Wolf Won't Declare Bucks Emergency Disaster, Seeks SBA Loans

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Governor Tom Wolf has said that he will not declare the recent 100-year flooding in Bensalem and Bristol an emergency disaster. Instead, he’ll be pursuing Small Business Administration loans at the federal level.

“Again, these decisions are not subjective but rather based on which federal programs the commonwealth would qualify for based on PEMA's assessment of the damages,” Elizabeth Rementer, Deputy Press Secretary for the Governor's Office, wrote. “The administration is committed to exploring all available options within its power to provide residents with relief.”

After the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency’s assessment of the county-wide flooding damage, the agency found that there was not sufficient damage to qualify for Individual Assistance — the aid category that would give direct grants to renters and homeowners impacted by the flooding. This informed Wolf’s decision not to declare the flooding an emergency disaster.

Factors to qualify for Individual Assistance include: the state’s fiscal capacity and resource availability, the amount of uninsured home and personal property losses, the demographics of the disaster impacted population, the impact to community infrastructure, the number of people missing, injured, or deceased due to the disaster, and the number of disaster survivors who lost work or became unemployed due to the disaster and who do not qualify for standard unemployment insurance.

“Based on PEMA’s assessment of the damages from the flooding, the administration has determined that it does not meet the threshold for individual assistance,” Rementer explained.

Despite its name, though, the U.S. Small Business Administration does provide federal loans to homeowners and renters, as well as to businesses. To qualify for these loans, at least 25 households and/or businesses must have a minimum 40 percent uninsured loss, or at least five businesses must have significant economic loss.

Wolf has put in a request for this form of assistance.

“Based on PEMA's assessment of the damages from the flooding, the commonwealth believes it qualifies for federal assistance for businesses, renters and homeowners through the SBA,” Rementer wrote. “[S]o the governor made this request and the commonwealth expects to hear from SBA in the next day or two, at which time the administration will have more details on how to apply for SBA low-interest loans.”

As yet, Lower Bucks still may qualify for Public Assistance through FEMA. Rementer said this would provide federal grants to governmental entities and designated private non-profit organizations, for repairs to public infrastructure.

Thresholds for Public Assistance exist at both the county and state levels, and are still being investigated in Bucks County.

“Eligibility is NOT met if the state does not meet the 2021 threshold of $19.7 million in damages, even if the county meets their damage threshold,” Rementer wrote.

To learn more about flooding damage in Bensalem and Bristol, check out these articles:

More Than 300 Sought Aid On Day 1 Of Bucks Resource Center

Devastation At Lafayette Gardens: 1st Floor May Be Uninhabitable

Bensalem Residents Seek Aid Online After Flooding Disaster

100-Year Flood Prompts Evacuations, Rescues In Eastern PA

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