Press release from the US Small Business Administration:
Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses and residents in California affected by the Dec. 20, 2022 Humboldt County earthquake and continuing aftershocks, said U.S. Small Business Administration administrator. Isabella Casillas Guzman announced. SBA has issued its own in response to a request her SBA received on December 30, 2022 from Mr. Gavin, director of the Governor’s Emergency Services Agency, Mr. Declared a disaster with authority.
The disaster declaration will make SBA assistance available in Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Siskiyou, and Trinity counties.
“SBA’s mission-driven team stands ready to assist California small businesses and residents affected by the earthquake in Humboldt County,” said Administrator Guzman. “We are committed to providing federal disaster loans quickly and efficiently with a customer-centric approach that helps businesses and communities recover and rebuild.”
“Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofits, homeowners, and renters whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster,” says the Small Business Administration disaster said Tanya N. Garfield, Director of Field Operations Center. -West. “Beginning Monday, January 9, SBA’s Customer His service representative will be on standby at his center for the next disaster loan outreach, answering questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explaining the application process, and will assist in completing the application,” continued Garfield. The center will be open on the dates below. No reservation required.
Humboldt County
Disaster Loan Outreach Center
Lohner Recreation Hall
7 Park Street Fortuna, CA 95540
- January 9 (Mon) 8:00 a.m. to January 27 (Fri) 4:30 p.m.
- Monday – Friday, 8am – 4:30pm
- Closed on Monday, January 16 for Martin Luther King Jr.’s holiday
Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of all sizes can 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 pay for remediation to protect, prevent, or minimize damage from the same type of disaster in the future.
For small businesses, small farming cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private nonprofit organizations of all sizes, the SBA provides Economic Damage Disaster Loans to help cover working capital caused by disasters. help meet the needs of Economic damage assistance is available regardless of whether your business has suffered property damage.
Homeowners can take up to $200,000 in disaster loans to repair or replace damaged or destroyed property. Homeowners and renters are eligible to receive up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or vandalized private property.
Interest rates are 3.305 percent for businesses, 2.375 percent for private nonprofits, and can be as low as 2.313 percent for homeowners and renters of up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial situation.
Applicants can apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information, and download the application at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants can also find out more about SBA Disaster Assistance by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired, please dial 7-1-1 to use the relay service. Completed applications should be mailed to US Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The deadline for claiming property damage is March 6, 2023. The deadline for claiming economic damages is October 4, 2023.
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Recently, US SBA administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced a policy change that allows for 12 months of no payment and 0% interest. This applies to all disaster loans approved in response to a declared disaster from 21 September 2022 onwards until 30 September 2023. This policy change benefits disaster survivors and helps reduce the overall cost of recovery by reducing the amount of accrued interest that must be repaid. More information is available from her SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955. Individuals with a speech or hearing impairment may dial 7-1-1 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time to access the Telecommunications Relay Service or email You can reach us at (disastercustomerservice@sba.gov).