Apply for windstorm disaster loans at Evergreen State Fair Park until Jan. 31

Snohomish County has spent the weeks since the Nov. 19, 2024, bomb cyclone windstorm focused on helping the community document damage from this event and working with partners to identify
resources that may speed recovery.

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Starting Tuesday, Jan. 14, people who sustained windstorm damage not covered by insurance will be able to meet in-person in Monroe with representatives of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience to explore applying for low-interest loans.

The loans offer many in our community a good option to help recover from the bomb cyclone more fully, said Snohomish County Emergency Management Director Lucia Schmit.

“My team has been meeting with the community over the last month and more to better understand the impacts of the storm,” Schmitt said. “Many Snohomish County residents were hit hard. Unfortunately, the majority of those damages are not eligible for state or federal relief funds, whether because they were to property other than a primary residence or because the owner had home insurance, which is a good thing. However, SBA loans might be able to help with those losses. We are grateful that the SBA is standing up a Disaster Loan Outreach Center at the County fairgrounds to help our residents access resources that can help with rebuilding and recovery.”

The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center is scheduled to be open weekdays through Jan. 31 and is located in the VIP Cabin at the Evergreen State Fair Park, 14405 179th Ave. SE in Monroe.

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Hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday.

The November windstorm caused more than $18 million in damage to publicly owned infrastructure such as powerlines and roads. Meanwhile, more than 225 county residents and businesses have reported an estimated $5.5 million in damage to homes and other private property. That information was gathered via an online survey.

Snohomish County emergency management staff worked with partners at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Washington State Emergency Management Division to review reported storm damage. The team in December visited dozens of homes to gather additional information.

That field work has confirmed that most Snohomish County residents who sustained storm damage aren’t eligible for the limited support available through the state’s Individual Assistance program, making SBA loans a more accessible option for most impacted residents.

For those who do appear to be eligible for individual assistance, the County’s Human Services Department will be working with the state to connect them to that resource. To be eligible for that assistance, people must have a household income at or below 80% of the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) area median income and must provide evidence that their home was either destroyed or suffered significant damage that wouldn’t otherwise be covered by insurance.

Small Business Administration loans likely will be available to many more people who reported storm damage. Disaster loans up to $500,000 can be made available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate.

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Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

Businesses may also be eligible for up to $2 million for both physical and economic losses due to storm damage. Business owners are welcome to come to the Disaster Loan Outreach Center for answers to their questions and assistance with their applications.

A home or business owner may also be eligible for a loan increase up to 20% of their physical damage amount to harden their home or business against future damage.

Interest on the loan does not begin to accrue nor do the repayments start until 12 months after receiving the initial payment. Proceeds from insurance coverage on the home or property may be deducted from the eligible loan amount.

Information you may need when you apply for the loan includes the address where damage occurred, contact information for all applicants or owners, Social Security numbers for all applicants, all insurance policy information including the Agent or Carrier contact information and claims filed, and lease agreement information for renters.

Residents, businesses, or private nonprofits with damages can also get additional disaster assistance information by applying directly online at SBA.gov/disaster.

Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance.