Kentucky businesses and residents affected by torrential rains, flash flooding
and mudslides on July 23 can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business
Administration, Administrator Linda McMahon announced today.
Administrator McMahon made the loans available in response to a letter from
the Governor’s Authorized Representative Michael Dossett on August 10, requesting a disaster
declaration by the SBA. The declaration covers Mason County and the adjacent counties of
Bracken, Fleming, Lewis and Robertson in Kentucky; Adams and Brown in Ohio.
“The SBA is strongly committed to providing the people of Kentucky with the most effective
and customer-focused response possible to assist businesses of all sizes, homeowners and renters
with federal disaster loans,” said Administrator McMahon. “Getting our businesses and
communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.”
SBA Customer Service Representatives will be at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center to issue
loan applications, answer questions and help individuals complete their applications.
The center is located in the following community and is open as indicated:
Mason County
Kenton Commonwealth Center
201 Government Street
Maysville, KY 41056
Opening: Thursday, Aug. 17 at noon
Hours: Weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Closed Sunday, Aug. 20
Closing: Thursday, Aug. 24 at 3 p.m.
“Businesses and nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace
damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business
assets,” said SBA Kentucky District Director Ralph Ross.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and private
nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet
working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether
the business suffered any physical property damage.
“Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster damaged or
destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or
replace damaged or destroyed personal property,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA’s Disaster
Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.
Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical
damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may
now include a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future
damage caused by a similar disaster.
Interest rates are as low as 3.305 percent for businesses, 2.5 percent for nonprofit organizations,
and 1.75 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amount and terms
are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Survivors may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure
website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
Businesses and individuals may also obtain information and loan applications by calling the
SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and
hard-of-hearing), or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can also
be downloaded at www.sba.gov/disaster. 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 submit applications for physical property damage is Oct. 16, 2017. The
deadline for economic injury applications is May 15, 2018.
