When Hurricane Ian flooded the state, it devastated many Floridians. Small business owners are very affected.
In response to this, Gov. Ron DeSantis has passed Florida’s Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, making $50 million available to small businesses in 22 counties, economically or physically affected by the storm, announced Oct. 4 press release by Desantis staff.
Although DeSantis has recently been surrounded by various controversies, he has been able to respond well to the storm, and his decisions regarding this loan program are an example of this.
The program has been passed before, but it is not always effective. Former Governor Rick Scott launched a similar program in 2017 after Hurricane Irma, as reported in 2017. press release Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
In the year In 2017, only $10 million was allocated, as opposed to the current $50 million, and the loan was made available to businesses in any Florida county as of 2017. press release Florida Department of Emergency Management. This means the funds are stretched thin and not given to businesses in the hardest hit counties.
These small loans are designed to “bridge the gap between the business” and the difference between the risk and federal or commercial loans. Short-term loans are available for up to $50,000 per recipient, and the application deadline is Dec. 2, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. website.
Fortunately, Tampa wasn’t hit as hard as other Florida counties like Lee, Collier and Charlotte. However, small businesses in Hillsborough County are still hit hard.
Mojo Books and RecordsThe local coffee shop, which sells books and records, was damaged by the storm and lost revenue for several days, according to co-owner Melanie Kade.
“We spent Monday and Tuesday getting the storm ready, sandblasting the doors, etc.,” Cade said in an Oct. 8 interview with The Oracle.
“The storm broke one of the pylon signs on the side of the road and our channel letter sign is now out. These will be expensive repairs. For the safety of our staff and customers, we are closed Tuesday through Thursday, resulting in a significant loss of revenue.
This loan program can go a long way in helping local businesses rebuild.
Some Tampa businesses, like Jenny’s Flowers of Tampa Bay, are devoting their time and resources to helping those in other counties. Their location in Fort Myers was pretty much destroyed, so a lot of production and labor from the Tampa area went to help those in Southwest Florida.
“We lost everything. All our flowers. We had weddings to attend. We had a photo shoot to do, so everything was off. I am very saddened by what is happening here,” said owner Jean-Marie Rakic on October 6 Text on ABC Action News
By passing this loan program, DeSantis gave small business owners a way to start their recovery before larger loans became available.
Local businesses are an important part of Tampa Bay, and it’s important to have the resources to overcome the damage from this disaster, and that’s what this program provides.
