SBA approves $300M for Maui wildfire relief

Apr. 9—The Small Business Administration has approved over $300 million in federal disaster assistance loans for Hawaii businesses and residents affected by the August wildfires on Maui, the organization announced today.

The SBA has approved $105,784,100 for small businesses affected by the wildfires, and $194,704,100 for residents, since the wildfires began eight months ago.

The SBA will continue accepting applications for its federal disaster loan for economic injury until May 10. Loans up to $2 million are available for businesses in Hawaii, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kauai and Maui counties. Small non-farm businesses and agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and most nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for the loans, according to an SBA news release.

The loans can be used to pay "fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills," and are available even if the applicant has not suffered property damage due to the disaster, SBA Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience Associate Administrator Francisco Sanchez Jr. said in the release.

The SBA will also continue to accept late applications from Maui businesses and residents who experienced property damage until June 11, Sanchez said.

More information and applications can be found online, by calling SBA's Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or via email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.