The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the opening of Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOCs) in Jackson and Randolph counties to assist those affected by recent severe weather events. The centers, located in Diaz and Pocahontas, will provide support to small businesses, private nonprofit organizations, and residents impacted by storms and tornadoes from March 14-15 and April 2-22.
Starting Monday, June 9, SBA customer service representatives will be available at the DLOCs to guide applicants through the disaster loan application process. Appointments are not required but can be scheduled online at appointment.sba.gov.
The center in Jackson County is situated at Diaz City Hall and will operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, until June 20. In Randolph County, the center is located at Black River Technical College in Pocahontas and will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., as well as on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., closing on June 20.
Additional DLOC locations are also available in Sharp County at Cave City’s City Hall and Hardy Fire Station with similar operating hours.
Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA, emphasized the importance of these centers: “When disasters strike, SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers perform an important role by assisting small businesses and their communities.”
Eligible businesses and nonprofits can apply for business physical disaster loans up to $2 million for repair or replacement of damaged property. Homeowners may borrow up to $500,000 for primary residence repairs while renters can access loans up to $100,000 for personal property damage.
Applicants might qualify for additional funds up to 20% above their verified physical damages for mitigation improvements like insulating pipes or installing storm windows.
The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is also accessible for small businesses and certain nonprofits experiencing financial losses due to these disasters. EIDLs cover working capital needs even if no physical damage occurred.
Interest rates start as low as 4% for small businesses, with repayment terms extending up to 30 years. Interest accrual begins one year after loan disbursement.
Applications can be submitted online at sba.gov/disaster or via phone at (800) 659-2955. The deadline for applications related to March storms is July 14, 2025; for April storms, it is July 22, 2025. Economic injury applications have deadlines set for February of the following year.
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