We look to our local municipalities and state government agencies to assist us in times of natural disasters. The COVID-19 is a declared disaster and all the same services offered for hurricane, flood, tornado, wildfires should be presented to the people as well as to all healthcare centers.

As I migrate from the SBA Disaster Loans issue of the 2016 floods that have been for the most part corrected to the COVID-19 virus pandemic I want to share what I'll be focused on so you can find the answers to what your needs are quickly.

• Housing costs (rents, mortgages) and the increased debt burden of households with confirmed cases of COVID-19.
• Unemployment directly caused by the local, state or federal action, determinations, warnings related to reducing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
• Educating local and state government to more than FEMA federal assistance and more than just SBA loans.
• Small Business Survival in pre and post disaster areas focused on business and industry impacted by the COVID-19 virus.

• CDC Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• CDC Get Your Mass Gatherings or Large Community Events Ready
• SBA Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• HUD Quick Guide to CDBG Eligible Activities to Support Infectious Disease Response

• Asking questions is the best thing to start with. Begin with your local municipality then your state representatives, congressional representatives, state leaders like your governor. Know that 99.9% of all federal aid will be disbursed by your state and local governments. Many local government officials are not aware of what is available to them globally. This is due to the fact that most attend only FEMA training if anything and they are not aware of the other federal agencies and federal assistance that is available to local government and it's citizen populations.

• We have several grassroots programs which can help you if you interact with them. Don't think for a moment recovery will come knocking on your door. You have to go out and make it happen.

  We'll help you build your advocacy group as well as help you with becoming a positive change activist.

  Some groups you might be interested in.

  • Restore LA Program Info Exchange Focus: HUD CDBG-DR Grants, State Grantees, SBA DOB related to HUD Grants. Focus on HUD Recovery Grants and local state policies.
    (Private Facebook.Com Group in Louisiana all are welcome.)
  • Stop FEMA Now Focus: FEMA Recovery efforts, SBA Disaster Loans, Long term recovery focus on Super storm Sandy Victims. (Public Facebook.Com Group based out of New Jersey.)
  • SBA Disaster Recovery Loans Learn who should not apply. Learn what the SBA will do to approve you. Learn about low income homeowners without credit being offered loans by using their homes as collateral. Learn the truth about the SBA lending practices and how some homeowners would never be able to repay the loan.
    (National group focused on SBA Disaster Loans and what the true costs are.)
  • Homeowner - Contractor Focus: Helping Homeowners self contract and manage their own hiring and firing of workers to get the job of recovery completed. We share our experiences and share our processes.
    (Public Facebook.Com Group for homeowners managing their construction projects)
  • Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) Focus: Disaster Feedback in relationship to Congressional Representatives actions for better recovery processes. This is a mix of federal policy with homeowners feedback related to federal disaster recovery policy.

  Proposed / Needed Groups:

  • State of XX HUD CDGB-DR Grantee: We need individuals that have time to administrate and moderate local groups focused on your state agencies that distribute HUD CDBG-DR grants. We will assist you with your setup and help you keep up with HUD policy as well as forecast what move your state will make within the program. We'll teach you how to be your states "Watchdog" to reduce government waste and to help guard against fraud against the American Taxpayers.
    (Groups by state for HUD CDBG-DR Grant award assistance. Groups need to form before FEMA - SBA applicants are started.

1. FEMA tells you that your household needs to apply for IA and IHP grants.
2. FEMA sends damage determination letter called FEMA Verified Loss (FVL).
3. FEMA tells you to to apply to the SBA Disaster Loan program if you would like to continue with your disaster recovery.
   • FEMA may tell you that you must apply with the SBA and if declined by the SBA agency you will be referred back to FEMA for additional federal resources.
   • It is very rare this will ever happen and if it does you can expect maybe $7,000 or less in ONA (Other Needs Assistance) grants.
   • SBA will approve a loan for your household based on total income of $18,090 net per year.
   • SBA will approve your household if you have a credit score of 350 or more.
   • SBA will count all persons 15 years of age and older making a taxable income as part of the household income.
   • SBA will approve your loan based on the amount of insurance you have related to the disaster. Example: $150,000 in Flood insurance the SBA will lend that homeowner regardless of income or credit scores up to the maximum payout of the insurance policy.
   • SBA will approve your loan based on the collateral that was damaged and at pre-flood.
   • You're not told about HUD CDGB-DR grants that you may have been qualified for if you didn't apply to the SBA disaster Loan Program.
   • You're not told that Grants are awarded based on household income levels.
   • You're not told that if your household income is less than 80% AMI you will receive HUD CDBG-DR grants when they become available in about 12 months from the disaster month.
   • You're not told that if you take an SBA Disaster Loan that amount of the loan you are approved for will be counted as Duplication of Benefits against any future federal assistance even if you do not draw the full loan mount.

When FEMA directs you to apply for an SBA Disaster Loan and does not tell you that you are NOT required to apply for an SBA Disaster Loan that is mistake #1.

When the SBA Disaster Loan Program takes your credit and asset information for your application they will tell you when to expect your approval and your loan amount.

This is your Withdrawal period if you do not what to continue with the SBA Disaster Loan Program. You must ask them to withdraw you and to list your account status as "Withdrawn" or you my be classified as Approved which will be reported to your state Grantee handling your HUD CDBG-DR long term recovery.

If you signed your loan documents and mailed them the time in the mail is the only time you have to also withdraw from the program. The SBA calls this the time before they start processing the loan which is the minute your loan application arrives in their processing department.

Once your loan is in processing your loan status can never be "Withdrawn" or "Declined" or "Canceled" it will remain "Approved".

This is your introduction to the SBA Duplication of Benefits issue we are about to explode open for you right now.