advertisement

Federal loan assistance offered to DuPage-area tornado victims

The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering financial relief to those affected by the June 20 tornado that caused millions of dollars in damage and devastated parts of Naperville, Woodridge and surrounding communities.

The disaster declaration, issued Friday, allows eligible residents and businesses in DuPage and contiguous counties to apply for low-interest, long-term loans to assist with their recovery process.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker requested the federal loan assistance July 8, stressing the need for additional support to help the community members whose lives were upended by the severe storms. The next day, 16 members of Illinois' congressional delegation sent a letter to SBA Administrator Isabella Guzman backing his request.

"Assisting these residents in recovery is of utmost importance, and Governor Pritzker has determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and local governments," the letter says.

The twister touched down at 11:05 p.m. June 20 and traveled roughly 16 miles from Naperville to Willow Springs. It was rated EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with its top wind speed reaching 140 mph.

A damage assessment conducted by the state identified 36 homes in DuPage that sustained major damage, resulting in more than $2.6 million in uninsured losses, according to a news release from the county. Minor damage was reported at 127 homes and six businesses, resulting in more than $3 million in damages.

"The SBA's disaster declaration for DuPage County is excellent news, and it will go a long way to help individuals and small businesses recover and rebuild from the damage of last month's violent tornado," U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, a Naperville Democrat, said in a statement. "I'm proud that our effort to get the federal government to provide disaster relief was bipartisan and joined by public officials from across our state - proving that in Illinois, we know how to work together in times of need."

The tornado-stricken areas did not qualify for relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. But state officials said they believed the damage met the threshold for an SBA disaster declaration, for which at least 25 houses or businesses in a county must sustain major, uninsured losses of 40% or more.

An SBA assessment this month found that 79 properties incurred major damage or were destroyed, according to the letter from lawmakers.

At least 11 people in Woodridge and Naperville required medical treatment.

The disaster declaration applies to residents and business owners in DuPage, as well as the counties of Cook, Kane, Kendall and Will. Applications for physical damage loans are due Sept. 14, and the deadline for economic injury loan requests is April 18.

DuPage County is establishing a disaster loan outreach center at 5 Plaza Drive in Woodridge to assist storm victims with the loan application process. The center will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 20-23 and July 26-29, as well as from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 24.

Additional information about loan terms, restrictions, interest rates and the application process is available at disasterloanassistance.sba.gov.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.