Please find contact information for our local SBA Representative below:

Wayne Huddleston
Senior Area Manager – U.S. Virgin Islands
Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands District Office
U.S. Small Business Administration
(787) 523-7120
Cell (340) 473-7945
wayne.huddleston@sba.gov

 

• SBA recognizes the somewhat unique situation facing charter boat owners.

  Certain provisions of the CARES Act as enacted are designed to help small businesses cover defined costs. The Paycheck Protection Program is available to small businesses with fewer than 500 employees to help them make payroll and cover other expenses such as rent, mortgage interest and utilities. The portion of the loan that goes to these expenses over an 8 week period will be forgiven. The loan has a 1% interest rate, is 100% guaranteed by the SBA and has a maximum term of 2 years. The size of the loan is 2.5 X monthly payroll or $10 million, whichever is less. At this time, SBA is not able to change the statute to provide loan forgiveness on fixed costs. The inquiry referenced the sole proprietor/self-employed nature of this sector. SBA wants to make sure that the parties are aware of an Interim Final Rule that was released today by the Treasury regarding the Paycheck Protection Program. That IFR can be found here.

• Guidance about the Paycheck Protection Program is updated frequently and additional information and resources may be found at www.sba.gov/paycheckprotection and www.treasury.gov/cares

   

SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to U.S. Virgin Islands Small Businesses Economically Impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

 

The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to U.S. Virgin Islands small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza announced today. SBA acted under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by the President, to declare a disaster following a request received from Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. on March 20, 2020.

 

The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in the entire U.S. Virgin Islands.

 

“SBA is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist U.S. Virgin Islands small businesses with federal disaster loans. We will be swift in our efforts to help these small businesses recover from the financial impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19),” said Administrator Carranza.

 

SBA Customer Service Representatives will be available to answer questions about SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and explain the application process.

 

“Small businesses, private non-profit organizations of any size, small agricultural cooperatives and small aquaculture enterprises that have been financially impacted as a direct result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) since Jan. 31, 2020, may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred,” said Carranza.

 

“These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Disaster loans can provide vital economic assistance to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing,” Carranza added.

 

Eligibility for Economic Injury Disaster Loans is based on the financial impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The interest rate is 3.75 percent for small businesses. The interest rate for private non-profit organizations is 2.75 percent.SBA offers loans with long-term repayments in order to keep payments affordable, up to a maximum of 30 years and are available to entities without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship.

 

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard‑of‑hearing may call (800) 877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX  76155.

 

The deadline to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan is Dec. 21, 2020.

 

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.