SBA Disaster Field Operations Moved from Fortuna to Rio Dell; Disaster Loans Available

Press release from the Small Business Administration:

Director Tanya N. Garfield of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West announced today that SBA [relocated] its Fortuna Outreach Center from the Rohner Recreation Hall to the Rio Dell Community Resource Center (Old Chamber of Commerce Building) on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023.

“SBA opened the center to provide personalized assistance to California businesses and residents affected by the earthquake that occurred Dec. 20, 2022, with continuing aftershocks. Until the center closes, SBA customer service representatives will continue to be available to meet with businesses and residents to answer their questions, explain SBA’s disaster loan program and close their approved disaster loans,” said Garfield. So far, SBA has approved more than $3,422,000 in federal disaster loans for California businesses and residents. The center will be open on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.

HUMBOLDT COUNTY

Disaster Loan Outreach Center

Rio Dell Community Resource Center

(Old Chamber of Commerce Building)

406 Wildwood Avenue

Rio Dell, CA  95562

Open at 8:00 a.m. Monday, Jan. 30 

Mondays – Fridays, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. PT

Closes at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb.10

SBA representatives [were] available at the Rohner Recreation Hall to meet with disaster survivors until Friday, Jan. 27. On Monday, Jan. 30, the center [relocated] to the Rio Dell Community Resource Center (Old Chamber of Commerce Building). No appointment is necessary.

[…]Businesses of all sizes 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 businesses and homeowners to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

Interest rates can be as low as 3.305 percent for businesses, 2.375 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.313 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX  76155.

The deadline to apply for property damage is March 6, 2023. The deadline to apply for economic injury applications is Oct. 4, 2023.