A Disaster Recovery Center opened Monday at the Decatur County Coliseum to help residents through the assistance process after damage and losses suffered during Hurricane Michael. 

Representatives from the State of Georgia, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are at the center to answer questions about disaster assistance and low-interest disaster loans for businesses, homeowners and renters. They can also help survivors apply for federal disaster assistance.

The center will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. The services will be available at the Coliseum until they are no longer needed.

It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive federal disaster assistance. To be eligible for federal aid under FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program, damage must have occurred because of Hurricane Michael on October 8, 2018, and continuing.

If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center.

The U.S. Small Business Administration set up a service location at the Decatur County Chamber of Commerce last week, offering business physical disaster loans, economic injury disaster loans and home disaster loans. Its hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The SBA provides low-interest, long-term disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renter to repair or replace uninsured/underinsured disaster damaged property. SBA disaster loans offer an affordable way for individuals and businesses to recover from declared disasters.

For businesses, required documentation to process a loan with the SBA includes a business loan application, an IRS Form 4506-T, complete copies of the most recent federal income tax returns, a completed personal finance statement and a schedule of liabilities. For homeowners and renters, a home loan application and an IRS Form 4506-T are required.