Governor Hochul Requests Physical Disaster Declaration from Small Business Administration for Rensselaer, Otsego, and Niagara Counties

Press Release

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced she has requested Physical Disaster Declarations from the Small Business Administration for Rensselaer, Otsego, and Niagara counties. These requests are related to severe weather events that caused damage to homes and businesses. The State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services partnered with emergency management officials in Rensselaer, Otsego, and Niagara counties to survey damages in the affected communities following these events. When the declarations are granted, impacted individuals, families, businesses and non-profits will be eligible to apply for low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration to aid in their recovery.

"These natural disasters disrupted the lives of New Yorkers, but we are working to help our communities recover," Governor Hochul said. "I am requesting these disaster declarations so that impacted New Yorkers can get the assistance they need to get back on their feet and build back their homes and businesses."

Small Business Administration loans provide aid to eligible homeowners, renters, businesses and others that need financial support following emergencies or weather-related disasters.

Upon approval, the following groups from 18 counties may be eligible to receive help from SBA loans:

Homeowners: funds to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate.
Homeowners and renters: funds to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
Business owners: funds for the replacement of real estate, inventories, machinery, equipment and other physical losses.
Businesses and non-profits: Economic Injury Disaster Loans to provide necessary working capital until normal operations resume after a disaster.
Once approved, the Small Business Administration will work with the respective counties to set up points of contact and perform outreach to individual home and business owners who were impacted by this series of weather events.

New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Patrick A. Murphy said, "Following these July weather events, our team worked on the ground with partners in county government to assess damage in their respective counties with the goal of identifying areas in need of relief. We have been and will proudly continue to support these communities with resources to help them recover and rebuild."

Request for Rensselaer County

Following a severe weather event on July 14 in Rensselaer County, there was major damage to 18 homes and 9 businesses totaling $1,895,000. Minor damage was also identified in 281 homes and 14 businesses totaling $2,300,000. If the declaration is granted Rensselaer County, it will include the contiguous counties of Albany, Columbia, Greene, Saratoga and Washington.

Request for Otsego County

Following a severe weather event from July 16 to July 19 in Otsego County, there was major damage to 19 homes and 9 businesses totaling $845,000. Minor damage was also identified in 32 homes and 1 businesses totaling $255,000. If the declaration is granted for Otsego County, it will include the contiguous counties of Schoharie, Delaware, Chenango, Madison, Oneida, Herkimer and Montgomery.

Request for Niagara County

Following a severe weather event on July 20 in Niagara County, there was major damage to 29 homes totaling $542,000. Minor damage was also identified in 1,122 homes and 35 businesses totaling $11,715,000. If the declaration is granted for Niagara County, it will include the contiguous counties of Erie, Genesee and Orleans.

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