Despite Musk and DOGE, the federal agency keeps going in Sarasota.
Johannes Werner
Original Air Date: Feb. 21, 2025
Host: When your insurance company is dragging its feet, or when you have no insurance at all, FEMA is usually the cavalry riding to the rescue. But if you own a small business or run a non-profit, there’s also the Small Business Administration and its low-interest disaster loans. SBA field representatives have been in Sarasota since November, and they want you to be aware of a fast-approaching deadline.
Johannes Werner: The SBA wants you to know about March 7. That’s the last day you can apply for a disaster recovery loan related to last year’s epic storm season if you live in Sarasota County.
Harold Núñez has been the SBA field representative in Sarasota since November. He explains.
Harold Núñez: This deadline basically means that, come March 7—and if there’s no extension, you start seeing things like centers closing down. Three weeks ago, there was one here. There were a few others in other counties, but they’re closing down. That’s less help for the people that really do need it. After March 7, there might be other centers that are closing down. You might not be able to get your application in online. And then just getting someone on the phone might become a little harder because we’re assuming, “Okay, there’s no more applications. Everything’s done. Everyone got the help they need.” That’s basically the deadline that we want to make sure people are aware of. If you’re thinking about it or, “Oh, I don’t know; my insurance says they’ve got it,” still submit it. You don’t have to take the money. You could just leave it there. You could just think about it, come back six months after. It’s not an obligation, but it’s great to just have that option.
JW: The state of Florida has requested an extension of the deadline to May 7, but that’s still up in the air.
Here’s what the SBA offers:
Individual loans for businesses can go up to $2 million; if you just claim damage to your home, it’s up to half a million dollars.
That’s because SBA disaster loans do not just cover the damaged barber shop; they also cover the home the barber lives in. That broad approach explains in part why the SBA has already approved more than $20 million worth of loans in Sarasota County, in response to last year’s epic storm season.
The SBA encourages people to apply for a loan, just in case, as a Plan B. People often get approved for a loan, and they don’t take it because their insurance comes through. Or they only take part of what they’re eligible for.
HN: Once you’re approved, a lot of people don’t take the full amount. I’ve seen many survivors—their businesses are approved for $200,000, and they just give them 50. They just don’t want all of that. They just want whatever they need to get back to they were prior to the disasters.
JW: The SBA’s mantra is “prepare for the next storm!” Their loans are not only supposed to get your business up and running again but to fortify it. All applicants are encouraged to upgrade their buildings to suffer less damage next time around.
In the case of hurricanes and flooding, that could be elevating your structure, improving landscaping, installing a sump pump, hardening your roof or windows, or bracing your garage door.
So how can you find help? Look for sba.gov/disaster, or call 1-800-659-2955.
The hurricane support center in Sarasota County is now closed, but the agency is about to open a separate office. Núñez is actually leaving, but he has been replaced by Ileana Alamo Garay. If you want to reach the new field representative, here’s her phone number: 404-909-6464.
Sarasota was Núñez’ first disaster assignment for the SBA. His takeaway?
HN: The best thing we could do is try to mitigate the damage as much as we can, but then when the damage is here, how do we listen—really listen—to those who are going through it? And not tell them what to do; just say, “Okay, what do you need to do to make it easy for you?” I can’t come in and you just lost your home and say, “You need to do this.” No. “How can I ease your pain? You tell me where to put the ointment.”
JW: As an aside: Neither Núñez nor Alamo were able to comment on whether Elon Musk’s efforts to cut the federal government affect the Small Business Administration or their jobs. But they did say they are working under the assumption that current programs and deadlines are still valid.
Johannes Werner, reporting for WSLR News.
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