LED Announces Flood Recovery Resources For Businesses

BATON ROUGE, La. – Today, Louisiana Economic Development encouraged businesses impacted by this month’s severe flooding to take advantage of federal, state and charitable assistance being set up to help them. Business owners can register with FEMA and access critical support services online via LED’s website, OpportunityLouisiana.com. LED will support the Business Recovery Centers which the U.S. Small Business Administration is preparing to open in several south Louisiana locations for one-on-one assistance with affected businesses.

LED has established an online flood recovery clearinghouse for Louisiana businesses on its website, with links to important federal, state and nonprofit agencies whose services could be useful in the recovery process. These resources can be found at OpportunityLouisiana.com/flood-recovery-assistance.

“We urge anyone whose business enterprise was harmed by the August floods to visit our website, OpportunityLouisiana.com, for help in seeking recovery assistance,” LED Secretary Don Pierson said. “In addition, the SBA’s Business Recovery Centers will soon be open to provide one-stop assistance. Our partnership with the SBA and the Louisiana Small Business Development Center Network will be useful to help businesses recover, re-establish their operations and plan for the future.”

Among the important information provided on the LED website are links to assistance available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the SBA.

As a first step, businesses or individuals in the disaster areas who wish to apply for federal assistance must register with FEMA. This can be done by phone at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or online at disasterassistance.gov.

Businesses that sustained losses can begin applying for assistance at this time. Parishes currently designated in the federal disaster declaration are Acadia, Ascension, Avoyelles, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Vermilion, Washington and West Feliciana. Damage assessments are continuing for other parishes.

The SBA has a loan program for businesses of any size and private, nonprofit organizations that have suffered flood losses. Businesses and other qualifying organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. These loans cover losses that are not fully covered by insurance or other recoveries.

Business owners may apply online using SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from the SBA by calling (800) 659-2955 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call (800) 877-8339. For more disaster assistance information, or to download applications, visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

OpportunityLouisiana.gov also includes links to other important flood recovery assistance resources, including the Louisiana Business Emergency Operations Center, the Louisiana Small Business Development Center Network and the American Red Cross.