SBA offering low-interest loans for May 7 tornado recovery

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved an administrative disaster declaration Southwest Michigan counties help with recovery from the May 7 tornadoes.

The declaration covers Allegan, Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties.

It opens up access to low-interest loans from the SBA to help pay for repairs and replacing lost property. The SBA said businesses and nonprofits can borrow up to $2 million for repairs or replacement of equipment and homeowners can get up to $500,000 to repair damaged property.

A disaster loan outreach center is being set up at Portage City Hall. It opens Friday and runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the first day, and then from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. You can walk in or schedule an appointment online . The center will close at 2 p.m. July 26. You can also get information about applying online or by calling 1.800.659.2955.

The deadline for physical property damage applications is Sept. 6 and the deadline for economic injury applications is April 8.

A release from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office said this is the first time the SBA is implementing a new rapid declaration, a process that launched in January.

The May 7 storms that moved through Southwest Michigan spawned four tornadoes . There were injuries reported as a result, but no deaths.

Among the tornadoes was an EF2 that tracked 11 miles through Texas Township, Portage and Pavilion Township, packing winds of 135 mph. The twister ripped apart houses and businesses in Portage and flipped mobile homes in Pavilion Township. A preliminary assessment determined at least 60 buildings were destroyed and another 129 sustained major damage.

There was also another EF2 that covered 19 miles from Centreville to the Union City area, an EF1 near Dowagiac and another EF1 in the Union City area.

Whitmer’s request for a presidential disaster declaration through the Federal Emergency Management Agency is still pending.

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