Baker-Polito Administration Announces SBA Assistance for CambridgeAssistance Available to Those Affected by December 3rd Fire
FRAMINGHAM - Today, Governor Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito announced that individuals, families and businesses impacted by the ten-alarm fire in Cambridge on Saturday December 3, 2016 can apply for low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The major fire, which occurred in the area of York and Berkshire Streets, damaged or destroyed more than 18 buildings and displaced 81 families. Thankfully, the fire did not result in any serious injuries. Numerous automobiles were also destroyed or damaged in the fire.
In the immediate aftermath of the devastating fire, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) asked the SBA to conduct a damage assessment in Cambridge. The assessment determined that the damage exceeds the Small Business Administration’s criteria for a physical disaster declaration: damage to 25 or more homes and businesses resulting in uninsured losses of 40 percent or more of the estimated fair market value of the damaged property.
Following the SBA damage assessment, the administration formally requested the SBA to issue a Physical Disaster Declaration and to make low interest loans available to the many people and businesses who suffered significant uninsured property losses. Today, the SBA issued the requested disaster declaration.
“The Small Business Administration’s prompt approval of this disaster declaration will help the residents of Cambridge rebuild their lives and their community,” said Governor Baker. “These loans are a key resource for the survivors who lost their homes or property in the fire.”
“Those impacted by the fire need all available resources to put their lives back together,” said Lieutenant Governor Polito. “This SBA assistance program is one of the ways that our administration is working to support the City of Cambridge and its affected residents.”
“Disaster assistance from the SBA for those impacted by the devastating fire will support Cambridge and its residents as they move forward in the recovery process,”said MEMA Director Kurt Schwartz.
“I want to thank the SBA for their quick approval of this disaster declaration,” said Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “The assistance that the SBA can provide is another tool that impacted residents can utilize to move forward in their recovery process. The City of Cambridge, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the broader community have been working to support the fire victims. I am pleased to have the SBA joining our recovery efforts.”
Types of loans that will be available:
· Home Disaster Loans – Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate or personal property owned by the victim. Renters are eligible for their personal property losses, including automobiles. (Limited to a maximum of $200,000 for the repair/replacement of real estate, and $40,000 to repair/replace personal property). These SBA loans provide an important source of financing for uninsured or under-insured residents
· Business Physical Disaster Loans – Loans to 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. (Limited to $2,000,000 for repair/replacement of real estate, inventories, machinery, equipment, etc.).
· Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) – 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. (Limited to $2,000,000 for economic injury caused by the disaster). EIDL assistance is available only to entities and their owners who cannot provide for their own recovery from non-government sources, as determined by the U.S. Small Business Administration
SBA Customer Service Representatives will be available at the SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center being stood up at Cambridge City Hall to answer questions about the loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application.
The Disaster Loan Outreach Center location:
Cambridge City Hall – City Council, Second Floor
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Opening:
Thursday, December 15, 2016 – 10:00 am to 4:30 pm
Days:
Monday – 8:30 am to 7:00 pm
Tuesday – Wednesday – 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Fridays – 8:30 – 12:00 pm
Closed:
Saturday and Sunday, December 17, and 18, 2016
Closing:
Thursday, December 22, 2016 – 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/
Businesses and individuals may also obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded at www.sba.gov/disaster. 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 February 13, 2017.
The deadline to return economic injury applications is September 14, 2017.
MEMA is the state agency charged with ensuring the state is prepared to withstand, respond to, and recover from all types of emergencies and disasters, including natural hazards, accidents, deliberate attacks, and technological and infrastructure failures. MEMA's staff of professional planners, communications specialists and operations and support personnel is committed to an all hazards approach to emergency management. By building and sustaining effective partnerships with federal, state and local government agencies, and with the private sector - individuals, families, non-profits and businesses - MEMA ensures the Commonwealth's ability to rapidly recover from large and small disasters by assessing and mitigating threats and hazards, enhancing preparedness, ensuring effective response, and strengthening our capacity to rebuild and recover. For additional information about MEMA and Emergency Preparedness, go to www.mass.gov/mema.
Continue to follow MEMA updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MassEMA;Facebook at www.facebook.com/MassachusettsEMA; YouTube atwww.youtube.com/MassachusettsEMA.
Massachusetts Alerts: to receive emergency information on your smartphone, including severe weather alerts from the National Weather Service and emergency information from MEMA, download the Massachusetts Alerts free app. To learn more about Massachusetts Alerts, and for information on how to download the free app onto your smartphone, visit: www.mass.gov/mema/mobileapp.
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