The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that a Business Recovery Center (BRC) will open on Monday, Aug. 22 at the Hindman City Hall, Knott County, Kentucky. The BRC is established to provide one-on-one assistance in submitting a disaster loan application for Kentucky businesses, nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters 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 businesses, nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters apply for disaster loans, the SBA’s Business Recovery Centers are open as indicated below until further notice:

Center Locations and Hours

Knott County

Hindman City Hall

10 Professor Clarke Circle

Hindman, KY 41822

Hours:  Daily, 8 a.m. –  5 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.

 

Pike County

Elkhorn Public Library

150 East Main Street

Elkhorn, KY 41522

Hours:  Daily, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

 

Vesta Roberts Johnson Memorial Library

180 Highway 610 West

Virgie, KY 41572

Hours:  Daily, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

What to expect 

Customer Service Representatives will be available as indicated above at the BRCs to answer questions about the disaster loan program and assist business owners, nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters 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.