If your business is in Queens or one of the neighboring counties hit by the May 20 floods, the SBA relief window is open.
The agency says low-interest federal disaster loans are now available for businesses, private nonprofits, homeowners, and renters in Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, and Richmond counties. The declaration covers damage from severe storms and flooding that hit the area on May 20.
For owners, the important part is not the politics of the declaration. It is the recovery math.
What The SBA Is Offering
The SBA says businesses and eligible nonprofits can borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery, equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
The agency also says Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available even if you did not suffer physical damage, as long as the disaster hurt your working capital.
That matters because flood damage is not always obvious on day one. Lost inventory, interrupted sales, missed invoices, and payroll pressure can hit long before the cleanup is finished.
What Owners Should Do Now
If you think you may qualify, the best move is to get organized before you apply.
- document damage with photos and invoices
- separate insurance claims from disaster loan needs
- list inventory, equipment, and leasehold losses clearly
- estimate how long the disruption affects cash flow
The SBA says applicants may also qualify for mitigation funds of up to 20% above verified physical damage costs for improvements that reduce future risk.
That is worth paying attention to if you are rebuilding anyway. If you have to open walls, replace doors, or redo systems, it can be smarter to build in resilience once than to pay for the same mistake twice.
Deadlines Matter
The SBA says the filing deadline for physical property damage applications is August 31, 2026. The deadline for economic injury applications is March 30, 2027.
The agency also says a Disaster Loan Outreach Center opened in Queens on July 7, with walk-ins welcome and in-person appointments available.
Owner Takeaway
This is one of those situations where speed matters more than elegance.
If the flood touched your business, do not wait until the repair process is tidy to start the SBA paperwork. Apply while the losses are still visible, the records are still fresh, and the cash-flow damage is still easy to explain.
If you are outside the six affected counties, this is still a useful reminder: disaster relief is built around geography and timing. When a declaration opens, the businesses that move first usually have the easiest path through the process.