ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today announced the addition of Rockland
County in the New York disaster declaration for businesses and residents affected by the remnants of
Hurricane Ida on Sept. 1-3, 2021.
This brings the total number of eligible primary counties in New York to eight, including Bronx, Kings,
Nassau, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester.
Businesses, homeowners, renters and private nonprofit organizations in the primary counties are
eligible to apply for Physical disaster loans from the SBA. In addition, small businesses and private
nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs). Small
businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to
apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans: New York, Orange and Putnam in New York; Fairfield
in Connecticut; and Bergen and Passaic in New Jersey.
Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or
replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other
business assets. Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical
damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include
a sump pump, elevation, French drain or retaining wall to help protect property and occupants from
future damage caused by a similar disaster.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and
most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans 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 $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or
destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace
disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property.
Interest rates are as low as 2.855 percent for businesses, 2 percent for nonprofit organizations and
1.563 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set
by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at
https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/, and should apply under SBA declaration # 17147, not for
the COVID-19 incident.
To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at
DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable,
applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video
Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.
Businesses and individuals may also obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA’s
Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or
emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded at
sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration,
Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 4, 2021. The deadline to
return economic injury applications is June 6, 2022.