GERMANTOWN, Wis. — Despite the government shutdown, federal employees dealing with disaster relief are still processing loans for Washington County flood victims.
The U.S. Small Business Association is working out of Germantown and West Bend to supply flood victims with disaster relief loans meant to supplement grants or insurance costs already covered, with a deadline of Nov. 10 to apply.
The USBA contacted TMJ4 News to spread the word that the community can still find some financial flood relief after some people dealt with extreme damage in August.
Watch: Deadline rapidly approaches for flood victims looking for disaster relief loans in Washington County
Two months ago, streets in Germantown were completely underwater, and some West Bend community members' basements were destroyed.
"I was looking at the news, and it was like, 'Call Marcus if you have something regarding Washington County,' and I was like, I'm calling Marcus!" USBA public affairs specialist Monica Myles said.
The water has receded, but Washington County communities like Germantown and West Bend are still recovering from the August flooding.
"I'm glad it's over," Richard Taylor said. "It just came down so fast, you would not believe it."
Ninety-year-old Richard Taylor had to tear out his basement walls, carpet, and replace it all.
"It was a mixture of rainwater and sewage," he said. "Which prompted me to have everything taken out."
His son helped replace the flooring and walls. He put everything back together, making the cost affordable, but not everyone can get back on their feet the same way.
"They're under a lot of stress. They might miss the homeowner renter parts," Myles said. "Pretty much most people are aware of FEMA, and a lot of times they are not aware of the USBA being involved with the disaster loan program."
The USBA can provide $500,000 loans for homeowners, $100,000 for renters and $2 million for businesses. Right now, they're just trying to get the word out.
"We try to do outreach in the community," Myles said. "A lot of times, the people who are still trying to figure out how to repair and recover as a result of the disaster they're not coming to those locations where we might be."
There's no application fee for the loans. If you do take one out, you'll have 30 years to pay it back.
People can apply online here or call 1-800-659-2955 to set up an appointment with USBA customer service.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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