U.S. SBA Disaster Declaration Issued for North Carolinians in Eight Counties Impacted by Tropical Storm Chantal

NORTH CAROLINA, July 26 - Today Governor Josh Stein announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved his request for an administrative disaster declaration for impacted counties following Tropical Storm Chantal. Homeowners, renters, and business owners in Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, Granville, Orange, Person, and Wake counties may be eligible for federal financial assistance in the form of low interest disaster loans. 

This declaration will help families and business owners across central North Carolina who are still reeling from the severe flooding caused by Tropical Storm Chantal,” said Governor Josh Stein. “I want to thank the Small Business Administration for swiftly approving this request. North Carolinians are resilient and will get through this together.”  

Eligible homeowners and renters may borrow up to $500,000 for repair or reconstruction costs for their primary residence. Loans of up to $100,000 are available to cover expenses related to damaged or destroyed personal property, including clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Eligible businesses and nonprofits may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace property including real estate, inventory, and equipment.

Applications for SBA disaster loans may be submitted online using the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov or other locally announced locations. Contact the SBA’s Customer Service Center by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or by phone at 1-800-659-2955 for further assistance. People who are deaf or hard of hearing or have a speech disability can dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Since July 5, the State Emergency Response Team has been working with local officials, providing information, resources, and support. On July 16, Governor Stein declared a State of Emergency to facilitate state and federal recovery assistance. North Carolina Emergency Management continues to work with local officials to assess the scope of damage caused by Tropical Storm Chantal. As the full damage assessment is completed in concert with relevant federal partners, the assessment analysis will determine eligibility for additional recovery resources.  

Any residents who still have damage and debris cleanup needs can contact Crisis Cleanup at 910-218-1569 by August 1. Crisis Cleanup can connect residents with volunteers from local relief organizations that may be able to assist with muck out, downed tree removal, and general debris removal.