Above: Congressman Josh Gottheimer visits the newly-opened SBA Business Recovery Center in Bergen County.

HACKENSACK, NJ —Today, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) visited the newly-opened SBA Business Recovery Center in Bergen County, where New Jersey small business owners and residents can get one-on-one assistance in submitting disaster loan applications for damage from Hurricane Ida. Gottheimer worked with the U.S. Small Business Administration to locate this recovery center in New Jersey’s Fifth District.

The SBA Business Recovery Center is located at Bergen Community College, Ciarco Learning Center at 355 Main Street, Hackensack, NJ, 07601. It is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

At the SBA Business Recovery Center, business owners from across North Jersey can get assistance from Customer Service Representatives in completing their disaster loan program applications. Also located at the Bergen Community College Ciarco Learning Center is a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC), where homeowners and renters can meet with a FEMA Customer Service Representative to get assistance in applying for a disaster loan.

“We’re working to make sure North Jersey small businesses, homeowners, renters, and families have the emergency resources they need to recover from Hurricane Ida damage. The U.S. Small Business Administration and FEMA have set up new centers in Bergen to ensure local business owners and residents can access personalized assistance to apply for emergency loans and federal disaster relief,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “This recovery center is doing important work to get North Jersey residents back on their feet as soon as possible.”

Gottheimer was joined today by Chris Tessein, a veteran and the owner of U.S. Paratrooper Building Specialties LLC; Scott Gerber, owner of Gerber RV Truck & Bus; Sandra Lawson from the U.S. Small Business Administration, and FEMA and SBA officials.

Federal Hurricane Ida Relief includes:

SBA Relief:

Both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) are available to businesses, nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters. Both loans are currently available in Bergen, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Passaic, and Somerset counties in New Jersey. 

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) are also available to small businesses and most nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent New Jersey counties: Atlantic, Camden, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Monmouth, Morris, Salem, Sussex, Union, and Warren.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans help meet working capital needs caused by a disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

To apply: Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ and should apply under SBA declaration # 17143, not for the COVID-19 incident.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 4, 2021. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 6, 2022.

FEMA Relief:

Assistance from FEMA may help individuals affected by a disaster take care of necessary expenses and serious needs that cannot be met through insurance or other forms of assistance.

The Major Disaster Declaration will allow individuals in the approved counties to register for direct federal assistance for Ida-related recovery, which may include home repairs, temporary housing, low-cost loans, and other programs to help recover from the effects of the tropical storm.

To apply: To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.

Below: Gottheimer meets with FEMA recovery center staff.

Below: Gottheimer meets FEMA recovery center staff.

Below: Gottheimer meets with Chris Tessein, a veteran and the owner of U.S. Paratrooper Building Specialties LLC.

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