Georgia businesses and residents affected by flooding on Sept. 3-4, 2022, are eligible to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman announced.

Administrator Guzman made the loans available in response to a letter from Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp’s authorized representative, Valarie Grooms, dated Jan. 5, requesting a disaster declaration by the SBA. Businesses and residents in the declared area can now apply for low-interest disaster loans from the SBA. The declaration covers Chattooga County and the adjacent counties of Floyd and Walker in Georgia; and Cherokee and DeKalb in Alabama.

“The SBA is strongly committed to providing the people of Georgia with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist businesses of all sizes, homeowners and renters with federal disaster loans,” said Guzman. “Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.”

To assist businesses and residents affected by the disaster, the SBA will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) at 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, at the Chattooga County EMA/E-911 building in Summerville.

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. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Terrell Perry will be the Public Affairs Lead for this declaration, and will be working on the ground in the Chattooga County area and is available for interview.

Please contact her at (404) 387-8716 or terrell.perry@sba.gov.