Eligible Oakland County business owners who were affected by the Aug. 11 flooding can apply for disaster relief loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) at Oakland County’s One Stop Shop Business Center located at 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford. The SBA will be on site beginning Wednesday, Oct. 8 through the filing deadline of Nov. 24, 2014 according to the press release.
“The SBA said the One Stop Shop is the perfect location for them to assist Oakland County business owners that were impacted by the flooding,” Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said. “Not only is the location convenient, but it has all the amenities the SBA needs to help out.”
Flood-affected businesses should first register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 800-621-3362, online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or on their mobile device at m.fema.gov. Disaster loan applications are no longer automatically mailed to disaster survivors when they are referred to SBA by FEMA. Instead, applicants are contacted by SBA and are given options. They can elect to:
- Use the online Electronic Loan Application (https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela).
- Visit a local recovery center for one-on-one assistance with SBA Customer Service Representatives.
- Request SBA mail them a disaster loan application.
- Indicate that they are not interested in applying for assistance.
For more information about applying for a SBA disaster loan and the eligibility requirements, go to www.sba.gov or contact SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also has opened a disaster recovery center in Oakland County at the Gerry Kulick Community Center, 1201 Livernois Ave., Ferndale, Mich. The disaster recovery center is a place where residents can register for assistance and receive more detailed follow-up information such as the types of disaster assistance programs available and the status of their existing application and the appeal process. The centers should not be confused with the recovery support sites located throughout neighborhoods in Southeast Michigan, which are limited to only assisting applicants in registering. A list of current sites can be seen at the Oakland County Homeland Security Division website, www.oakgov.com/homelandsecurity. Locations are subject to change.
Lastly, to address any damage claims from county or local government agencies, schools, non-profits or other public entities, an applicant briefing meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 at the Southfield Public Library, 26300 Evergreen Road. This will be the only briefing for Oakland County. The applicant briefing will show how to make a request for public assistance and will identify a local representative to serve as a single point of contact to FEMA for follow-up.
Register at www.disasterassistance.gov or via Web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-FEMA (3362). TTY users may call 800-462-7585. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.
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