The Small Business Administration (SBA) will open Business Recovery Centers (BRC) in Clay, Letcher, and Perry counties this week. 

One BRC opens in Perry County Wednesday, Aug. 3, and BRCs in Clay and Letcher counties open Thursday, Aug. 4. The 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 July 26.

The disaster declaration covers Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Knott, Letcher, Perry and Pike Counties in Kentucky, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans 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, Lee, Leslie, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley and Wolfe in Kentucky; Buchanan, Dickenson and Wise in Virginia; and Mingo in West Virginia.

Business Recovery Center Locations and Hours of Operation

Here are the BRC locations. All locations are open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

Clay County

EKU-Manchester 

50 University Drive 

Manchester KY, 40962

Letcher County

Appalachian Groundswell

229 East Main Street

Whitesburg, KY 41858

Perry County

Hazard Community and Technical College

Jolly Classroom Center 

1 Community College Drive

Hazard, KY 41701

What assistance is available

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.

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 of 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 (EIDLs) 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.

Interest rates are as low as 3.04 percent for businesses.

Other Helpful Information

• SBA Business Recovery Center Fact Sheet
• Kentucky SBDC | Reopening Your Business After a Disaster
• Kentucky SBDC | Navigating a Business Crisis
• Kentucky SBDC | Managing Your Business in Times of Financial Difficulty