SBA extends deadline to apply for Hurricane Irene damage to Nov. 25
The U.S. Small Business Administration said Monday it has extended the deadline for homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofit organizations in Puerto Rico to return applications for physical damage caused by Hurricane Irene. Since launching the assistance program in August, the agency has approved more than $3 million in loans.
“Currently, 222 home and business disaster loans have been approved in the amount of $3,040,800 for affected survivors,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA’s Field Operations Center East in Atlanta. “We are pleased to be able to get these loans approved so residents and businesses in the disaster area can continue rebuilding and resuming their normal lives.”
The SBA encouraged island residents whose properties sustained damages to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and return completed applications to the agency before the deadline. Homeowners and renters unable to obtain an SBA low-interest disaster loan may be referred to FEMA for grant consideration, the SBA said.
“SBA’s customer service representatives will be on hand at the disaster recovery centers located throughout the area to provide one-on-one assistance in completing their applications,” the agency noted.
To contact FEMA, call 800-621-FEMA (3362) and to contact the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or send an email to [email protected]. Loan application forms can be downloaded from www.sba.gov.
