Additional Counties Eligible for SBA Disaster Assistance in Florida; SBA Opens Business Recovery Center in Escambia County

ATLANTA, May 14, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration adds more counties to the disaster declaration due to severe storms, tornadoes, high winds and flooding that occurred on April 28 through May 6, 2014 in Florida. 

The disaster declaration now covers Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties in Florida which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.  Small businesses and most private non-profit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Bay, Holmes, and Washington in Florida; and Baldwin, Covington, Escambia and Geneva in Alabama.

The Business Recovery Center in Pensacola, Florida will open Thursday, May 15th to provide one-on-one help to business owners seeking disaster assistance.  SBA's customer service representatives will be on hand at the Center to answer questions about SBA's disaster loan program and help business owners in applying for assistance.  

"Businesses with physical damages or disaster-related working capital needs should seriously consider visiting the Center and applying for a low-interest SBA disaster business loan," said Wilfredo Gonzalez, SBA's  North Florida district director.  

The Center is located and opening as indicated below, until further notice:

Escambia County
Greater Pensacola Chamber
117 West Garden Street
Pensacola, FL 32502

Opens: Thursday, May 15 at 8 a.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., until further notice
Closed: Saturday and Sunday 

SBA disaster loans are available to homeowners and renters, businesses of all sizes and most private non-profit organizations to cover uninsured losses from the disaster.  Interest rates are as low as 2.188 percent for homeowners, 4 percent for businesses and 2.625 percent for private non-profit organizations.  Loan terms can be up to 30 years.  "SBA disaster loans offer an affordable way for those affected by the disaster to pay for disaster related losses," said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA's Field Operations Center East in Atlanta

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA's secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by mobile device at m.fema.gov.  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. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. 

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 [email protected]. 

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is July 7, 2014.  The deadline to return economic injury applications is February 6, 2015. 

For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov/disaster.

Release Number: 14-225, FL 13971/13972

Contact: Michael Lampton 
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (404) 331-0333

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SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

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