Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger is encouraging residents and small business owners impacted by the Eaton Fire to take advantage of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) final extension of disaster loan disbursement deadlines, providing eligible borrowers additional time to access approved recovery funds as rebuilding efforts continue.
“It’s encouraging that U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has recognized the significant progress being made to accelerate permitting and rebuilding in Los Angeles County,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “While that progress is making a real difference, many wildfire survivors continue to face challenges that are beyond their control. This SBA extension provides much needed flexibility, giving families and small businesses additional time to access the recovery funding they’ve already been approved to receive. I encourage every eligible borrower to take advantage of this opportunity as they continue rebuilding their homes, businesses, and lives.”
Under the extension, borrowers approved for SBA Home Physical Disaster Loans and Business Physical Disaster Loans will now have 24 months from the date of their loan authorization agreement to draw down their approved loan funds. The extension recognizes that many survivors continue to experience delays related to insurance claims and other rebuilding challenges.
“I appreciated the opportunity to speak with SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler earlier this week to discuss several issues affecting wildfire recovery, including this important extension,” Supervisor Barger stated. “It gave me the opportunity to reaffirm just how critical this additional time is for Los Angeles County wildfire survivors. I also shared my concern about a significant financing gap many homeowners are facing during reconstruction. Under federal duplication of benefits requirements, the SBA may withhold portions of an approved disaster loan until insurance proceeds are finalized. At the same time, many insurance companies do not release the full amount needed to rebuild until a home receives a Certificate of Occupancy. That leaves some families without access to the funds they need during construction, even though those resources have already been approved. I appreciate Administrator Loeffler’s willingness to examine this issue and work toward a solution so survivors can access the financing they need to keep rebuilding.”
According to the SBA, the agency has approved more than $3.4 billion in disaster assistance for nearly 13,000 Los Angeles-area borrowers affected by the January 2025 wildfires. The agency has identified ongoing rebuilding delays as the reason for providing this final extension.
Eligible borrowers who have questions about their disaster loan or the disbursement process are encouraged to contact the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for assistance.
Supervisor Barger remains committed to connecting wildfire survivors with available recovery resources and encouraging every eligible resident and business owner to utilize the assistance available as rebuilding efforts continue in Altadena and the surrounding region.