Homeowners And Renters Need To Return SBA Application To Speed Disaster Assistance

2009 Region IV News Releases

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- If you were affected by the Aug. 4 storms and floods in Jefferson County and receive a U.S. Small Business Administration home loan application, you should fill it out and submit it - even if you don't want a loan.

When you are referred to the SBA, an SBA loan application has to be completed before some types of aid options can be considered, according to officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management.

Filling out an SBA application does not guarantee you will be approved for a loan, nor does it mean you must accept a loan if you are approved. However, if a home loan application is declined, your case may be referred back to FEMA's grant programs.

FEMA disaster assistance covers only basic living requirements and will not normally compensate for your entire loss. If you have insurance, the disaster assistance may help pay for basic needs not covered under your insurance policy. The SBA application may be completed before your insurance is settled.

Homeowners, renters and business owners in Jefferson County are urged to visit one of the two Disaster Recovery Centers in Louisville if they have questions or want to learn more about the SBA program. The centers are located at the South Louisville Community Center (2911 Taylor Blvd.) and the Old Trolley Barn (1701 Muhammad Ali Blvd.).

SBA representatives at the centers will also be able to assist in completing the application.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including automobiles.

Anyone unable to visit the center, who has registered with FEMA, can obtain an application by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or the TTY line for the hearing-impaired at 800-877-8339. Both lines are operational Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can also go online to fill out an application at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

Anyone from Jefferson County suffering loss or damage from the severe storms and flooding on Aug. 4 -and has not yet registered for assistance - should call FEMA's toll-free registration number at 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Or, for the hearing- and speech-impaired, call the TTY line at 800-462-7585. The toll-free numbers are operating daily from 6 a.m. to midnight. You can also register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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