Gov. DeSantis announces SBA loans available for SWFL residents impacted by January tornadoes

Writer: Joey Pellegrino
Published:
Volunteers from First United Methodist Church assisting in cleanup efforts after the EF2 Iona tornado. Credit: WINK News

Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Division of Emergency Management announced Wednesday that the U.S. Small Business Administration granted the state’s request for a disaster declaration, which makes disaster loans available to individuals and businesses impacted by the January 2022 Southwest Florida tornadoes. The declaration provides additional relief in the form of low-interest loans to Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties.

This announcement follows FEMA’s decision to deny FDEM’s appeal for Individual Assistance for disaster survivors.

The Disaster Loans available through this declaration include:

  • Business Physical Disaster Loans – Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery, and equipment. Businesses of any size are also eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.
  • Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) – Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.
  • Home Disaster Loans – Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles.

Disaster Loan applicants may apply online, or download the application, using the Electronic Loan Application through the SBA’s secure website.

Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than July 1, 2022, for Physical Disaster Loans, and February 2, 2023, for Economic Injury Disaster Loans.

For more information about the available disaster loans from the SBA, click here.

Florida continues to raise additional relief funds through the Southwest Florida Tornado portal. Last week, FDEM distributed 66 additional relief funds to disaster survivors, totaling $660,000. In total, more than $1.09 million has been distributed through the portal to date.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.