Gov. Tom Corbett Thursday announced the U.S. Small Business Administration approved his request to declare Elk County a disaster area after severe storms and flooding caused significant damage to homes and businesses on May 21 and 22.
“This declaration will help Pennsylvanians affected by these severe storms get the assistance they need,” said Corbett. “I want to thank the federal authorities for swiftly responding to our request.”
Citizens and business owners in Elk County, as well as the neighboring counties of Cameron, Clearfield, Forest, Jefferson, McKean and Warren, may be eligible for low-interest disaster loans through the SBA Disaster Loan Programs.
Small Business Administration officials, along with local, county and state officials, conducted damage assessments across the region. The governor used the damage assessment results to support his assistance request to the SBA.
Low-interest loans of up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. SBA regulations permit loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property.
Businesses and nonprofits can borrow up to $2 million to restore damaged or destroyed buildings, inventory, equipment and assets. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial qualifications.
The SBA has established a Disaster Loan Outreach Center at the Elk County Public Safety Building and Emergency Operations Center at 653 Montmorenci Rd., Ridgeway, PA 15853, behind the North Central Planning building. The DLOC will be open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from June 10 through June 19. Hours on June 14 are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The center is closed on June 15.
SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the DLOC to issue loan applications, answer questions about the disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals to complete their applications.
Individuals and businesses unable to visit the center in person may obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the hearing impaired), or by sending email to: disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
Loan applications are also available online.
Completed applications should be returned to the center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is August 4, 2014. The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 5, 2015.