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 SBA to Open Business Recovery Centers in response to Severe Weather from April 2 - 6, 2024 Presidential Disaster Declaration

5/29/2024

​The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is opening a business recovery center in Kanawha County, following the announcement of a Presidential disaster declaration to severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, landslides, and mudslides that occurred April 2- 6.

“Our Business Recovery Centers are one of the most powerful resources at SBA’s disposal to support business owners and residents in the midst of a disaster,” said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience. “Business owners can meet in person with our specialists to apply for SBA disaster loans and get information on the full breadth of our programs designed to help them navigate their recovery.”

The disaster declaration covers Boone, Cabell, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, Marshall, Nicholas, Ohio, Putnam, Wayne, and Wetzel counties in West Virginia, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Braxton, Brooke, Clay, Doddridge, Greenbrier, Harrison, Jackson, Logan, Marion, Mason, Mingo, Monongalia, Raleigh, Roane, Summers, Tyler, Webster and Wyoming in West Virginia; Boyd, Lawrence and Martin in Kentucky; Belmont, Galia, Jefferson, Lawrence and Monroe in Ohio; and Greene and Washington in Pennsylvania.

Customer Service Representatives at SBA’s Business Recovery Center will assist businesses and residents complete their disaster loan application, accept documents, and provide updates on an application’s status. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment at an SBA Disaster Recovery Center in advance. The Center will operate as indicated below.

​Business Recovery Center (BRC)
Kanawha County 
Charleston Area Alliance 
Charleston, WV 25301 
​Opening:  Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Hours:       Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Closed:    Sunday


Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

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. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

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

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, and monthly payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the initial disbursement. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition. 

With the changes to FEMA’s Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and the SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover. FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed to help survivors with their long-term recovery needs. Please visit sba.gov/disaster to apply for SBA assistance online.

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 filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is July 22, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 24, 2025.

Download the Fact Sheet (en Espanol)
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Contact Information

Michael Lampton (404) 331-0333, Michael.Lampton@sba.gov