More than 1,000 federal workers from the continental U.S. have come to Maui. Among the agencies represented is the U.S. Small Business Administration, which says it's already helping hundreds of small business owners in Lāhainā.
In an email to Pacific Business News this week, Cynthia Cowell, public information officer for the SBA, Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience, confirmed that to date, there are 847 “potentially damaged” businesses in Lāhainā. The SBA has already received applications for aid from 262 businesses.
Last week, the U.S. Small Business Administration partnered with the Hawaiʻi Technology Development Corporation and the Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center to open an SBA Business Recovery Center in Kihei. The center is at the HTDC office in the Maui Research Technology Center at 590 Lipoa Parkway. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
The center is meant to be a one-stop shop for business owners in need. No appointment is needed, and services are free.
Business owners who can't visit the business recovery center directly may apply online using SBA’s secure website at disasterloanassistance.sba.gov.
Applications for property damage will be taken until Oct. 10. The application deadline for economic injury is May 10, 2024.
