Disaster Recovery Centers in Carrollton and Wrightsville Transition to SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces today that the Disaster Recovery Centers in Carrollton, Carroll County, and Wrightsville, Johnson County, Georgia will transition into SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers beginning Friday, June 13. The SBA staff at the Centers will continue to provide one-on-one assistance to homeowners, renters, and businesses of any size who received damage from the severe storms and flooding that occurred on May 11 through May 12, 2008.

The establishment of the Disaster Loan Outreach Center demonstrates SBA's commitment to ensure that every qualified individual and business receives the help they need to recover from this disaster. "Assisting individuals to recover from a disaster is our primary mission. We are encouraging anyone affected by this disaster to visit the Centers while we still have staff there and obtain individual assistance with completing their loan applications from our representatives," said Frank Skaggs, Director of SBA Field Operations Center East.

  The Centers are located in the following communities as follows:

 SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOCs)

 Carroll County
 Industrial Training Building
 West Georgia Tech College
 166 Independence Drive
 Carrollton GA 30116
 Opens Friday, June 13
 Open Monday-Friday
 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

 Douglas County
 Old Douglas County Courthouse
 6754 Broad Street
 Douglasville GA 30134
 Open Friday
 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
 Closing Friday, June 13 at 6:00 PM

 Johnson County
 Johnson County School
 150 Trojan Way
 Wrightsville GA 31096
 Opens Friday, June 13
 Open Monday-Friday;
 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

 Twiggs County
 Dry Branch Fire Department
 5328 Old Gordon Road
 Dry Branch GA 31020
 Open Friday
 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
 Closing Friday, June 13 at 6:00 PM

 FEMA/SBA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs)

 Bibb County
 Bruce Elementary School         Bloomfield Middle School
 3660 Houston Avenue             4375 Bloomfield Drive
 Macon GA 31206                  Macon GA 31206
 Open Monday-Saturday            Open Monday-Saturday
 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM              8:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property. Businesses of any size and private non-profit organizations may borrow up to $1.5 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 making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

The SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) for small businesses to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

Interest rates are as low as 2.687 percent for homeowners and renters; and 4.000 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based upon each applicant's financial condition.

The SBA urges anyone who has not registered for assistance to call FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), regardless of the status of any insurance claim. FEMA will refer you to the agency best able to meet your disaster-related needs.

Anyone unable to visit a Center who has registered with FEMA may obtain an application by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EDT or by emailing our customer service center at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Business loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA website at www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be returned to one of the Centers or 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 July 22, 2008. The filing deadline to return applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) is February 23, 2009.

For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Programs, visit our web site at www.sba.gov.