Businesses and residents impacted by last month’s flooding around Southwest Michigan go excellent news today from Gov. Rick Snyder. His request for federal approval of a disaster declaration has been greenlighted by the SBA.
Snyder today announced the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved his request for a physical and economic disaster declaration for Berrien and three other Michigan counties. The declaration means businesses and residents affected by severe flooding in the third week of February are now eligible to apply for financial assistance.
The declaration covers Arenac, Berrien, Ingham, and Kalamazoo counties and the neighboring counties of Allegan, Barry, Bay, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Clinton, Eaton, Gladwin, Iosco, Jackson, Livingston, Ogemaw, Shiawassee, St. Joseph, and Van Buren.
Reacting to the news this afternoon Snyder said, “I am pleased the Small Business Administration will provide financial assistance to individuals and businesses affected by the severe flooding,” and added, “The availability of these loans will bring some relief to those working to recover and rebuild.”
Based on information provided by the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division (MSP/EMHSD), state officials requested representatives of the SBA to conduct a preliminary damage assessment of the affected area to document damage to homes and businesses that sustained uninsured losses of 40-percent or more. This assessment was conducted from March 16th-to-20th.
The SBA disaster assistance program provides low-interest disaster loans for uninsured losses incurred by homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofit organizations to repair or replace real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, inventory and business assets that have been damaged or destroyed. The SBA tailors the repayment of each disaster loan to the borrower’s financial capability.
The SBA will establish a disaster loan outreach center in the affected area for one-on-one assistance. Loan applications will also be made available online or by mail.
Additional information about the SBA disaster assistance program is available at www.sba.gov.
Snyder himself declared a state of disaster on March 12th for 17 counties and two cities after heavy rainfall and snow melt on Feb. 19th-to-21st resulted in widespread flooding damage, making state aid and financial assistance available to communities in the disaster area.
The area shown in the photo accompanying this story on Moody on the Market is a portion of the Eagle Pointe harbor and subdivision along Niles Road in south St. Joseph, and is a screen capture from a drone video provided courtesy of Aerial Perspective Drones.
