SBA Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience (ODRR) is currently:

  • Coordinating with FEMA on potential for opening several Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs).
  • Coordinating with State, local, and resource partners on potential of opening Business Recovery Centers (BRCs).
  • DRCs and BRCs are great resources to get help with Federal assistance applications for Businesses of all sizes, Homeowners, Renters, & Private nonprofit organizations.
  • Note: FEMA oversees the DRCs; SBA ODRR oversees the BRCs. SBA ODRR often co-locates with FEMA at the DRCs when possible.

Please note that applicants are welcome to apply online: MySBA Loan Portal.

For phone/virtual assistance, applicants can also email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov and call 800-659-2955 from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

If you are located in a declared disaster area, you may be eligible for financial assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
What Types of Disaster Loans are Available?

  • Business Physical Disaster Loans – Loans to businesses 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, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.
  • Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) – Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.
  • Home Disaster Loans – Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles.
    What are the Credit Requirements?
  • Credit History – Applicants must have a credit history acceptable to SBA.
  • Repayment – Applicants must show the ability to repay all loans.
Learn More and Apply

For business owners and residents who are unable to visit the Business Recovery Centers, the following Virtual Business Recovery Center is also available to assist small businesses and residents with their applications.

VIRTUAL BUSINESS RECOVERY CENTER

Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
FOCWAssistance@sba.gov
(916) 932-8925

The University of Houston Texas Gulf Coast Small Business Development Centers are offering free, personalized counseling to help affected businesses in their recovery. Businesses may find a University of Houston Texas Gulf Coast SBDC location nearest to them online at http://www.sbdc.uh.edu or by calling (713) 752‑8444 to request consultation. Visitors are encouraged to call first for an appointment.

UH Texas Gulf Coast business advisors will provide business assistance to clients on a wide variety of matters designed to help small business owners re-establish their operations, overcome the effects of the disaster and plan for their future. Services include assessing business working capital needs, evaluating the business’s strength, cash flow projections, and most importantly, a review of options with the business owner to help them evaluate their alternatives and make decisions that are appropriate for their situation.

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize disaster damage from occurring in the future.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available to businesses regardless of any property damage.

These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Disaster loans can provide vital economic assistance to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.

Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.688 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Calhoun, Eastland, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Liberty, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker and Waller counties.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

In addition, applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to apply for physical damage is July 16, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is Feb. 18, 2025.

Disaster Assistance Key Facts

  • Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize disaster damage from occurring in the future.
  • These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact.
  • Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.688 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
  • In addition, applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
  • The deadline to apply for physical damage is July 16, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is Feb. 18, 2025.
  • The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Calhoun, Eastland, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Liberty, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker and Waller counties.
    • Contiguous Counties (other counties that may have been affected): Angelina, Aransas, Austin, Bexar, Brazoria, Brown, Caldwell, Callahan, Chambers, Comal, Comanche, Delta, Erath, Fannin, Fisher, Fort Bend, Franklin, Galveston, Gonzales, Grimes, Haskell, Hays, Houston, Jackson, Jefferson, Madison, Matagorda, Newton, Nolan, Orange, Palo Pinto, Red River, Refugio, Sabine, San Augustine, Shackelford, Stephens, Stonewall, Taylor, Tyler, Victoria, Washington, Wilson