SBA Loans Are a Meaningful Option for Texas Storm Survivors

AUSTIN – Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available to Texas residents, businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations that are recovering from the severe storms and flooding that occurred March 26-28, 2025. 

Residents and businesses in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties may now apply if they had damage in the March storms. 

FEMA partners with other agencies to help meet the needs of disaster survivors. Disaster loans are the largest source of federal recovery funds for storm survivors. They help private property owners pay for disaster losses not covered by insurance, local or state programs. SBA loans also cover deductibles and increased cost of compliance after a disaster. Survivors should not wait for an insurance settlement before submitting an SBA loan application.

Interest rates on disaster loans can be as low as 2.75% for homeowners and renters, 3.62% for private nonprofit organizations and 4% for businesses, with terms up to 30 years for physical damage to real estate, inventory, supplies, machinery and equipment. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Survivors are not required to begin repaying the loan and the interest does not begin to accumulate for 12 months from the date the first disaster loan disbursement is awarded.

Homeowners may be eligible for a disaster loan of up to $500,000 for primary residence repairs or rebuilding. SBA may also be able to help homeowners and renters with up to $100,000 to replace important personal property, including automobiles damaged or destroyed in the storms.

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged property, destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. Applicants may be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. 

Businesses of any size and private nonprofit organizations may apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) in the counties of Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy and the contiguous counties of Brooks, Jim Hogg, Kenedy and Zapata.   Businesses can apply for up to $2 million to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the applicant suffered any property damage.

In partnership with FEMA and the state, SBA representatives are available to provide one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants at sites throughout the affected areas. SBA’s Business Recovery Centers are open at the following locations:

CAMERON COUNTY

Business Recovery Center

Harlingen Chamber of Commerce

311 E. Tyler Ave.

Harlingen, TX 78559

Mondays – Thursdays, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

HIDALGO COUNTY

Business Recovery Center

Valley Metro Transit Center

510 S. Pleasantview Dr.

Boardroom

Weslaco, TX 78596

Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

To apply online or to download an application, go to SBA.gov/disaster. You may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. 

The deadline to apply for an SBA physical disaster loan for the March storms is July 22, 2025. The last day for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private nonprofit organizations to apply for an SBA economic injury loan for the March storms is Feb. 23, 2026.

For the latest information about Texas’ recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4871 Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x.com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/