Small Business Administration Declares St. Croix a Disaster Area

Good news (in a way) for St. Croix business owners - while Omar did cause damage and real problems, at least the government is stepping up and making these programs available:

Nov. 2, 2008 -- Thanks to Hurricane Omar, the U.S. Small Business Administration issued a disaster declaration for St. Croix. This will enable St. Croix residents and businesses affected by Hurricane Omar to apply for SBA low-interest physical disaster loans and economic injury disaster loans. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the SBA "did an assessment and there was some need," said Jacqueline Heyliger, deputy director of the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency, on Sunday. The SBA declaration, coupled with a disaster declaration by President Bush, will allow for timely assistance for those most impacted by Hurricane Omar, according to Gov. John deJongh Jr. The deadline to apply for a physical disaster loan is Dec.15. Application deadline for the economic injury disaster loan is July 31, 2009.

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