Fairfield County Flood Recovery Begins As SBA Disaster Loans Open
Fairfield County homeowners, renters, and business owners facing uninsured losses from the September 13 rainstorm can now apply for low-interest federal disaster loans following a formal declaration by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Governor Ned Lamont secured the disaster designation for Fairfield County alongside contiguous New Haven and Litchfield counties after joint damage assessments exceeded federal qualification thresholds.
The storm dropped several inches of rain across Fairfield County municipalities, flooding roadways and damaging properties. While state officials acknowledged that many residents carry uninsured losses, the newly approved federal funding offers a direct avenue for financial recovery.
Loan Limits For Residents And Business Owners
Borrowers can access varying amounts depending on property damage and operational losses. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to repair their primary residence, while both homeowners and renters qualify for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
Business owners face different financial caps based on the nature of their losses. The SBA permits business owners to borrow up to $2,000,000 for the replacement of real property, inventories, machinery, equipment, and other physical assets. Businesses and nonprofits can also apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2,000,000 to cover working capital needs until normal operations resume.
These low-interest SBA loans are a means for people to rebuild and recover from the flooding,
said Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Ronnell A. Higgins.
Application Deadlines And In-Person Assistance Centers
Applicants must adhere to strict filing deadlines set by the federal agency. The application deadline for physical damage loans is December 1, 2026, while the deadline for economic injury loans extends to July 2, 2027.
To assist applicants locally, a temporary SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center will open on October 7, 2026, at the Margaret E. Morton Government Center located at 999 Broad Street in Bridgeport. The center operates Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., remaining closed on Sundays.
The outreach center will feature adjusted hours of 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on October 9, 2026, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on October 20 and 21, 2026. The facility will be closed on October 12, 2026, for the Columbus Day holiday and will permanently close at 4 p.m. on October 21, 2026.
Residents can also submit applications online through the MySBA Loan Portal. For direct inquiries, the SBA Customer Service Center is reachable by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or by phone at 1-800-659-2955, with telecommunications relay services available for deaf or hard-of-hearing callers by dialing 7-1-1.