The U.S. Small Business Administration disaster center at the DuPage County administration building will cease operations at 6 p.m. Thursday due to a steady decrease of activity.

The SBA urges those affected by the September’s flooding to visit the center before the closing to obtain one-on-one assistance and information about the disaster assistance program. The SBA also encourages homeowners, renters and businesses who received applications to return their completed applications before the Dec. 2 deadline. 

Assistance continues to be available in Cook County at Des Plaines theatre building,1486 Miner St. and Oak Forest Hospital, 15900 Cicero Ave. Both centers are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Monday through Friday.

As of Friday, the SBA has approved over $5.7 million in disaster loans, according to a press release.

The SBA offers loans up to $200,000 to repair disaster damaged primary residences. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to replace personal property such as furniture, appliances and clothing. Loans to businesses of all sizes and non-profit organizations are available up to $2 million to repair damage to real estate, machinery, inventory and equipment.

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to small businesses, and most private, nonprofit organizations of all sizes to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster.  This assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

Interest rates are as low as 2.875 percent for homeowners and renters and 4.000 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Business owners unable to visit a center may obtain an application by calling the SBA’s customer service center at (800) 659-2955 or (800) 877-8339 for the hearing-impaired) Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. or by emailing the Customer Service Center at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. 

Business loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. 

Completed applications should be returned to one of the centers or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX. 76155.

Victims may apply for disaster loans from SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical damage is Dec. 2.  The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 3.