MOSCOW, OH— Following U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)’s visit to Moscow earlier this month, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened a new center – in town and with more convenient hours – to help Ohioans apply for disaster relief assistance following severe weather on March 2. Officials from SBA and a representative of Brown’s office will be at Moscow River Valley Community Center tomorrow to assist Southwest Ohioans seeking assistance in applying for low-interest disaster loans to rebuild their homes and businesses.

“Southwest Ohioans should have access to the federal resources they need to rebuild their homes and businesses,” Brown said. “The new temporary center will be in a more convenient location with more accessible hours for Ohioans who are already struggling to rebuild their homes and businesses.”

State Individual Assistant Grant program representatives will help assist families and business owners applying for the disaster grants and loans that are available for Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, and Warren County residents. Representatives will be available at the River Valley Community Center (30 Wells St Moscow, OH 45153) daily from 11AM-7PM until Saturday.

Last month, the SBA announced Federal disaster assistance available to residents and businesses in Southwest Ohio who were disrupted by the severe weather. Affected Ohioans in Clermont, Brown, Clinton, Hamilton, and Warren Counties who suffered property losses have until May 14 to apply for low-interest disaster loans to rebuild their homes and businesses.

While SBA established an outreach center to help Ohioans apply for disaster relief, local leaders expressed concern with the center’s location and office hours. Earlier this month, Brown visited Moscow and brought with him SBA Deputy Administrator Marie Johns to meet with local leaders and tour storm damaged areas. At the meeting convened by Brown, the SBA committed to opening a center in the Village of Moscow with more flexible hours.

Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate.  Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property damaged during the disaster.  Interest rates are as low as 1.875 percent. Businesses and non-profit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster.   According to the SBA, small businesses may borrow up to $2 million, with a three percent interest rate for non-profit organizations, four percent for small businesses.  The application deadline is December 13, 2012. Terms of up to 30 years are available for all SBA disaster loans. 

Individuals and businesses may also obtain information on loan applications by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for people with speech or hearing disabilities), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.  SBA’s customer service representatives will be available at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center to answer questions about the disaster loan program, explain the process, distribute and help individuals complete their applications. Business loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA website at www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be returned to the Center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.  

Meanwhile, short-term needs assistance from the State of Ohio is available to Clermont County residents affected by the tornadoes and severe storms. To learn more, contact the Clermont County Department of Jobs and Family Services at 513-732-6006.   

 

 

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