ATLANTA -The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that it will open a Business Recovery Center (BRC) on Monday, Dec. 16 at the A-B Tech Enka Small Business Center in Candler. The SBA is opening the BRC to assist businesses and residents with losses due to Tropical Storm Helene.

The disaster declaration covers Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Nash, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey counties and The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians in North Carolina which are eligible for both physical damage and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA EIDLs: Anson, Chatham, Davidson, Davie, Edgecombe, Franklin, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Johnston, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Rockingham, Stokes, Wake, Warren and Wilson in North Carolina; Fannin, Rabun, Towns and Union in Georgia; Chesterfield, Cherokee, Greenville, Lancaster, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg and York in South Carolina; Blount, Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Monroe, Polk, Sevier and Unicoi in Tennessee; and Carroll, Grayson and Patrick in Virginia.

"SBA's BRCs are a cornerstone of our support for business owners," said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. "At these centers, business owners can meet face-to-face with specialists to apply for disaster loans and access a wide range of resources to guide them through their recovery."

SBA's Customer Service Representatives are available at the BRCs to answer questions, assist business owners complete their disaster loan application, accept documents, and provide updates on an application's status. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment at an SBA Disaster Recovery Center at appointment.sba.gov. The BRCs will operate as listed below.

Business Recovery Center (BRC)

Buncombe County

A-B Tech Enka Small Business Center

1465 Sand Hill Road, Suite 1060

Candler, NC 28715

Opening: Monday, Dec. 16, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closed: Saturday and Sunday

Business Recovery Center (BRC)

Buncombe County

Asheville Chamber of Commerce

36 Montford Avenue

Asheville, NC 28801

Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Closed: Sunday

Business Recovery Center (BRC)

Mitchell County

Mayland Community College Small Business Center

67 Hotel Ave

Spruce Pine, NC 28777

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed: Sunday

Business Recovery Center (BRC)

Watauga County

Appalachian Enterprise Center

130 Poplar Grove Connector

Boone, NC 28607

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Closed: Sunday

Business Recovery Center (BRC)

Yancy County

Old ABC Store

677 US Hwy 19E Bypass

Burnsville, NC 28714

Hours: Monday - Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Closed: Sunday

Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)

Mecklenburg County

U. S. Small Business Administration District Office

6302 Fairview Rd

Suite 300

Charlotte, NC 28210

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closed: Saturday and Sunday

On Oct. 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

With the changes to FEMA's Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover. FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition. Do not wait on the decision for a FEMA grant; apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster.

Applicants may also call the SBA's Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Jan. 7, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 30, 2025.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

Related programs: Disaster

Email [email protected]