Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Sept. 14 that the U.S. Small Business Administration approved his request to include South-Central Texas communities in the federal disaster declaration covering severe weather that struck the region in August.
Eight counties are included in the federal declaration: Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina and Wilson, according to a Sept. 14 news release from the governor’s office.
“Texans across South-Central Texas impacted by these severe storms now have additional resources to help them recover and rebuild,” said Abbott. “This SBA assistance will provide critical support to homeowners, renters, and businesses as they work to recover from the damage. I thank the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Texas Division of Emergency Management for their partnership and continued work to support communities affected by these storms.”
The SBA granted access to its Home Disaster Loans, Business Physical Disaster Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, which the release said will provide low-interest loans to qualifying homeowners, renters and businesses in the affected communities.
Applicants may apply online and download applications at sba.gov/disaster, or call the SBA’s customer service center at 800-659-2955 for more information, according to the release. People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability may dial 7-1-1 to reach telecommunications relay services. Completed applications should be mailed to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
SBA representatives will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center to explain the application process, assist with completing applications and answer questions about the loan programs. The center will be located at Las Palmas Library, 515 Castroville Road in San Antonio, and opens Sept. 15, the release said. It will operate Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Tuesdays from noon to 8 p.m.
The announcement is the latest in a series of state actions following the August storms. The governor’s office said Abbott previously requested SBA disaster assistance for Bexar County and contiguous counties, announced an extension for Bexar County SNAP recipients to request replacement benefits for food lost or destroyed in the storms, and directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to request joint preliminary damage assessments with SBA, state and local partners in affected Bexar County communities.