Federal Disaster Assistance OK’d For 5 Southwest Counties, SBA Outreach Center Opens

Gov. Tom Wolf Wednesday announced the U.S. Small Business Administration approved his request to declare Fayette County a disaster area as well as Greene, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties, after severe storms and flooding caused significant damage to homes and businesses on June 17.

Citizens in these counties may be eligible for low-interest disaster loans through the SBA Disaster Loan Programs.

After the storms, staff from the PA Emergency Management Agency, along with local and SBA officials, conducted damage assessments within Fayette County. 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.

Uniontown Outreach Center

The SBA has established a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) at the Uniontown Fire Department, Training Room, 84 N. Beeson Blvd., Uniontown, PA 15401.

The center will be open the following dates and times:  July 20 at 10 a.m.; Weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: July 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; CLOSED July 24; Closing July 28 at 3 p.m.

SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the disaster loan outreach center 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 can be completed online by visiting the SBA’s Electronic Loan Application webpage.

Applications can also be downloaded from the SBA Disaster Loans webpage returned to the Uniontown 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 September 19, 2016. The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 19, 2017.

Information is also available 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.