Small Business Administration opens disaster recovery center in Carolina Beach
CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — It’s been more than a month since Potential Tropical Cyclone 8 caused damage in some areas of the Cape Fear.
On Monday, the Small Business Administration (SBA) opened a disaster recovery center on Pleasure Island.
There, business owners and renters can apply for low-interest loans, the first opportunity many of them have had to apply for loans to try and get back on their feet.
This is the result of Governor Roy Cooper’s request for a disaster declaration by the SBA.
New Hanover County business owners and renters can apply by visiting Carolina Beach’s recreation center at 1121 N Lake Boulevard.
Noland Jones is with the SBA’s New Hanover County team and said they’re there to answer questions and help people who are struggling to get back on their feet.
“Its a blessing to be able to help the people in the community of North Carolina,” Jones said. “I lived in North Carolina before several years, I was in Charlotte. So I understand these are great folks down here. We are so happy to be able to help, I got a great team with me and we’re just here to do the work.”
The SBA is also able to help out homeowners, something both Jane Persico and Meredith Chambers were surprised to find out.
“Very much, very much so,” Persico said. “I was surprised even of this whole program. I actually saw it on Facebook and decided to come down and see if I qualify.”
“Great, yeah and the interest rates are really low and so hopefully I will be approved and I can have a nice, new apartment,” Chambers said.
The New Hanover County center will be open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the center will close on October 28th.
In Brunswick County, the SBA has a disaster recovery center at 6420 Ocean Highway East in Winnabow for residents affected in that county. The Brunswick center will be open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with the exception of Tuesday, Oct. 29, when it will be closed, and Wednesday, Oct. 30, which will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the center will close on November 1st.
