SBA Offers Disaster Assistance To Mississippi Residents Affected By Christmas Day Storms, Tornadoes

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Residents and businesses in Mississippi affected by severe storms and tornadoes on Dec. 25, can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills announced today.

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Administrator Mills made the loans available in response to a letter from Gov. Phil Bryant on Dec. 31, requesting a disaster declaration by the SBA.  The declaration covers Pearl River County and the adjacent counties of Forrest, Hancock, Harrison, Lamar, Marion and Stone in Mississippi; the parishes of Saint Tammany and Washington in Louisiana.

"The SBA is strongly committed to providing the people of Mississippi with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes with federal disaster loans," said Administrator Mills.  "Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA."

"Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate.   Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property," said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA's Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.  SBA's customer service representatives are on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center to issue applications, and assist survivors with completing their applications," Skaggs added

The Center is located in the following community and is open as indicated:

Pearl County Old Armory810 Highway 11 South Poplarville, Mississippi 39470

Opening:    Tuesday, Jan. 8 at 8 a.m.  Hours:         Tuesday, Jan. 8 - Thursday, Jan. 17 from 8 a.m.  to 5 p.m.                   Saturday, Jan. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed:       Sunday, Jan. 13 Closing:      Thursday, Jan. 17 at close of business

"Businesses and non-profit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets," said Janita Stewart, SBA's Mississippi district director.

The SBA may increase a loan up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements, as verified by SBA, to make improvements that lessen the risk of property damage by future disasters of the same kind.

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