The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the opening of a Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Hidalgo County to aid small businesses, private nonprofit organizations, and residents affected by severe storms and flooding from March 26-28. The center will open on May 30 in Weslaco, Texas.
Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA, stated: "SBA’s Business Recovery Centers have consistently proven their value to business owners following a disaster. Business owners can visit these centers to meet face-to-face with specialists who will guide them through the disaster loan application process and connect them with resources to support their recovery."
The Weslaco BRC is located at Valley Metro Transit Center's Boardroom on 510 S. Pleasantview Dr., operating Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments can be scheduled at appointment.sba.gov.
Additionally, another BRC continues operations in Cameron County at the Harlingen Chamber of Commerce on 311 E. Tyler Ave., open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays until 4 p.m.
Businesses and nonprofits may apply for physical disaster loans up to $2 million for repairs or replacements of damaged assets. Homeowners can apply for loans up to $500,000 for primary residence repairs, while renters can seek up to $100,000 for personal property losses.
Applicants may also qualify for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages for mitigation improvements like insulating pipes or installing storm windows.
The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program offers financial assistance for working capital needs caused by disasters, even if no physical damage occurred. Interest rates start as low as 4% for small businesses, with terms extending up to 30 years.
Applications are accepted online at sba.gov/disaster or via SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. The deadline for physical damage applications is July 21, 2025; economic injury applications are due by February 23, 2026.