SBA disaster loan center open 3 more days for assistance

April 27--Local residents who sustained damage in the April 3 storms have three days to get assistance at the U.S. Small Business Administration's disaster loan center in Decatur.

More than 30 people already have sought help.

"If you're eligible, this is a good way to get a loan with low-interest rates and favorable terms," said Eddie Hicks, director of the Morgan County Emergency Management Agency. "This is a solution for some people."

Residents are still recovering from straight-line winds that reached as high as 75 mph, uprooting trees, downing power lines and destroying homes. Northwest and Northeast Decatur were hit the hardest.

The low-interest, fixed-rate loans have no closing costs and no prepayment penalties, said Faith Rice, one of the SBA customer service agents at the loan center. According to the SBA, the law authorizes loan terms up to 30 years.

"We have assisted approximately 32 people in applying for the loans" at the Decatur center, Rice said. "We look forward to those numbers growing."

The loan center is located at the Decatur-Morgan County Entrepreneurial Center, 1629 Fourth Ave. S.E.

The center opened last Friday. It will be open for applications today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is closed Sunday.

Its hours on Monday, the final day, are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The SBA authorized disaster loans in the primary county of Morgan and the contiguous counties of Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Cullman and Marshall.

In those counties, homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofit organizations that qualify have the following options:

--Home disaster loans: Renters and homeowners may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace clothing, furniture, cars, appliances and other possessions damaged or destroyed in the storm. Homeowners may apply for up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence to its pre-disaster condition.

--Business physical disaster loans: Loans of up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, nonprofit organizations such as charities and churches are also eligible.

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--Economic injury disaster loans: If a small business or private, nonprofit organization has suffered economic injury, regardless of physical damage, and is located in the SBA-declared disaster area, they may be eligible for financial assistance of up to $2 million.

To apply for the loans or to obtain information, contact the SBA at 800-659-2955 or 800-877-8339 for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, or at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Also, the Morgan County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters and the United Way of Morgan County, in partnership with Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling's office and EMA, have launched a long-term recovery committee, said Laurie Lincoln-Swaim, Morgan County VOAD president.

"The committee is gearing up to begin serving those with unmet needs," said Lincoln-Swaim, who is the Community Action Partnership of North Alabama's director of compliance, planning and results. She said some examples of storm victims' unmet needs may be assistance in finding rental or transitional housing and financial or construction assistance for those who don't have homeowner's insurance and can't afford to pay for repairs.

"Those who have unmet needs at this time can contact the United Way of Morgan County," which will provide that information to the long-term recovery committee, she said. The United Way is the fiscal agent for VOAD.

Long-term recovery committees are responsible for assessing and vetting those needs.

To donate online to recovery efforts, go to United Way of Morgan County at www.uwmcal.org, click on the "donate" box and for a one-time donation, under special instructions write "April 3 disaster/VOAD."

Checks made out to United Way of Morgan County/VOAD can be brought by the United Way office at 115 First Ave. N.E., Decatur, or mailed to United Way of Morgan County, P.O. Box 1058, Decatur, AL 35602. Note that the check is for disaster relief.

For those who want to volunteer, go to the Volunteer Center of Morgan County's website at www.vcomc.org and click on the "Volunteer" tab, then click on "Disaster Response," the yellow box. Those without internet access may call the office at (256) 355-8628.

marian.accardi@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438. Twitter @DD_MAccardi.

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