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Brewton and East Brewton residents and business owners may have some hope for covering damage expenses related to Tropical Storm Claudette. The storm brought to life at least one tornado that hit the East Brewton and Brewton areas devastating homes and lives in the process.

According to information the U.S. SMall Business Administration, there is an opportunity for businesses, homeowners and renters to apply for disaster loans, but the deadline for applying for those loans is quickly approaching.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) encourages businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters to apply for physical damage disaster loans before the Sept. 20 deadline. Anyone in the declared counties in Alabama with damages caused by Tropical Storm Claudette on June 19, 2021 should apply for the disaster loan program.

The declaration covers Escambia and Tuscaloosa counties and the adjacent counties of Baldwin, Bibb, Conecuh, Covington, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Monroe, Pickens and Walker in Alabama; and Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa in Florida.

“Waiting to file an SBA application could cause unnecessary delays in receiving disaster assistance, and
survivors may miss the application deadline. Submitting the loan application is an essential part of the
disaster recovery process,” said Kem Fleming, director of SBA Field Operations Center East.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ and should apply under declaration # 17050.

Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer
Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email
to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from sba.gov/disaster.
Completed applications should be 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 Sept. 20, 2021. The
deadline to return economic injury applications is April 22, 2022.