The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that two Business Recovery Centers (BRCs) will open on Monday, Aug. 15 in Elkhorn City and Virgie, Kentucky. These BRCs are established to provide one-on-one assistance in submitting a disaster loan application for Kentucky businesses impacted by the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began on July 26.

The disaster declaration covers Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, and Whitley counties in Kentucky, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Bell, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, McCreary, Morgan, and Wolfe in Kentucky; Campbell and Claiborne in Tennessee; Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise in Virginia; and Mingo and Wayne in West Virginia.

To assist small businesses and nonprofit organizations apply for disaster loans, the SBA’s Business Recovery Centers are open as indicated below until further notice:

Pike County
Elkhorn Public Library
150 East Main Street
Elkhorn, KY 41522
Opens: Monday, Aug. 15
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Pike County
Vesta Roberts Johnson Memorial Library
180 Highway 610 West
Virgie, KY 41572
Opens: Monday, Aug. 15,
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Clay County
Eastern Kentucky University – Manchester
50 University Drive
Manchester, KY 40962
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Letcher County
Appalachian Groundswell
229 East Main Street
Whitesburg, KY 41858
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Perry County
Hazard Community and Technical College
Jolly Classroom Center
1 Community College Drive Hazard, KY 41701
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA has established protocols to help protect the health and safety of the public. All visitors to the BRCs are encouraged to wear a face mask.

Customer Service Representatives will be available as indicated above at the BRCs to answer questions about the disaster loan program and assist business owners in completing their applications. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA has established protocols to help protect the health and safety of the public. All visitors to the BRCs are encouraged to wear a face mask.

Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.  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 include a safe room or storm shelter, sump pump, elevation, retaining walls, and landscaping to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.

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

Disaster 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 up to $40,000 to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/,  and should apply under SBA declaration # 17546.

Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services), or by sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA’s website at sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

The physical loan application deadline expired on Sept. 28, 2022. The deadline to return economic injury applications is May 1, 2023.