On September 24, 2022, President Biden signed an emergency declaration for Florida in response to Hurricane Ian, which authorized the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide disaster assistance to businesses, homeowners, renters, and non-profit organizations.
The SBA offers three types of relief.
1. Home Disaster Loans provide aid to homeowners or renters for the repair or replacement of damaged real property and personal property, including vehicles.
2. Business Physical Disaster Loans provide aid to businesses to repair or replace damaged real property and personal property, including inventories, supplies, machinery, and equipment.
3. Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) provide working capital to small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, and most private, non-profit organizations.
Businesses, homeowners, renters, and nonprofits in the following primarily affected counties may be eligible: Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, Saint Johns, and Volusia.
Businesses and nonprofits in the following counties may be eligible for economic injury assistance only in the following counties contiguous to the primarily affected areas: Alachua, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Clay, Duval, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Marion, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Pasco, and Sumter.
The current deadlines to apply for relief are as follows:
Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 11/28/2022.
Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 06/29/2023.
Applications can be completed online here.
Melissa Youngman Law will provide free legal help to a limited number of Florida residents seeking to apply for SBA disaster relief regarding Hurricane Ian. The free services will be limited in scope, conducted by phone appointments, and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Requesting an appointment does not guarantee free services. All applicants must be screened for conflicts, availability, and other factors before qualifying for the free services.
Phone appointments may be made by clicking the button below.
*The Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar is also providing free legal help to hurricane survivors via its disaster hotline (866-550-2929).