Getting Disaster Help from the U.S. Small Business Administration: SBA Representatives available at Disaster Recovery Center

SAIPAN-

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

♦ SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters.

♦ Businesses may borrow up to $2 million for any combination of property damage or economic injury.

♦ SBA offers low-interest working capital loans (called Economic Injury Disaster Loans) to small businesses, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of all sizes having difficulty meeting obligations as a result of the disaster.

♦ If you are a homeowner or renter, FEMA may refer you to SBA. SBA disaster loans are the primary source of money to pay for repair or replacement costs not fully covered by insurance or other compensation.

♦ Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence.

♦ Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to replace personal property.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

♦ Begin by registering with FEMA. If you haven’t already done so, call (800) 621-FEMA (3362) or visit www.disasterassistance.gov.

♦ Homeowners and renters should submit their SBA disaster loan application, even if they are not sure that they will need or want a loan. If SBA cannot approve your application, in most cases they will refer you to FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance (ONA) program for possible additional assistance.

HOW TO APPLY TO SBA

We encourage every individual and business owner to come into the Disaster Recovery Center and speak one-on-one with an SBA Customer Service Representative. Our representatives will answer all of their questions and explain the application process. We will also help each business owner and homeowner complete their application to apply for a low-interest disaster loan.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters 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. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call (800) 877-8339.

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.