Nov 29, 2022

US Small Business Administration exceeds $1 billion in Hurricane Ian assistance

More than $1 billion in disaster assistance has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for small businesses, homeowners, renters and private nonprofit organizations with losses resulting from Hurricane Ian in September, according to Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of SBA.

“Our SBA disaster assistance teams hit the ground immediately in the wake of Hurricane Ian to help disaster-impacted individual homeowners, renters and businesses with critical financial relief,” Guzman said. “Reaching the $1 billion mark demonstrates the scale of devastation and the commitment of the Biden-Harris Administration and the whole of SBA to swiftly assist communities in their recovery.”

Natural disasters such as Hurricane Ian are not just more devastating; they are also coming faster, more frequently, and are often rapidly changing in their complexity and scope, SBA explained. The assistance is aimed to transform how the U.S. does business, as well as deliver a positive customer experience to residents and small business owners in times of need.

As of Nov. 28, the SBA approved 14,877 low-interest disaster loans, delivering a combined $1,049,679,000.

The Florida Disaster Declaration, issued by President Biden, began on Sept. 23 and now includes the following counties: Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Saint Johns, Sarasota, Seminole and Volusia. Small businesses impacted by the hurricane and living in these counties are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans, according to SBA.

Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Alachua, Bradford, Broward, Clay, Duval, Hernando, Indian River, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Saint Lucie and Sumter.