SBA Business Recovery Centers in Illinois to Close for Election Day

ATLANTA - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today it will temporarily close its Business Recovery Centers in Cook and St. Clair counties, on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 4 - 5 in observance of Election Day. The Centers will resume normal operations on Wednesday, Nov. 6.

"SBA's Business Recovery Centers are a cornerstone of our support for business owners," said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. "At these centers, business owners can meet face-to-face with specialists to apply for disaster loans and access a wide range of resources to guide them through their recovery."

Customer Service Representatives at SBA's Business Recovery Center can assist applicants complete their disaster loan application, accept documents for existing applications, and provide updates on an application's status. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment at an SBA Disaster Recovery Center in advance. The centers will operate as indicated below until further notice.

Business Recovery Center (BRC)
Cook County

SBA District Office

332 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 600

Chicago, IL 60604

Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closed: Saturday and Sunday

Closed: Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 4 - 5 for Election Day

Business Recovery Center (BRC)
St. Clair County

Southwestern IL Justice & Workforce Development Campus, Library Room

2300 W Main Street

Belleville, IL 62226

Hours: Monday - Sunday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Closed: Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 4 - 5 for Election Day

On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

With the changes to FEMA's Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and the SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover. FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition. Do not wait on the decision for a FEMA grant; apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster.

Applicants may also call SBA's Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected] for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 19, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 20, 2025.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

Related programs: Disaster

Email[email protected]