FEMA Center Open In Hatch; SBA To Offer Flood Disaster Aid To Homeowners, Businesses

HATCH, NM.- Residents in the small farming community of Hatch affected by recent flooding can now go to one place to get help with recovery.

Homes and businesses in the village were flooded back in August with an arroyo broke. Now residents can go to the Mobile Disaster Recovery Center at the Hatch Municipal Building to ask questions about the applying for federal aid.

Additionally on Tuesday,the Small Business Administration (SBA) says it will make aid available to southern New Mexico homeowners and businesses damaged by severe storms and floods.

The assistance is targeted to Dona Ana County and the adjacent counties of Otero, Luna and Sierra. It’s linked to a presidential disaster declaration issued for parts of the state last week.

The agency will offer low-interest home disaster loans for homeowners or renters to repair or replace damaged real estate or personal property. It also is offering business disaster loans to repair or replace damaged real estate, inventories, equipment or supplies.

The SBA also is offering economic injury disaster loans for working capital to small business and small agricultural cooperatives to help them through the recovery period.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) AP-NY-09-05-06 1737EDT