INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Businesses and non-profits that sustained damage during Hurricane Irma now have help to assist with repairing destroyed items.
The Small Business Administration added Indian River County to the disaster declaration, making it easier for businesses, non profits and homeowners to borrow money to repair damage caused by the hurricane.
Private non-profit organizations and businesses of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets, according to the Emergency Services Department.
Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20 percent of their physical damages. All agencies and loans will be verified by the Small Business Administration.
Economic Injury Disaster Loans are eligible for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private non-profit organizations. The disaster loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
For homeowners, disaster loans up to $200,000 are available 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.
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.
Applicants should apply online using the Electronic Loan Application through the Small Business Administration site. Applicants also can call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362 for more information.
More details on the locations of Disaster Recovery Centers and the loan application process can be found by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
Completed applications should be returned to a recovery center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX, 76155.
