Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are now accessible to businesses and residents following a presidential disaster declaration due to Tropical Storm Helene, which began on September 25.
In North Carolina, the counties eligible for physical and economic injury disaster loans include Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties as well as The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians.
Furthermore, small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations can apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) in several additional counties across different states:
In North Carolina: Cherokee; Graham; Iredell; Mecklenburg; Surry; Swain; Yadkin.
In South Carolina: Cherokee; Greenville; Oconee; Pickens; Spartanburg; York.
In Tennessee: Carter; Cocke; Greene; Johnson; Sevier; Unicoi.
In Georgia: Rabun; Towns; Union.
In Virginia: Grayson.
The SBA highlights that approximately one in four small businesses fail after a disaster. For more information on loans to assist in recovery and rebuilding efforts from this unprecedented storm event is available on the SBA's website.
