INDIANAPOLIS, IN – If you are a disaster survivor in Indiana applying for assistance with FEMA and are referred to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), it’s important to submit the application for a low-interest disaster loan. The deadline for applying for an SBA loan is July 5, 2018.
Next to insurance, an SBA low-interest disaster loan is the primary source of funds for real estate property repairs and for replacing contents destroyed in the February flooding.
- Many survivors who register with FEMA are referred to the SBA. If you pass the SBA Income Test, you must complete the loan application as soon as possible as this will ensure the federal disaster recovery process continues and you keep your options open.
- Homeowners and renters who submit an SBA application and are not approved for a loan may be considered for certain other FEMA grants and programs that could include assistance for disaster-related car repairs, clothing, household items and other expenses.
- You don’t have to accept the loan if you qualify for one.
- You can submit your SBA disaster loan applications in one of three ways: online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/; at any Disaster Recovery Center (DRC); or by mail.
- Survivors may locate open DRCs near them at www.fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, (TTY) 800-462-7585. Helpline numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET (6 a.m. to 9 p.m. CT), seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.
- DRC information is also available on the FEMA App. SBA has staff at all DRCs to provide one-on-one assistance to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes.
- Do not wait on an insurance settlement before submitting an SBA loan application. The loan balance will be reduced by the insurance settlement if you receive one. SBA loans may be available for losses not covered by insurance or other sources.
- Homeowners may be eligible for SBA home disaster loans up to $200,000 for primary residence structural repairs or rebuilding.
- An SBA loan may help you repair your flooded basement. The assistance FEMA provides homeowners to repair flood-damaged real property in basements is limited to items that support the overall function of the home (e.g., furnace, water heater or pump).
- SBA may be able to help homeowners and renters with up to $40,000 to replace important personal items, including automobiles damaged or destroyed in the disaster.
- SBA can help businesses and private nonprofit organizations with up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and other business assets. Eligible small businesses and nonprofits can apply for economic injury disaster loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. The deadline for applying for an economic injury disaster loan is Feb. 5, 2019.
- Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.
- SBA Business Recovery Centers (BRCs) help businesses get back on their feet from damage they sustained during the storms. The BRCs are a resource where businesses can meet face-to-face with SBA representatives. A BRC is open in Elkhart County at:
Concord Fire Department
23625 CR 18
Elkhart, IN 46516
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Closed: Saturdays & Sundays
- If you have not registered with FEMA:
- You can apply online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by telephone at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services, you should call 800-621-3362. Operators are multilingual and calls are answered from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time seven days a week.
- Or you can visit a DRC.
For more information on Indiana’s recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4363 or the @FEMARegion5 Twitter account.
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Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after a disaster.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 (Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339), emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at sba.gov/disaster.