Disaster Loan Center To Open In Ellicott City

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — The U.S. Small Business Administration will open up a Disaster Loan Center in Ellicott City on Tuesday to help residents and businesses affected by the May 27 flood. The federal agency will offer three types of loans from its new center in the Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum, which is scheduled to remain open for one week, until Aug. 7.

“Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA," Linda McMahon, administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) said in a statement.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan requested assistance from the SBA, which prompted the opening of the relief center.

The Disaster Loan Center in Ellicott City is one of three that will be open for victims of the flood; others are in Catonsville and Baltimore City, according to the SBA.

The following are the types of loans offered:

• Homeowners and renters may be eligible for home disaster loans for repairing or replacing real estate and property, including vehicles, damaged by the flood.
• Private businesses and nonprofit organizations may qualify for physical disaster loans to repair or replace property including real estate, supplies, inventories, machinery and equipment.
• Organizations that cannot meet their regular financial obligations as a direct result of the disaster may seek economic injury disaster loans, which are working capital loans. The following may qualify: small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes. Buildings do not need to have sustained damage.

Applicants must provide credit history and demonstrate an ability to repay all loans.

The Disaster Loan Center will be open for one week — from Tuesday, July 31, to Tuesday, Aug. 7. Personnel from the SBA will be on hand to answer questions and help people fill out applications for assistance.

Here is the schedule for the center at the Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum, 3711 Maryland Avenue.

• Tuesday, July 31 — 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, Aug. 1, to Friday, Aug. 3 — 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 4 — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 5 — Closed
• Monday, Aug. 6: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, Aug. 7 : 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Applications regarding physical property damage must be filed by Sept. 24.

Economic injury applications must be filed by April 25, 2019.

Get more information from the Ellicott City Flood Recovery page or contact the SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 or online.

Photo of Main Street on July 28 by Elizabeth Janney.