California Receives Federal Funding to Support Recovery Efforts from Humboldt County Earthquake

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SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) announced the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) approval of the state’s request to seek financial aid for Humboldt County and neighboring counties for an emergency declaration in response to the magnitude-6.4 earthquake near Ferndale on December 20, 2022.

“We appreciate the SBA supporting Humboldt and surrounding counties to obtain help for families and businesses get back on the road to recovery,” said Cal OES Deputy Director of Recovery Ryan Buras. “These low interest disaster loans are available to California businesses and residents affected by the earthquake in Humboldt County.”

The emergency declaration makes homeowners, renters, business owners and certain private non-profit organizations in Humboldt County, as well as the contiguous counties of Del Norte, Mendocino, Siskiyou and Trinity, eligible to apply for low-interest disaster loans to help cover losses due to the earthquake.

“The SBA Disaster Loan process will make it easier for our local businesses and homeowners to rebuild damaged properties and ease the financial hardship on all of our impacted residents,” Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal said. “This is an important step that is necessary so that our community can begin to recover. Humboldt County is thankful to receive this assistance from the federal government and appreciates all of our county partners and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for their assistance in obtaining approval for this program.”

To provide in person resources to community members, SBA will be starting a Disaster Loan Outreach Center from January 9-27.

HUMBOLDT COUNTY

Disaster Loan Outreach Center

Rohner Recreation Hall

7 Park Street

Fortuna, CA  95540

Open 8:00 a.m. Monday, Jan. 9 through 4:30 p.m.  Friday, Jan. 27

Mondays – Fridays, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. PT

Closed Monday, Jan. 16 for Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

“SBA’s mission-driven team stands ready to help California’s small businesses and residents impacted by the earthquake in Humboldt County,” said Administrator Guzman. “We’re committed to providing federal disaster loans swiftly and efficiently, with a customer-centric approach to help businesses and communities recover and rebuild.”

“Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster,” said Director Tanya N. Garfield of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West. “Beginning Monday, Jan. 9, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the following Disaster Loan Outreach Center to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their application,” Garfield continued. The center will be open on the days and times indicated below. No appointment is necessary.

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 businesses and homeowners to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of 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 regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

Interest rates can be as low as 3.305 percent for businesses, 2.375 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.313 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.

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. 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. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX  76155.

The deadline to apply for property damage is March 6, 2023. The deadline to apply for economic injury is Oct. 4, 2023.

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