SBA hurricane program still moving slowly

[lastliberalintexas]

SBA hurricane program still moving slowly
Small businesses hit by Hurricane Rita still waiting for aid

WASHINGTON - One month after Hurricane Rita tore into southwestern Louisiana, small businesses are finding themselves in a familiar position: waiting for aid from the federal government.

The Small Business Administration, which didn't cut its first check to Hurricane Katrina until more than a month after the monster storm made landfall, hasn't distributed any money for economic victims of Rita, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The agency's figures show that it has received more than 9,500 applications for home and business loans in Texas and Louisiana. Six loans have been approved. On a day when another hurricane tore across the southeastern United States, one key federal lawmaker said the government's response has been "simply unacceptable."

-snip-

The high rejection rate is being described by officials as the result of a new computer system that takes all applications into account, not just loans that are seriously considered for approval by the agency. SBA officials, however, conceded that the rejection rate for Rita-related loans is quite likely to top 70 percent _ much higher than the traditional 50 percent to 55 percent for most disaster recovery efforts.

"We're dealing with areas where there's a lot of low-income people," said Herb Mitchell, head of the SBA's disaster assistance office.

-snip-

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9812189/


Imagine that- low income people needing loans to rebuild after the storm. Who woulda thunk it? :eyes: And for those of you lucky enough to know nothing about FEMA's programs, even individuals get sent to the SBA for "relief" loans- this really isn't just about businesses being rejected.

Some people are still without power a month later, tens of thousands of structures have been damaged, and there is absolutely NO HOUSING due to displaced Katrina victims and extensive damage to apartment complexes. FEMA will kindly relocate you to Dallas for housing, though- never mind that 5 hour commute to and from work. :eyes:

And yes, we are better off than New Orleans- just thought I'd agree before someone else decides to post that oh so nice sentiment.


I also thought I'd post this for the people on DU who seem to think that the entire states of Texas and Louisiana are red and therefore are being "taken care of" by the Bush administration, as I've seen posted here in the weeks following Rita. :eyes:

I guess this is also what Florida has to look forward to as well since this isn't an election year. I'm wishing you folks well!

[Justyce]

1. There are a lot of people

now without homes due to Rita -- Rita, Katrina, or whatever disaster, homeless is homeless. Our home was among those deemed uninhabitable. FEMA & the gov't seemed to go through the motions while it was getting brief news coverage, and then that was it... back to Katrina... I don't know anyone who's gotten any help from FEMA or the gov't above the initial $2000, which some are being asked to pay back I'm hearing. When you've lost everything, including thousands now unemployed on top of that, $2000 doesn't last very long. My husband and I, my entire family, and all of our friends have worked our entire adult lives paying into the system & never drawing from it, and then the one time when we have nowhere else to turn, we thought it would be there, that part of what we were paying into it was for people who needed help, but nothing. Thank God the people in our area have tried to pull together to help each other get by since the 'compassionate conservatives' in charge don't care.

I've been out of pocket since Rita, but this is the first I've heard of anyone saying Bush is taking care of Texas?! Surely people don't actually think that?? We've been hung out to dry -- the media just doesn't report it because I guess no one's raising enough hell about it -- we're too busy trying to survive.... people are living in tents in their yards. An elderly couple across the street from us has been staying in their house that has a big tree through the center of it & a huge hole in the roof. All they got from FEMA was an inspection & deemed uninhabitable - no actual help. My uncle has no roof -- same deal. It's unbelievable.