ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the opening of a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (BRC) in Allegany County, Maryland to assist small businesses, nonprofits and residents affected by severe storms and flooding occurring May 13.
The declaration covers the counties of Bedford, Cambria, Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland in Pennsylvania as well as Allegany and Garrett in Maryland are eligible for both Physical damage loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA.
SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.
The DLOC hours of operation are listed below.
Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)
Allegany County
First Assembly of God Westernport Activities Center
103 1st Street
Westernport, MD 21562
Opening: Thursday, May 29, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Closed: Sunday
Permanently Closing: Friday, June 13, at 3:00 p.m.
Small businesses and private nonprofits (PNP) are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.
Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.
“When disasters strike, SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers play a vital role in helping small businesses and their communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “At these centers, SBA specialists assist business owners and residents with disaster loan applications and provide information on the full range of recovery programs available.”
SBA’s EIDL program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payables, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.62% for nonprofits, and 2.81% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
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 total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.
To apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to 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.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is July 21, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is February 23, 2026.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.