SBA Opens Business Recovery Center in Luzerne County, PA

ATLANTA, Sept. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration announced the opening of a Business Recovery Center in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County.  Businesses affected by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee are encouraged to visit the Center to apply for disaster assistance.  

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110909/DC65875LOGO)

The Center opens Monday, Sept. 26 at 9 a.m. at the Stegmaier Federal Building, 7 Wilkes-Barre Blvd., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702-524. The operating hours are Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until further notice.

SBA's representatives will be on hand at the Business Recovery Center to issue loan applications, answer questions about the disaster loan program, explain the application process and assist business owners in completing their applications.  

"Businesses and non-profit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets," said David Dickson, SBA's Philadelphia district director.  The SBA may increase a loan up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements, as verified by SBA, to make improvements that lessen the risk of property damage by future disasters of the same kind.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private non-profit 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.

Hurricane Irene deadline to return applications for physical property damage is October 31, 2011 and the deadline to return economic injury applications is June 1, 2012.

Tropical Storm Lee deadline to return applications for physical property damage is November 14, 2011 and the deadline to return economic injury applications is June 12, 2012.

To obtain additional assistance call the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET or send an email to [email protected].   Those affected by this disaster may fill out a loan application online by visiting SBA's website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

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

Contact:   Michael Lampton
Phone:  404-331-0333

PA 12822/12823

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

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