Texans affected by a recent apartment complex fire in the Spring Branch neighborhood of Houston will have access to federal assistance following approval from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Governor Greg Abbott announced that his request for a disaster declaration was granted, enabling those impacted by the August fire to apply for low-interest loans.
“Texans affected by the Spring Branch neighborhood apartment complex fire will now have access to additional resources needed to recover,” said Governor Abbott. “With this approval, impacted Texans are now eligible for low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration to help them rebuild their homes and businesses. I thank the Texas Division of Emergency Management for working with our federal partners to help this community move forward.”
The SBA’s assistance includes Home Disaster Loans, Business Physical Disaster Loans, and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), which are designed to support individuals and business owners who suffered losses as a result of the fire.
Those seeking aid can apply online at sba.gov/disaster or contact the SBA Customer Service Center by phone or email for more information. People with hearing or speech disabilities can use telecommunications relay services by dialing 7-1-1. Completed applications may also be mailed directly to the SBA’s Processing and Disbursement Center in Fort Worth.
To assist applicants in person, an SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center will open at 1625 Blalock Road in Houston starting Thursday, September 18 at noon. The center will operate weekdays from noon until 6:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., providing guidance on loan programs and application procedures.
Governor Abbott requested the disaster declaration on September 9 after an assessment confirmed that damages met federal requirements for assistance eligibility.
