Deadline to apply for government flood loans is Monday

By Mary Lou Pickel

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The government is still waiting to hear from almost 20,000 flood victims in Georgia who picked up applications for Small Business Administration loans but have not returned them yet.

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John Spink, John Spink The government is still waiting to hear from almost 20,000 flood victims in Georgia who picked up applications for Small Business Administration loans but have not returned them yet. The deadline is Monday, Nov. 23.

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The deadline is Monday, Nov. 23. "We need them postmarked that day," said Richard Daigle, a spokesman for the SBA.

The loans cover losses not covered by flood insurance or federal grants. Already the SBA has approved more than $40 million in disaster loans related to September's historic flood.

If the SBA does not approve a homeowner or renter for a loan, the person could get more Federal Emergency Management Agency grant money. The maximum FEMA grant is $30,300.

"They don't have to take the loan. They don't have to be afraid of the word ‘loan,'" Daigle said. "There's potentially a lot to gain by applying for the SBA loan, and there's nothing to lose."

A homeowner can receive up to $200,000 in loans for real estate loss and up to $40,000 in loans to replace an automobile or furniture or other personal items. Renters can receive up to $40,000 in loans for the contents of their apartment. Businesses can receive loans up to $2 million.

The interest rates for home loans can be as low as 2.75 percent and for business loans as low as 4 percent, Daigle said.

Call 1-800-659-2955 for more information.