COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Since the Presidential disaster declaration 7,733 disaster survivors in eleven declared counties have applied for assistance, and a total of $ 2,733,130 has been approved for disaster housing assistance and low-interest loans. Disaster housing assistance includes temporary housing costs or emergency home repairs that make the dwelling safe and habitable.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved $ 840,100 in low-interest disaster loans for 36 homeowners, who received $ 812,000, and five businesses that received $ 28,100.
Out of 3,369 loan applications issued, SBA officials have had only 251 applications returned. These loan officials urge people who received application packets when they applied for assistance to get those documents back to the SBA in the Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) as soon as possible. There is an SBA "workshop" at the Myrtle Beach DRC from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
The SBA is the primary source of federal funds for long-term disaster recovery for owners of private property, including homeowners, renters, landlords, non-farm businesses of all sizes and private non-profit organizations. These low-interest loans cover costs of repair or replacement of damaged real estate, personal property and business assets not fully covered by insurance or other aid.
Recovery Summary: Nears $2.75 Milion
A county-by-county breakdown of applications and only disaster housing dollars approved:
| County | Applications | Apps. Approved | Approved $$ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | 487 | 57 | $47,144 |
| Charleston | 1,946 | 345 | $364,149 |
| Colleton | 87 | 11 | $16,201 |
| Dillon | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Dorchester | 67 | 0 | 0 |
| Florence | 36 | 0 | 0 |
| Georgetown | 1,277 | 251 | $223,526 |
| Horry | 3,262 | 859 | $1,154,551 |
| Marion | 70 | 2 | $1,977 |
| Orangeburg | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| Williamsburg | 451 | 67 | $85,482 |
| Total | 7,733 | 1,592 | $1,893,030 |
Register For Assistance By Telephone
Residents and business owners in the declared counties who sustained storm or flood-related damage or loss between September 14 and 30 should begin the disaster application process by calling toll-free 1 800-462-9029 or 1 800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. Phone lines are available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice. Disaster survivors who have completed this teleregistration process can have their specific recovery questions answered by visiting federal and state Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Conway and Myrtle Beach.
Four Additional Counties Granted Individual Assistance
Residents of Florence, Dorchester, Dillon a...