Homeowners, renters and businesses in Wheaton, Warrenville and West Chicago that suffered uninsured losses in the July 2–4 storms can now apply for low-interest federal disaster loans, with a physical damage application deadline of Monday, Oct. 5.
The U.S. Small Business Administration issued disaster declaration IL-20031 on Aug. 5 at the request of Gov. JB Pritzker, according to the Federal Register notice published Aug. 11. Kane County is the primary declared county; DuPage, Cook, DeKalb, Kendall and McHenry counties qualify as contiguous counties, making residents and business owners across DuPage eligible for the same loan programs.
"We know that severe weather can devastate communities and are pleased that the SBA loans will be available for storm-related damages not covered by insurance," Theodore Berger, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security, said in the state's Aug. 10 announcement.
The July storms brought excessive rainfall and severe weather across the region. As we reported Aug. 13, Wheaton only recently finished its storm debris pickup. The People's Resource Center, a Wheaton food pantry serving about 600 families weekly, lost power for 14 hours during a subsequent July 28 EF-0 tornado in Glen Ellyn and had to discard three tons of spoiled food.
Who qualifies and how much
Three loan programs are available, according to the SBA's Aug. 10 press release:
- Homeowners may borrow up to $500,000 to repair or replace a damaged primary residence.
- Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $100,000 to replace personal property such as furniture, clothing, cars and appliances.
- Businesses and private nonprofits may borrow up to $2 million to repair real estate, machinery, equipment and inventory.
Interest rates are as low as 2.875% for homeowners who lack credit available elsewhere, 4% for businesses without other credit and 3.625% for nonprofits, according to the Chicago Tribune. Applicants may also qualify for a loan increase of up to 20% of verified physical damage for mitigation improvements like storm shelters or wind-rated garage doors.
Businesses that did not suffer physical damage but lost revenue because of the storms can apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans to cover payroll, fixed debts and accounts payable. The EIDL deadline is May 5, 2027. Agricultural producers are not eligible for SBA loans but may contact their local USDA Service Center.
How to apply
Residents can apply online at sba.gov/disaster, call (800) 659-2955 or email [email protected]. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may dial 7-1-1 for relay services.
For in-person help, the closest option for DuPage residents is the Disaster Loan Outreach Center at the Prisco Community Center, 150 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora. It is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., through Aug. 22. Walk-ins are welcome, and applicants can visit any center regardless of where they live.
Additional centers open soon: the Elgin Township Building, 729 S. McLean Blvd., Elgin, Aug. 17 through Sept. 1 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.), and the Hanover Park Police Department, 2011 W. Lake St., Aug. 24 through Sept. 5 (same hours).
The physical damage application deadline is Monday, Oct. 5. Residents seeking other storm-recovery resources can call 211 or visit 211DuPage.gov.
