The U.S. Small Business Administration announced Monday the opening of a Business Recovery Center in Decatur to help businesses that were affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, high winds and flooding that began on April 15, 2011.  

The BRC will be located in the basement of the Morgan County Courthouse at 302 Lee St. NE, Decatur. It will be open at 8 a.m. Tuesday and be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. It will close on Friday, May 27 at the close of business.

Businesses and private non-profit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.  The SBA may increase a loanup to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements, as verified by SBA, to make improvements that lessen the risk of property damage by future disasters of the same kind.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster.  Economic Injury Disaster Loanassistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

SBA’s representatives will be on hand at the Business Recovery Centers to issue loan applications, answer questions about the disaster loan program, explain the application process and assist individuals to complete their applications.