SBA WILL OPEN A DISASTER LOAN OUTREACH CENTER IN GRADY COUNTY
OKLAHOMA CITY – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) at the Canadian Valley Tech Center on June 20 to meet the needs of Oklahomans who sustained losses from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding May 22-25.
The address for the Canadian Valley Tech Center is 1401 Michigan Avenue, Chickasha, OK 73018.
The DLOC will be open from Monday, June 20 through Thursday, June 30. Hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Through Saturday, June 18, the center continues to serve as a Disaster Recovery Center, staffed by representatives from the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the SBA and other state and federal agencies.
“DRCs are one-stop shops for disaster recovery,” said State Coordinating Officer and OEM Director Albert Ashwood. “If you’re a homeowner or renter in Grady County who suffered damage from the May storms, visit the Chickasha DRC by Saturday for one-on-one help.” Other counties designated for Individual Assistance include Canadian, Delaware, Kingfisher, Logan and McClain.
Disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for rent and home repairs, replace personal property and reimburse medical, storage and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance. Assistance may also include low-interest, federal disaster loans from the SBA.
To apply for all types of disaster assistance, call 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585 for the hearing or speech impaired. To apply online, go to www.disasterassistance.gov.
Of the 655 households that have already registered for disaster assistance in Oklahoma, 124 are in Grady County. Disaster grants approved to date top $1.7 million statewide, with more than $377,000 going to households in Grady County.
“At this stage of the recovery operation, turning a Disaster Recovery Center into a DLOC seems like a natural progression,” said Federal Coordinating Officer William J. Doran, III. “FEMA and its federal, state and local partners continue to work to meet the long-term needs of storm survivors.”
Whether it’s a DRC or DLOC, SBA representatives meet face-to-face with survivors to answer their questions, help them complete their disaster loan applications and close their approved disaster loans.
SBA offers low-interest, federal disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofits for their uncompensated losses. Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence. Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
Businesses of any size and private 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. SBA can also lend additional funds to homeowners and businesses to help with the cost of making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.
For small businesses and most private nonprofits of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the entity suffered any property damage.
Those unable to visit a DRC or DLOC can call the SBA at 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339, or visit www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance for more information or to apply for an SBA disaster loan.
FEMA, SBA and OEM continue to provide disaster recovery assistance at the following DRC locations:
Piedmont High School (open June 10-24)
1055 Edmond Road NW
Piedmont, OK in Canadian County
Community Center (open June 17-30)
429 9th Street
Jay, OK in Delaware County
Blanchard Intermediate School (open June 10-24)
400 N. Harrison
Blanchard, OK in McClain County
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Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) prepares for, responds to, recovers from and mitigates against emergencies and disasters. The department delivers service to Oklahoma cities, towns and counties through a network of more than 350 local emergency managers.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.
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