ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today it is temporarily closing its
Business Recovery Centers (BRCs) in Jackson County and Jasper County on Monday, Oct. 9 in
observance of the Columbus Day holiday. The Centers will resume normal operations on Tuesday, Oct.
10.
SBA’s friendly and knowledgeable Customer Service Representatives are available at the centers to
answer questions, help apply for an SBA Disaster Loan, help upload documents, check an application’s
status, and assist in completing reconsideration requests for the SBA Disaster Loan Program. SBA
opened the center to assist Mississippi businesses and residents affected by losses from severe storms,
straight-line winds and tornadoes that occurred from June 14 through June 19 to submit their
completed SBA disaster applications.
The disaster declaration covers Jackson and Jasper counties which are eligible for both Physical and
Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit
organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury
Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Clark, George, Harrison, Jones, Lauderdale, Newton, Scott, Smith, Stone, and
Wayne in Mississippi; and Mobile County in Alabama.
SBA Customer Service Representatives at the Centers will assist business owners and residents in filling
out a disaster loan application, accept documents for existing applications, and provide updates on an
application’s status. The centers will operate as indicated below until further notice:
Businesses and private nonprofit organizations 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.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and
most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help
meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is
available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or
destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace
disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property.
Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 2.375% for nonprofit organizations, and 2.5% for
homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and
are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the initial disaster loan disbursement.
SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.
Building back smarter and stronger can be an effective recovery tool for future disasters. Applicants
may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the
SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm
shelter, sump pump, elevation, retaining walls, and landscaping to help protect property and
occupants from future damage.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at
https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ and should apply under SBA declaration # 18067.
To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable,
applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video
Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.
Disaster loan information and application forms can also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer
Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial
7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services) or sending an email to
DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded from sba.gov/disaster.
Completed applications should be 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 October 11, 2023. The
deadline to return economic injury applications is May 13, 2024.
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