Release Date: July 16, 2013
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Media Contact: Richard Jenkins
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Release
Number: CO 13662-01
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Phone: (916) 735-1500
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SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to Colorado Small
Businesses
Economically
Impacted by the West Fork Fire Complex
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Karen Mills, Administrator
of the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA), today announced that SBA is making low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans
available to small businesses economically impacted by the West Fork Fire
Complex that began June 5, 2013. SBA
acted under its own authority to declare a disaster in response to a request
SBA received from Gov. John W. Hickenlooper on July 10, 2013.
The declaration makes SBA
assistance available in the primary Colorado counties of Hinsdale, Mineral and Rio Grande
and the neighboring counties of Alamosa, Archuleta, Conejos, Gunnison, La
Plata, Ouray, Saguache and San Juan.
“The U. S. Small Business
Administration is strongly committed to providing the most effective and
customer-focused response possible to assist Colorado’s small businesses with
federal disaster loans. We will be swift
in our efforts to help these small businesses recover from the financial
impacts of this disaster,” said Administrator Mills.
“Beginning Tuesday, July 23, SBA customer service representatives
(CSRs) and counselors from the San Luis Valley and Western Small
Business Development Centers (SBDCs) will be on hand at the following Disaster
Loan Outreach Centers to help small businesses impacted by the West Fork Fire Complex,”
said SBA’s Colorado District Director Greg Lopez. “The centers are designed to provide key
financial and counseling services to businesses impacted by the fires,” he continued. The centers will be open on the
days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.
RIO GRANDE COUNTY
Disaster Loan Outreach
Center
Carnegie Library,
South Fork Branch
31 Mall Street
South Fork, CO 81154
Tues., July 23 thru Fri. July 26
10:00 am to 4:30 pm
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MINERAL COUNTY
Disaster Loan Outreach
Center
Creede and Mineral
County Chamber of Commerce
904 S. Main Street
Creede, CO 81130
Mon., July 29 thru Thurs. Aug. 1
8:30 am to 4:30 pm
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HINSDALE County
Disaster Loan Outreach
Center
Lake City DIRT
231 N. Silver Street
#5
(Upstairs from the
bank)
Lake City, CO 81235
Mon., Aug. 5 & Tues., Aug 6
8:00 am to 4:30 pm
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According to Lopez, SBA CSRs will answer questions about SBA’s Economic
Injury Disaster Loan program, explain the application process, and help each
business owner complete their application.
Colorado SBDC State Director Kelly Manning said, “Our SBDC counselors will provide free counseling
on a wide variety of matters designed to help these businesses overcome the effects of the disaster and plan for their
future. Services include assessing business economic injury, evaluating the
business’s strength, cash flow projections and most importantly, reviewing all
options to ensure each business makes decisions
that are appropriate for its situation. They will
also help businesses apply for this much needed financial help.”
“Small,
nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged
in aquaculture and most private, nonprofit organizations of any size may
qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to
help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been
met had the disaster not occurred,” Lopez continued.
“These loans may be used
to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be
paid because of the disaster’s impact.
Disaster loans can provide vital economic assistance to small businesses
to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing,” Lopez
added.
Eligibility is based on the financial impact of
the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 4 percent
for small businesses and 2.875 percent for private, nonprofit organizations
with terms up to 30 years. EIDLs are
restricted to small businesses without the financial ability to offset the
adverse impact without hardship.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic
Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
For owners of these impacted small businesses, SBA
disaster loan information and applications are available by calling (800) 659-2955,
emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov,
or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.
Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call (800) 877-8339.
The deadline to return economic injury
applications is April 15, 2014.
SBA Field Operations Center - West, P.O. Box 419004,
Sacramento, CA 95841
