Hurricane Ian Disaster Declaration Expanded To More FL Counties

FLORIDA — The U.S. Small Business Administration said several Florida counties have been added to SBA’s disaster declaration for Hurricane Ian that began Sept. 23, expanding eligibility to apply for the federal disaster loan program.

The disaster declaration now includes Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Saint Johns, Sarasota, Seminole and Volusia counties, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.

According to the Florida Medical Examiners Commission, there are now 110 deaths attributed to Hurricane Ian: 55 in Lee County, seven each in Charlotte, Monroe and Sarasota counties, five each in Collier and Volusia counties, four in Hardee County, three each in Manatee, Osceola and Putnam counties, two each in Hillsborough, Orange and Polk counties and one each in DeSoto, Lake and Martin counties.

Verisk, an insurance rating bureau focusing on risk analytics, said estimates of insured losses to property attributed to Hurricane Ian range from $42 billion to $57 billion.

Wind damage makes up the majority of the damage, with estimates ranging from $38 billion to $51 billion. Storm surge damage accounts for $3 billion to $5.5 billion, and inland flooding damage is estimated at $1 billion.

About 1 percent of these damages were in South Carolina.

See related story: SBA Opens Recovery Center In Tampa To Help With Federal Disaster Loans

In addition to the counties included in the disaster declaration, small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Alachua, Bradford, Broward, Clay, Duval, Hernando, Indian River, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Saint Lucie and Sumter in Florida.

According to the SBA, 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 aquaculture enterprises and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA is offering Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. That 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 3.04 percent for businesses, 1.875 percent for nonprofit organizations and 2.188 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. The loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial status.

To help apply for disaster relief loans, the SBA has opened two Business Recovery Centers in Lee County, one in Hillsborough, Collier, Seminole and Hardee counties and, Friday morning the SBA opened its seventh center in Sarasota County.

Those wishing to apply for a loan can use the SBA's electronic loan application via the SBA’s secure website under SBA declaration # 17644.

Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services), or by sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov.

Loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA’s website. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

The physical loan application deadline is Nov. 28. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 29, 2023.