Palmetto State News

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Following Governor Henry McMaster's June 21 request, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that South Carolina's businesses and residents affected by the June 10 severe weather are eligible to apply for low-interest disaster loans. The declaration covers Berkeley County and the adjacent counties of Charleston, Clarendon, Dorchester, Georgetown, Orangeburg, and Williamsburg.

To assist those affected by the disaster, the SBA will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) in Berkeley County at 9 a.m. on Monday, July 1, 2024. The center will be located at Sangaree Library in Summerville and will operate Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will be closed on Sundays. It will also be closed on Thursday, July 4 for Independence Day and will permanently close on Friday, July 19 at 6 p.m.

Customer Service Representatives will be available at the Center to answer questions about the disaster loan program and help individuals complete their applications.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

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

Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20% of their physical damages as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter, sump pump, French drain or retaining wall to help protect property and occupants from future damage.

Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.25% for nonprofit organizations, and 2.688% for homeowners and renters with terms of up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of initial disbursement.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster. They 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 or hard of hearing or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is August 23, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 24, 2025.