SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to Colorado Small Businesses Economically Impacted by the West Fork Fire Complex
Today Gov. John Hickenlooper received notice that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is making low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans available to small businesses economically impacted by the West Fork Fire Complex that began June 5, 2013.According to the SBA announcement, “the declaration makes SBA assistance available in the primary Colorado counties of Hinsdale, Mineral and Rio Grande and the neighboring counties of Alamosa, Archuleta, Conejos, Gunnison, La Plata, Ouray, Saguache and San Juan.”
SBA customer service representatives will be available at each of the three disaster loan outreach centers established for the West Fork Complex Fire. The goal of the centers is to provide financial and counseling services to businesses impacted by the complex fires. The disaster loan centers will be open beginning July 23 in Rio Grande County, Mineral County and Hinsdale County.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. For owners of these impacted small businesses, SBA disaster loan information and applications are available by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call (800) 877-8339. The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 15, 2014.
Detailed information regarding the disaster loan centers and a copy of the SBA press release are available at www.COemergency.com.
Media Contact:
Micki Trost
micki.trost@state.co.us
303-472-4087
