The U.S. Small Business Administration disaster declaration that began on September 4, 2017, for Florida covers the counties of Broward, Charlotte, Clay, Collier, Duval, Flagler, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Putnam, Sarasota and Saint Johns, 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: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Desoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Marion, Martin, Nassau, Okeechobee, Pasco, Polk, and Volusia.
Within Volusia County,
SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to businesses to help meet working capital needs
caused by the disaster and 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 3.305% for businesses, 2.5% for non-profit organizations, and 1.75% 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 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.
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.
The filing deadline to
return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 9, 2017. The deadline
to return economic injury applications is June 11, 2018.