Harrisburg, PA – Governor Josh Shapiro announced today that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved his recent request to make financial aid available to those impacted by Tropical Storm Debby in Clearfield and Indiana Counties on Aug. 8-10, 2024.
The Shapiro Administration has been leading a bipartisan effort over the last four months to help Pennsylvanians recover from this devastating flooding. In addition to the aid announced today, Governor Shapiro and federal leaders previously secured Individual Assistance (IA) grants and U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest loans for homeowners, renters, and businesses in Lycoming, Potter, Tioga, and Union counties. Through the IA grant program, FEMA has already distributed over $12 million to 1,165 Pennsylvanians in those counties.
In response to the disaster, Governor Shapiro also issued a Commonwealth proclamation of disaster emergency for 21 counties on August 9, 2024, and amended it to 28 counties on August 20, 2024, including Indiana and Clearfield, to provide immediate response and recovery assistance to affected Pennsylvanians. The Governor’s disaster declaration allowed the Commonwealth to quickly draw down funding and provide state agencies with the resources needed to assist counties and municipalities with ongoing recovery efforts.
The flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby was devastating for many Pennsylvanians across our Commonwealth, and my Administration continues to work to do everything we can to help them recover and rebuild,” said Governor Shapiro. “I promised that my Administration would continue to be there long after this disaster – and we’ve worked constantly over the past four months to help Pennsylvanians get back on their feet. These low-interest loans will provide support to additional Pennsylvanians impacted by this devastating storm.
The SBA’s Disaster Loan program provides low-interest loans for homeowners, renters, private non-profits, and businesses located in disaster declared counties who sustained physical damages from flooding. The SBA can provide up to $500,000 for homeowners to replace or repair their primary residences and up to $100,000 for homeowners and renters to replace or repair personal property. Businesses and most private non-profits may apply for up to $2 million to cover disaster losses not fully covered by insurance. Additionally, small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and most private nonprofit organizations located in the declared disaster area that have suffered substantial economic injury may be eligible for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL).
This is the first federal Rural Communities Act of 2023 Declaration for Pennsylvania, which allows the state to request an SBA disaster declaration in counties with rural communities that have experienced significant damage. Prior to the act, the SBA eligibility process required damage to at least 25 eligible homes or businesses. The Act now allows rural areas to show need for federal assistance with only one damaged property when the county has received a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance, which Governor Shapiro secured for the Commonwealth on Nov. 13, 2024.
The SBA offers long-term repayment options to keep payments affordable, with terms up to a maximum of 30 years. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower’s ability to repay. View details about the SBA’s disaster declaration for the Aug. 8-10, 2024, flooding here.
Applicants may immediately obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov and referencing Pennsylvania Disaster Number PA-20018.
Alternatively, loan applications can be downloaded from the MySBA Loan Portal and completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
Clearfield and Indiana county officials and the SBA are currently coordinating efforts to open Disaster Loan Outreach Centers (DLOCs) to provide in-person assistance for those wishing to apply for assistance. Disaster survivors are encouraged to monitor local trusted media sources for location and hours of operation for the DLOCs once established. Visiting a DLOC is not required to obtain assistance.
The deadline to return disaster loan applications for physical damages is Feb. 11, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury disaster loan (EIDL) applications is Sept. 15, 2025.