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SBA Tops $300 Million in Disaster Assistance Loans for Hawai‘i Wildfires, Including High Winds

Deadline to Apply for SBA Working Capital Loans is May 10

On April 9, 2024 the SBA announced that it has approved more than $300 million in federal disaster loans for Hawai‘i businesses and residents impacted by the Hawai‘i wildfires, including high winds. Since the wildfires began last August, the SBA has approved $105,784,100 for businesses and $194,704,100 for residents to help rebuild and recover from this disaster.

SBA Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience Associate Administrator Francisco Sánchez Jr., also reminds Hawai‘i small businesses of the May 10, 2024, deadline to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for economic injury. These low-interest disaster loans are available in Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kaua‘i and Maui counties in Hawai‘i.

Small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. “Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the applicant suffered any property damage,” Sánchez said.

“SBA’s disaster assistance employees are committed to helping businesses and residents rebuild as quickly as possible,” Sánchez continued. SBA will continue to accept late applications from businesses and residents in Maui County who sustained damages for property damage through June 11. “Don’t miss out on any assistance you may be entitled to by not applying for help. You don’t need to wait for your insurance to settle or obtain a contractor’s estimate,” he added.

SBA customer service representatives will continue to be on hand at the following centers to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their loan application. The centers will be open on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.

May 10, 2024 is the deadline to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for economic injury. These low-interest disaster loans are available in Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kaua‘i and Maui counties in Hawai‘i.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to businesses and private non-profit organizations to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

No one is obligated to accept an approved loan.

SBA customer service representatives are available at the following locations to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their application.

Disaster Recovery Center
Lahaina Civic Center
1840 Honoapiilani Hwy (HI-30)
Lahaina, HI 96761
Mondays – Fridays
8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturdays
8:00 am – 2:00 pm

Kako’o Maui Relief & Aid Services
Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA)
70 E Kaahumanu Avenue
Kahului, HI 96732
Mondays – Fridays
8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Business Resource Assessment Center
Maui Research Technology Center (MRTC)
Building #A, Suite 202
590 Lipoa Parkway
Kihei, HI 96753
Mondays – Fridays
8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Business Recovery Center
Maui Research Technology Center (MRTC)
Building #A, Suite 119 (Conference Rm.)
590 Lipoa Parkway
Kihei, HI 96753
Mondays – Fridays
8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Business Recovery Center
Hawai‘i Foreign-Trade Zone No. 9
521 Ala Moana Blvd., Ste. #201, Pier 2
Honolulu, HI 96813
Mondays – Fridays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize disaster damage from occurring in the future.

Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 2.375 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.5 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 18 months from the date of the first disbursement.

How to apply:

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at https://www.sba.gov/hawaii-wildfires. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659 2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to apply for economic injury is May 10, 2024. SBA will continue to accept late applications for property damage through June 11, 2024.

Link to recovery centers can be found here and at: https://lending.sba.gov/search-disaster/?disaster=HI-00073.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit https://www.sba.gov/hawaii-wildfires.

About Chanel Josiah

Chanel was born and raised on Oʻahu and now resides on Kaua’i with her husband and seven children. As a 5th-generation Hawaiian Home Lands lessee and homeowner, she has firsthand knowledge of the challenges families face in accessing housing, financial opportunities and resources both on and off homesteads. Her lived experiences and professional expertise inspire her passion for supporting others and strengthen her commitment to helping local and native Hawaiian families secure and sustain homes on their ancestral ‘āina, building lasting stability for themselves and generations to come.

Chanel also serves as the Board President of Pa‘a Lima, a nonprofit organization that offers support services and education to address houselessness, mental health challenges, financial literacy, and income instability. The organization is committed to breaking generational cycles and changing lives, with a special emphasis on supporting youth aging out of foster care.

As Operations Director, Chanel oversees marketing, community engagement, technical assistance, and operations. A key aspect of her role is connecting directly with communities to understand their needs and challenges. Drawing on her personal and professional experiences, Chanel approaches these challenges holistically, blending diverse perspectives to create innovative strategies that drive meaningful and lasting change for the communities she serves. “I’m grateful to be able to share our organization’s moʻomeheu (culture), moʻolelo (story) and kaunu (passion) with communities across Hawaiʻi, partners and investors who believe in the work we do.”

Chanel is inspired by her keiki, motivating her dedication to ensuring they can build their futures here in Hawai’i. She is also inspired by her tūtū kāne, Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox. “He was a fearless kānaka ‘ōiwi champion who encompassed the spirit of aloha ‘āina – the love of his land, and home just as we do now.” Outside of work, Chanel enjoys reading, practicing hula, and spending time at the beach with her ʻohana.


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About Aikū’ē Kalima

Aikū’ē Kalima, former Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund Manager for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, joins Hawaiʻi Community Lending as its lending director.
Kalima comes to HCL with more than 25 years of experience in community development and mortgage lending. In his new position, Kalima will direct HCL’s consumer, construction, mortgage and small business lending.
“As a native Hawaiian and Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiary, I understand the financial needs for economic development and quality housing for kānaka is great,” said Kalima, who led OHA’s deployment of $9.8 million in loans to 286 native Hawaiians statewide over the last five years. “For over 25 years, I have worked tirelessly at the grassroots level, educating kānaka on the skills necessary to achieve the dream of homeownership and providing resources to achieve financial sustainability. I plan to continue serving the lāhui empowering ‘ohana and communities as the lending director for Hawai‘i Community Lending.”
Kalima takes the reins of HCL’s $16-million revolving loan fund and will oversee a team of seven staff members statewide. “HCL is honored to have Aikū’ē join us in our mission to help tackle our housing crisis by funding native Hawaiian and local families to build, buy and save homes from foreclosure,” said HCL Executive Director Jeff Gilbreath. “He has proven leadership in both the public and private sectors and has the passion to get families on the land through homeownership.”


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About Sean

Sean Perez loves hearing about the great things Hawai‘i Community Lending is doing for the Hawaiian community. And now as HCL’s new director of finance, he is excited to be part of the team making it happen.

“I enjoy hearing the success stories of new homes that we will soon be building and finding for these families,” he says. “HCL’s mission resonates well with me and my passion to help others and assist our community.”

To this end, Sean will manage HCL’s finances, accounting, compliance, and information technology matters; working with HCL Executive Director Jeff Gilbreath and supervising three division managers. He comes to HCL with over eight years of experience in financial management in the nonprofit and private, for-profit sectors having worked in the legal, social service, health, and telecommunications industries as well as with the US Attorney’s Office of Guam and CNMI. In his previous job as director of operations for the Hawai‘i State Bar Association where he was responsible for directing the organization’s finances, Sean grew his experience in nonprofit financial management and gained extensive background in accounting, grants management, IT and human resources. These skills, in conjunction with his drive to work with the Hawai‘i community through nonprofit assistance, led Sean to HCL.

Currently living in Honolulu, Sean was born in Tamuning, Guam. When he was 10 years old, he moved to Oxnard, Calif., where he attended school and eventually community college. The Air Force Reserves beckoned him after graduation, leading him to serve three and a half years as an aircrew flight equipment technician at March Air Reserve Base. After his military service, Sean returned to his childhood home of Guam, where he went to college to obtain a degree in finance and economics, and then to pursue an MBA.

On O‘ahu, Sean enjoys family life with his fiancée and toddler son; fishing and surfing in his time off. “I look forward to accomplishing great things with HCL and creating new success stories,” he says.


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About Nikki

Nikki Hollern is a mother of five, born and raised in Upcountry Maui, but she spent the last 15 years in the beautiful town of Lahaina. Lahaina stole her heart, with the people and the town being unlike any other. After the fire, her family had to relocate to Kahului.

Her heart remains in Lahaina, and her goal is to help this amazing community get back to where they belong. She feels blessed to have the opportunity to be part of the HCL ‘ohana, helping navigate this incredibly hard time and hopefully serving as a guiding light to assist the community in returning home and coming back even stronger.


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