SBA Makes Low Interest Disaster Loans Available for Fire Victims in Florida

WASHINGTON, April 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Low-interest disaster loans
will be made available by the U.S. Small Business Administration to Florida
residents and businesses affected by the devastating fire in the city of Fort
Lauderdale on March 10, 2008, SBA Administrator Steve Preston announced today.

Administrator Preston took this action following an April 3 letter from
Florida Governor Charlie Crist requesting a disaster declaration by the SBA.
The declaration covers Broward County and the adjacent counties of Collier,
Hendry, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach in the state of Florida.

"We look forward to working with residents of Florida affected by the fire to
make SBA disaster loans available to homeowners, renters and businesses," said
Preston.

Frank Skaggs, Director of Disaster Field Operations Center East said,
"Residents, both homeowners and renters, are eligible for loans up to $40,000
to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property. Loans up to
$200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed
real estate. The SBA's Customer Service Representatives will be on hand at
the Disaster Loan Outreach Center to issue loan applications, answer questions
about the SBA's disaster loan program, explain the application process and
help individuals complete their application."

The Center location and hours of operation are:

Broward County
Sunny Reach Acres
Sunny Reach Acres Community Room
100 SW 18th Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

Opens: Monday, April 14 at 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Hours: Tuesday, April 15 - Friday, April 18, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday, April 19, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Monday, April 21 - Thursday, April 24, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Closing: Thursday, April 24 at the close of business

Francisco A. Marrero, SBA's South Florida District Director stresses,
"Low-interest Federal disaster loans are available to renters, homeowners,
businesses of all sizes and private non-profit organizations whose property
was damaged or destroyed by the fire."

Businesses of any size and private non-profit organizations may borrow up to
$1.5 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery,
equipment, inventory, and other business assets. The SBA can also lend
additional funds to help with the cost of making improvements that protect,
prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage in the future.

For small businesses only, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to
help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury
Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business
suffered any physical property damage.

Individuals and businesses unable to visit the Center in person may obtain
information and loan applications by calling tollfree (800) 659-2955. Hearing
impaired individuals may call (800) 8778339.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is
June 9, 2008. The deadline to return economic injury applications is January
9, 2009.

For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Programs, visit our website
at www.sba.gov.

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

Michael Lampton of U.S. Small Business Administration, +1-404-331-0333