Small Business Assoc. begins loan assistance to homeowners, businesses affected by blizzard

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Small Business Administration opened two of its temporary disaster loan outreach centers in Cheektowaga and Buffalo on Friday. Western New York businesses and residents who were affected by the Christmas blizzard can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the SBA.

Months after the Christmas blizzard that brought hurricane-force winds and whiteout conditions, Douglas Pressley let 7 News inside the Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church to show the damage left behind from the storm.

"Damage all the water damage," Pressley explained, "This is all from the storm."

In the church's kitchen, Pressley explained how they had the cabinets pulled out because they were damaged. The church's daycare center, kitchen, and even ceiling where the congregation gathers are also ruined because of the cold temperatures and heavy snow.

"That balcony has damage and as you can see there's damage up here," Pressley said, as he pointed to the ceiling.

Kristen Mirand

The SBA is now offering to help home and business owners like Pressley. Jim Accurso, a public affairs specialist with the Small Business Administration Office of Disaster, Recovery and Resiliency, said the agency is offering loans with interest as low as 2.3 percent.

"It's important for those who had any kind of set back so if they had, if they already filed a claim with insurance, insurance is only going to cover so much," Accurso said.

• Homeowners: up to $200,000 to repair their primary residence
• Homeowners & renters: up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property
• Business owners: up to $2,000,000 for the replacement of real property, inventories, machinery, equipment, and other physical losses
  

This is available to anyone in Erie, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Niagara, and Wyoming counties.
"And I think they'll be able to help my church," Pressley said.

He is hoping this loan will help out his church that's still left with cracked radiators and broken pipes.

"We had an insurance investigator. We're getting work done slowly but there's a lot to be done," he said.

Until then, Pressley said they're working bit by bit to fix the church, but it's work they desperately need help with.

"We've been working pretty hard at it and were actually doing some of the work ourselves and we're not young," he said.

Those who are eligible for the loans can visit the following Disaster Loan Outreach Centers in Erie County:

• Disaster Loan Outreach Center, Cheektowaga
  
  • Erie County Training & Operations Center
    3359 Broadway, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 14227
    Opens Friday, March 3 from 12 to 6 p.m.

Regular hours:

• Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed Sunday
• Closes permanently Thursday, March 16 at 4 p.m.

• Disaster Loan Outreach Center, Buffalo
  
  • Delevan Grider Community Center
    877 E. Delevan Avenue Buffalo, N.Y., 14215
    Opens Friday, March 3 from 12 to 6 p.m.

Regular hours:

• Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Closed Sunday
• Closes permanently Thursday, March 16 at 4 p.m.

You can apply for a loan until April 28th, and find more information about the application, here.