ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today it will open a Business
Recovery Center (BRC) in Monroe County at noon Wednesday, April 5, at the Monroe County
Courthouse in Aberdeen, Miss. SBA’s Customer Service Representatives will assist Mississippians
applying for SBA disaster loans for losses due to severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes that
occurred March 24-25.
“Our Business Recovery Centers are one of the most powerful resources at SBA’s disposal to support
business owners in the midst of a disaster,” said Francisco Sanchez, Jr., Associate Administrator, Office
of Disaster Recovery & Resilience. “Business owners can meet in-person with our specialists to apply for
SBA disaster loans and get information on the full breadth of our programs designed to help them
navigate their recovery.”
The disaster declaration covers Carroll, Humphreys, Montgomery, Monroe, Panola and Sharkey
counties in Mississippi, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from
the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties
are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Attala, Chickasaw, Choctaw,
Clay, Grenada, Holmes, Issaquena, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Lowndes, Quitman, Sunflower,
Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, Washington, Webster, Yalobusha and Yazoo in Mississippi; and Lamar and
Marion in Alabama.
Disaster survivors with insurance should not wait for their settlement before applying to the SBA. The
SBA can make a loan for the total loss and use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.
Any business owner or resident in any of the declared counties can get help at the BRC. It will operate
as indicated below until further notice:
Business Recovery Center (BRC)
Monroe County
Monroe County Courthouse – Annex Building
301 S. Chestnut St.
Aberdeen, MS 39730
Opening: Wednesday, April 5, noon to 6 p.m.
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed: Sunday
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA has established protocols to help protect the
health and safety of the public. All visitors to the BRCs are encouraged to wear a face mask.
Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or
replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other
business assets.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and
most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help
meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is
available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or
destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace
disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property.
Interest rates are as low as 4 percent for businesses, 2.375 percent for nonprofit organizations, and
2.375 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set
by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Building back smarter and stronger can be an effective recovery tool for future disasters. Applicants
may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by
the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm
shelter, sump pump, elevation, retaining walls, and landscaping to help protect property and
occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.
“The opportunity to include measures to help prevent future damage from occurring is a significant
benefit of SBA’s disaster loan program,” said Sanchez. “I encourage everyone to consult their
contractors and emergency management mitigation specialists for ideas and apply for an SBA disaster
loan increase for funding.”
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at
https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ and should apply under SBA declaration # 17836.
To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at
DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable,
applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video
Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.
Disaster loan information and application forms can also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer
Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial
7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services) or sending an email to
[email protected]. Loan applications can also be downloaded from sba.gov/disaster.
Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and
Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is May 25, 2023. The deadline
to return economic injury applications is Dec. 26, 2023.
###
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
Recently, U.S. SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced a policy change granting 12
months of no payments and 0 percent interest. This policy change will benefit disaster survivors and help
them to decrease the overall cost of recovery by reducing the amount of accrued interest they must
repay. Details are available through the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-
2955. Individuals with verbal or hearing impairments may dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay
services from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday, or email: [email protected].
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only goto resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA
empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start,
grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an
extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn
more, visit www.sba.gov.