Hurricane Milton Update No. 45

Hillsborough County, Fla. (Oct. 16, 2024) - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is opening a Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Hillsborough County at 1 p.m. today to provide one-on-one assistance with submitting disaster loan applications for Florida businesses impacted by Hurricanes Milton and Helene.

SBA Customer Service Representatives will be available to answer questions about the disaster loan program and assist business owners in completing their applications. The BRC plays a critical role during disasters, assisting businesses in recovering from physical, inventory, and economic losses by offering low-interest loans with repayment plans of up to 30 years.

The Hillsborough County BRC is located at the Entrepreneur Collaborative Center (ECC), 2101 E. Palm Ave., Tampa, FL 33605. The BRC is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and closed on Sunday. Free parking is available across Palm Avenue.

Disaster recovery specialists with the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Hillsborough County will also be on-site to provide confidential, no-cost consulting to help affected businesses prepare disaster loan applications and assist with other post-disaster challenges. Florida SBDC disaster specialists work alongside SBA business loan specialists to provide information about resources available and help businesses complete state and federal disaster loan applications.

The Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County can be reached at HCFL.gov/FSBDC or call (813) 204-9267 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Get Connected. Stay Alert.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to register for HCFL Alert, Hillsborough County's official public notification system for emergency and urgent alerts. To receive messages by email, phone, and text, go to HCFL.gov/HCFLAlert. For the latest emergency-related information visit HCFL.gov/StaySafe. Residents without digital access are encouraged to call (833) HC STORM or (833) 427-8676, the County's storm information and helpline.