Federal Disaster Assistance for Businesses & Residents Affected by Severe December Storm & Flooding

Governor Mills Urges Maine People and Businesses Impacted by December Storm to Apply for Federal Disaster Relief

Financial assistance and low-interest loans available to help eligible homeowners, renters, and businesses and non-profits in Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset Counties.

Governor Janet Mills is urging Maine people and businesses impacted by the December 17-21, 2023 storm and flooding to apply for financial assistance and low-interest disaster loans to help them recover from the extreme weather event.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) Teams have arrived in Maine to help impacted individuals and families in Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset Counties apply for Federal assistance that may help them pay for temporary housing, home repairs, and other needs resulting from the storm.

Low-interest loans are also available from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to help impacted businesses of all sizes - as well as eligible homeowners, renters, and non-profit organizations - repair or replace property damage resulting from the storm. Businesses may also be eligible for working capital loans.

Impacted people can learn about disaster assistance programs, apply for disaster assistance, check the status of FEMA applications, understand FEMA notices or letter, meet with Small Business Administration agents, and get referrals to other agencies, among other services at the Disaster Recovery Center for Kennebec County which been established at the Mainchester Fire Department, 27 Readfield Road, Manchester, ME 04351 and is open 8:00am to 6:00pm every day. 

Additionally, FEMA DSA Teams are going door-to-door, canvassing neighborhoods, helping impacted residents to register for FEMA disaster assistance. DSA Teams can also help survivors update their information and assist with referrals to voluntary agency partners. Residents are encouraged to ask for federal identification before providing any personal information.

Impacted residents can apply for FEMA federal assistance by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov.

Homeowners, renters, and businesses can apply for low-interest disaster loans at sba.gov/disaster.

Assistance available to impacted individuals includes:

• FEMA Financial Assistance: Grants that can help cover the cost of temporary housing, home repairs, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, medical, dental, funeral expenses. Applicants should file insurance claims as soon as possible. Assistance cannot duplicate coverage for losses covered by insurance, so the agency will need to see what your insurance covers to process your application. FEMA financial assistance is available to eligible individuals in Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset Counties.
• Low-interest Disaster Loans for Homeowners and Renters: Homeowners and renters may be eligible to receive a low-interest loan from the SBA to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles. Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property. Interest rates are as low as 2.688 percent. SBA Disaster Loans are available to eligible individuals in Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset Counties.

Assistance available to impacted businesses includes:

• Business Physical Disaster Loans: Low-interest loans from the SBA are available to help businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible. Business Physical Disaster Loans are available to eligible businesses in Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset Counties. Interest rates are as low as 4 percent for businesses and 3.25 percent for non-profits.
• Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Low-interest working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period. Loans are available to eligible businesses in in Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset Counties. Businesses that experienced economic injury from the storm in the contiguous counties of Aroostook, Cumberland, Lincoln, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Waldo, and York may also apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan.

Interest on SBA Disaster Loans does not begin to accrue, and monthly payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the initial disbursement. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant's financial condition.

Applicants do not need to wait for face-to-face contact with a FEMA representative, and can apply for assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by downloading the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.

Those wishing to apply for a SBA Disaster Loans who do not have online or mobile access may call SBA's Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov 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.

Apply in person at the Kennebec County Disaster Recovery Center which is located at the Mainchester Fire Department, 27 Readfield Road, Manchester, ME 04351 and open 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Saturday. 

The Mills Administration's Maine Flood Resources & Assistance Hub contains links to helpful information, resources, and assistance for Maine people who have impacted by flooding and damages from recent weather.

Additional details and documents from the SBA & FEMA are included below:

SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to Businesses and Residents of Maine Affected by Severe Storms and Flooding

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to businesses and residents in Maine following the announcement of a Presidential disaster declaration due to severe storms and flooding occurring on Dec. 17-21, 2023.

“SBA’s mission-driven team stands ready to help Maine small businesses and residents impacted by this disaster in every way possible under President Biden’s disaster declaration for certain affected areas,” said SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman. “We’re committed to providing federal disaster loans swiftly and efficiently, with a customer-centric approach to help businesses and communities recover and rebuild.”

The disaster declaration covers Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset counties in Maine, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Aroostook, Cumberland, Lincoln, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Waldo, and York in Maine and Carroll and Coos in New Hampshire.

Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.

Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property.

Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.25% for nonprofit organizations, and 2.688% for homeowners and renters, with terms of up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and monthly payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the initial disbursement. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Important points about SBA low-interest Disaster Loans:

• No application fee.
• No obligation to accept the loan after it is approved. Applicants/Survivors have 60-days to decide to accept and can ask for more time if they need to reevaluate their recovery situation.
• No prepayment penalty.
• No accrued interest for first 12 months of the loan.
• No required payments for first 12 months of the loan.

Building back smarter and stronger can be an effective recovery tool for future disasters. Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter, sump pump, French drain or retaining wall to help protect property and occupants from future disasters.

“The opportunity to include measures to help prevent future damage from occurring is a significant benefit of SBA’s disaster loan program,” said SBA Associate Administrator Francisco Sanchez, Jr. “I encourage everyone to consult their contractors and emergency management mitigation specialists for ideas and apply for an SBA disaster loan increase for funding.”

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov 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.

Apply in person at the Kennebec County Disaster Recovery Center which is located at the Mainchester Fire Department, 27 Readfield Road, Manchester, ME 04351 and open 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Saturday. 

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is April 1, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Oct. 30, 2024.

For morin information contact: Michael Lampton (404) 331-0333 Michael.Lampton@sba.gov

Housing Assistance for Disaster Survivors

Disaster survivors with damage to their primary residence from the severe storms and flooding Dec. 17-21, 2023, may be eligible for FEMA Sheltering and Housing Assistance.

Home Repair/ Replacement
Funds for eligible homeowners to rebuild or make basic repairs so their home is safe, sanitary, and functional.

Who may be eligible? A Homeowner:

• Whose primary residence is determined to be unlivable after a FEMA inspection.
• Who has a housing need not covered by insurance.

Rental Assistance
Funds for eligible survivors who need a place to temporary live while their residence is repaired, or until they secure permanent housing.

Who may be eligible?
A disaster survivor:

• Whose home or rental unit is unlivable as a result of the disaster.
• Who agrees to relocate.
• Whose housing needs are not covered by insurance.

To learn more about the disaster response in Maine, please visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4754.