SBA Centers Close in Recognition of Veterans Day; Urges Return of Applications before the Deadline

ATLANTA - (BUSINESS WIRE) - The U.S. Small Business Administration announces today that its Centers will close Wednesday, November 11 in recognition of Veterans Day. The Centers will resume normal operating hours Thursday, November 12 to help individuals and businesses in Georgia impacted by the severe storms and flooding that occurred from September 18 through October 8, 2009.

Victims are urged to register with FEMA by calling 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. "Those who were issued an SBA disaster loan application should complete and return it before the November 23 deadline even if they don't want a loan. If the SBA is not able to approve a home loan, they will be referred to FEMA for possible grant assistance," said Frank Skaggs, Director of SBA's Disaster Field Operations Center in Atlanta.

"I encourage anyone who has not completed their disaster loan application and needs help to meet with a Customer Service Representative at one of the Centers located throughout the disaster area for one-on-one assistance," added Skaggs.

The Centers are located in the following communities:

SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOCs)
All Centers will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 11 for Veterans Day
Cherokee County			Cobb County			DeKalb County
Cherokee Co. Parks & Rec. Gym			The Threadmill			Browns Mill Recreation Center
7545 Main Street, Building 200			5000 Austell/Powder Springs Rd, Suite 120			5101 Browns Mill Road
Woodstock GA 30188			Austell GA 30106			Lithonia GA 30058
Open Mon-Fri; 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM			Open Mon-Fri; 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM			Open Mon-Fri; 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Douglas County			Fulton County			Gwinnett County
Old Douglas County Court House			Fulton County Gov't Center			Mountain Park
6754 Broad Street			141 Pryor Street SW			5055 Five Forks Trickum Road
Douglasville GA 30134			Atlanta GA 30303			Lilburn GA 30047
Open Mon-Fri; 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM			Open Mon-Fri; 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM			Open Mon-Fri; 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
SBA Business Recovery Centers (BRCs)
Cobb County			Douglas County			Fulton County
Powder Springs Library			Douglas County Chamber of Commerce			Government Service Center
4181 Atlanta Street - Bldg. 1			6658 Church Street			7741 Roswell Road
Powder Springs GA 30127			Douglasville GA 30134			Atlanta GA 30350
Open Mon-Fri; 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM			Open: Monday-Friday; 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM			Open Mon-Fri; 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM

The SBA offers loans up to $200,000 to repair disaster damaged primary residences. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to replace personal property such as furniture, appliances and clothing. Loans to businesses of all sizes and non-profit organizations are available up to $2 million to repair damage to real estate, machinery, inventory and equipment.

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) are available to small businesses, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

Interest rates are as low as 2.750 percent for homeowners and renters and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant's financial condition.

Anyone unable to visit one of the Centers may obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 or (1-800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST, or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Business loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Completed applications should be returned to one of the Centers or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX. 76155.

Georgians may apply for disaster loans from SBA's secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical damage is November 23, 2009. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 24, 2010.

For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Programs, visit our website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

Release Number: 10-071, GA 11886 / 11887

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Michael Lampton, 404-331-0333