Welcome to Tri-Cities Central, a twice-weekly newsletter highlighting local happenings in Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and surrounding communities.
Get yours: subscribe here. Refer a friend: share this link.
If your home or business took a hit from last August's storms, you can now apply for federal disaster loan assistance.
The U.S. Small Business Administration has disaster loans available for Kane County residents and businesses affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, and flash flooding that swept through the area August 16-19, 2025. The program covers physical damage as well as economic injury for businesses that took a financial hit even without direct property damage.
Here's what to know:
Physical damage deadline: Applications for property damage — homes, businesses, nonprofits — must be submitted by May 15, 2026. Home loans cap at $500,000 for real estate and $100,000 for personal property.
Economic injury deadline: Small businesses and nonprofits that suffered financial losses from the storm have until December 16, 2026 to apply for working capital loans up to $2 million.
Mitigation funds: Approved applicants may also be eligible for additional money — up to 20% of verified physical damage — to pay for improvements that protect against future damage, like sump pumps or retaining walls.
Applications can be submitted online at lending.sba.gov. each the SBA's customer service line with any questions at 1-800-659-2955 or email [email protected].
📖 Thanks for reading
Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] with questions or comments.
Not signed up yet? Subscribe here.