Mandeville Disaster Recovery Center Transitions to SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center

Sep 26, 2008 (DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DOCUMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS/ContentWorks via COMTEX) -- SBCO | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- BATON ROUGE, La. -- Michael Ricks, district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Louisiana office, announced today that the Mandeville Disaster Recovery Center (DRC), located at the Mandeville Public WorksDepartment in Mandeville, will transition to an SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) at 9 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 29, 2008.

The Mandeville DRC located at the Mandeville Public Works Department, 1100 Mandeville High Boulevard, will cease operations at the close of business on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008 at 6 p.m. The SBA DLOC will be open Monday, Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. at thesame location, and will operate Monday thorough Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until further notice.

The Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the SBA opened the DRC to provide personal assistance and disaster information to individuals and businesses whosuffered damage as a result of Hurricane Gustav that occurred Sept. 1 through Sept. 11.

"At this stage of the recovery process, the emphasis for assistance is to meet the long-term needs of victims," said Ricks. "We believe the transition of the Mandeville Disaster Recovery Center to an SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Centerwill better meet the current needs of St. Tammany Parish residents and businesses. Assistance is also available for victims of Hurricane Ike as well as Hurricane Gustav."

SBA customer service representatives will continue to be available at the Disaster Recovery Center until it closes and at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center to issue loan applications, answer questions about SBA's disaster loan program, explain theapplication process, help each individual complete their application and close their approved disaster loans. SBA offers low-interest federal disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private, non -- profit organizations to repair or replace property damaged or destroyed by the disaster. So far, SBA has approved more than $6.1million in low-interest disaster loans to Louisiana residents and businesses hurt by Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike.

SBA disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

Businesses of any size and private non-profit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds tohelp with the cost of making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs and necessary financial obligations that cannot be metas a direct result of the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, victims should first call FEMA at 1-800-621-3362.

For additional information about SBA disaster assistance, call the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center at (800) 659 -- 2955, or contact SBA by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit SBA's Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

For Hurricane Gustav, the filing deadline to return applications for property damage is Nov. 3, 2008. The EIDL deadline is June 2, 2009.

For Hurricane Ike, the filing deadline to return applications for property damage is Nov. 12, 2008. The EIDL deadline is June 15, 2009.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

FEMA, 500 C Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20472

Disaster Assistance: (800) 621-FEMA

Release Number: 1786-038

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