San Rafael, CA – Marin County is one of six Northern California counties under a disaster declaration because of the winter storms and flooding that began in February, and that makes local residents and businesses eligible for federal disaster loans.
The U.S. Small Business Administration declared a disaster for the same counties in response to the declaration issued by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services on March 14. Loan assistance is available to those in Marin, Sonoma, Solano, Lake, and Mendocino counties.
Low-interest federal disaster loans of up to $2 million are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofits, and homeowners and renters whose property was damaged or destroyed by the disaster. The loans must be used to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. The damage must have been caused by the storms and flooding that began February 25.
The SBA can lend additional funds to businesses and homeowners to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.
The Marin County Office of Emergency Services (OES) is working with the State to confirm eligibility for Marin residents whose properties were damaged in 2019 by storms that took place prior to February 25. In the meantime, OES is conducting an assessment survey to gather storm damage information from affected residents in order to gauge the level of assistance needed for Marin County. Recent storm victims are encouraged to take the survey, regardless of their intention to apply for disaster assistance.
The deadline to apply for property damage from the February storms is May 20. Learn more on the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services website.