Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will offer federal assistance to New Yorkers in Kings (Brooklyn) and Nassau counties, which were impacted by heavy rains and flooding in September. Residents and businesses in these locations are eligible to apply for low-interest loans to aid in their recovery following historic rainfall and flooding. Under SBA rules, counties contiguous to Kings and Nassau – New York (Manhattan), Queens, Richmond (Staten Island) and Suffolk – are also eligible to access these loans.
Governor Hochul requested these loans from the SBA in late November, alongside her request to President Biden for a Major Disaster Declaration, which remains under consideration.
“The historic September rainfall adversely affected not only residents, but also businesses, across Brooklyn and Nassau County,” Governor Hochul said. “These low-interest loans will help alleviate the impacts of the flooding, and I am committed to securing as much federal aid as possible to all areas of our state disaffected by extreme weather events.”
More than eight inches of rain fell in Brooklyn, and six inches of rain fell in Manhattan and parts of Nassau and Westchester counties during the historic September rainfall. Governor Hochul declared a State of Emergency for all of New York City, Long Island and the Mid-Hudson Region on September 29, as heavy rain impacted the downstate region. In advance of the storm, Governor Hochul directed State agencies to prepare emergency response assets and stay in constant communication with local governments to monitor weather impacts and respond to requests for assistance.
New York State Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, "New Yorkers in Brooklyn and Nassau County continue to feel the impact of the damage caused by September’s historic rainfall and flooding that, in some places, saw more than eight inches of rain in just 24 hours. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Hochul and our federal partners, home and business owners in these areas will now have access to low-interest loans that will play a critical role in their recovery.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “Severe weather this past September devastated homes and businesses in Brooklyn and Nassau County, and I’m proud to see that impacted New York families will now be able to receive the federal assistance they need to recover. Making these disaster loans accessible is the first step for countless New Yorkers to rebuild and regain their livelihoods, and I will keep working to help secure approval of Governor Hochul’s Major Disaster Declaration request. I thank the SBA for offering this critical federal assistance and I will continue to fight to ensure all New Yorkers have every available resource to accelerate the recovery process after severe weather events.”
Representative Nydia M. Velázquez said, “As Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, I know how devastating an extreme weather event can be for a small business owner. In the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, many small businesses often fail due to their inability to access affordable capital. Today’s announcement will help ensure that small firms across New York City impacted by the September flooding can access vital low-interest loans from SBA to help them rebuild. I thank Governor Hochul for her advocacy on this issue and look forward to continuing to work to ensure these businesses have the resources they need to recover fully.”
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said, “As homes and businesses across Brooklyn continue to struggle because of damage caused by September’s catastrophic flooding, I’m grateful that Governor Hochul is working alongside the Small Business Administration to ensure federal aid reaches our neighbors who now face steep costs for necessary repairs. Climate disasters like September’s downpour are becoming ever more frequent and severe. We cannot waste any more time in safeguarding our communities from future damage and harm, and we also must invest in relief resources that can help our neighbors recover; the loans announced today are a big step toward that recovery.”
The following groups may now be eligible for SBA disaster loans:
- Homeowners: up to $500,000 to repair their primary residence.
- Homeowners and renters: up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
- Business owners: up to $2,000,000 for the replacement of real property, inventories, machinery, equipment, and other physical losses.
- Businesses and non-profits: Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2,000,000 to provide necessary working capital until normal operations resume after a disaster.
Disaster Loan Outreach Centers
Beginning Wednesday, December 6 at 11:00 a.m., the SBA will open Disaster Loan Outreach Centers at the locations listed below to help New Yorkers apply in-person for assistance. Customer Support Representatives will be available to assist applicants with completing the application and answer questions about the SBA disaster loan program.
Kings County
- United Jewish Organizations, 32 Penn Street, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Hours of Operation: Monday–Thursday 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Friday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; Closed Saturday; Sunday 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
- Health Essentials, 2336 86th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Hours of Operation: Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.; Closed Sunday.
Nassau County
- Ralph G. Caso Executive and Legislative Building, Nassau County, 1 West St, Mineola, NY 11501
Hours of Operation: Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.; Closed Sunday.
The three centers are scheduled to close permanently on Friday, December 22.
Applications for disaster loans may be submitted online using the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov. Applicants may also call SBA's Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, can dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is February 2, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is September 4, 2024.