process can be obtained by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.  Completed applications should be returned to a recovery center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. For more information about SBA recovery assistance, visit sba.gov.

The filing deadline to submit applications for physical property damage is July 5, 2018. The deadline for economic injury applications is Feb. 5, 2019.

 

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.