The U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that due to a steady decrease of activity, the Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Forrest County will cease operations on Wednesday, Mar. 22 at the close of business.
Businesses that sustained physical losses or economic injury due to severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding on Jan. 20-21, 2017 are encouraged to submit an SBA disaster loan application before it’s too late. SBA representatives at the Business Recovery Center (BRC) can provide information about disaster loans, answer questions and help businesses in completing the SBA application. The Center is located as indicated below.
Forrest County
C.E. Roy Community Center
Hattiesburg, MS 39401
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Closed: Saturdays and Sundays
Closing: Wednesday, March 22 at 6 p.m.
“The SBA is committed to facilitating economic recovery in this disaster. We want area businesses to have a resource where they can meet individually with SBA representatives and find out how a low-interest disaster loan can help them recover,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA’s Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.
The SBA offers low-interest, long-term disaster loans for physical damage and working capital. To be considered for this assistance, survivors need to apply by the deadline. Additional information on the disaster loan program may be obtained by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from www.sba.gov. Survivors may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is March 27, 2017.
The deadline to return economic injury applications is Oct. 25, 2017.