WASHINGTON, July 24 /EMWNews/ -- Ohio residents and

businesses affected by the fire at the Hunters Ridge Apartments that

occurred on July 5, can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S.

Small Business Administration, SBA Acting Administrator Jovita Carranza

announced today.



    Acting Administrator Carranza made the loans available following a

letter from Ohio Governor Ted Strickland on July 17, requesting a disaster

declaration by the SBA. The declaration covers Lucas County, and the

adjacent counties of Fulton, Henry, Ottawa, and Wood in Ohio, and Lenawee

and Monroe counties in Michigan.



    "We look forward to working with the State of Ohio and the people

affected by the fire to make the SBA disaster loans available to

homeowners, renters and businesses," said Acting Administrator Carranza.



    "Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace

damaged or destroyed real estate," said Frank Skaggs, Director of SBA's

Disaster Field Operations Center in Atlanta. Homeowners and renters are

eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed

personal property. "The SBA's customer service representatives will be on

hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center to issue loan applications,

answer questions about the SBA's disaster loan program, explain the

application process and help individuals complete their application," said

Skaggs.







    The Center will be located in the following community and will open as

indicated:



    Lucas County



    Lucas County Emergency Services Training Center



    2127 Jefferson Avenue



    Toledo, OH 43604



    Opening: Tuesday, July 29, 2008, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.



    Hours: Wednesday, July 30 - Friday, August 1, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. to

6:00 p.m.



    Saturday, August 2, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (One Saturday

Only)



    Close: Sunday, August 3, 2008



    Open: Monday, August 4, 2008 - Thursday, August 7, 2008 from 9:00 a.m.

to 6:00 p.m.



    Closing: Thursday, August 7, 2008 at the close of business



    Gilbert B. Goldberg, SBA's Ohio District Director added that

"Low-interest Federal disaster loans are available to homeowners, renters,

businesses of all sizes and private, and non-profit organizations whose

property was damaged or destroyed by the fire."



    Businesses of any size and private non-profit organizations may borrow

up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate,

machinery, equipment, inventory, and other business assets. The SBA also

offers mitigation loans to disaster victims based on 20 percent of the

verified physical loss. These funds are designed to help borrowers pay for

protective measures to minimize damages of the same kind in the future.



    For small businesses, and private non-profit organizations of all

sizes, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to help meet

working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available

regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.



    Interest rates are as low as 2.687 percent for homeowners and renters,

and 4 percent for businesses, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and

terms are set by the SBA and are based upon each applicant's financial

condition.



    Individuals and businesses unable to visit the Center in person may

obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA's Customer

Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the hearing impaired),

Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m.

to 6 p.m. EDT or by emailing our customer service center at

[email protected]. Business loan applications can also be

downloaded from the SBA website at http://www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

Completed applications should be returned to the Center or 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 September 22, 2008. The deadline to return economic injury applications

is April 23, 2009.



    For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Programs, visit our

website at http://www.sbagov/services/disasterassistance.