Homeowners, renters, and businesses affected by Tropical Storm Chantal can now apply for low-interest disaster loans through the US Small Business Administration (SBA).
The SBA approved an administrative disaster declaration for impacted counties following Tropical Storm Chantal, including Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, Granville, Orange, Person, and Wake counties.
“This declaration will help families and business owners across central North Carolina who are still reeling from the severe flooding caused by Tropical Storm Chantal,” said Democrat Gov. Josh Stein in a press release. “I want to thank the Small Business Administration for swiftly approving this request. North Carolinians are resilient and will get through this together.”
Eligible homeowners and renters may borrow up to $500,000 for repair or reconstruction costs for their primary residence. Loans of up to $100,000 are available to cover expenses related to damaged or destroyed personal property, including clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Eligible businesses and nonprofits may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace property, including real estate, inventory, and equipment.
The governor declared a state of emergency on July 16.
Chantal unloaded more than 10 inches of rain in counties including Alamance, Orange, Chatham, Moore, and others. In the Piedmont, rivers swelled to record or near‑record levels: the Haw River crested at 32.5 ft and the Eno River set a new crest at 25.63 ft. The storm surpassed “hundred‑year flood” levels in places like Saxapahaw, where watermarks surpassed those from both 1945 and 1996 floods.
Additionally, NCDOT officials reported over 120 road closures, including major arteries such as I-40 and I-85 in Alamance County. At least five deaths have been confirmed, and 80 rescues have been completed in Chapel Hill and Durham.
Applications for SBA disaster loans may be submitted online using the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov or other locally announced locations.
For further assistance, the SBA’s Customer Service Center can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-800-659-2955. People who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability can dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
North Carolina Emergency Management continues to work with local officials to assess the scope of Chantal’s damage. As the full damage assessment is completed jointly with federal partners, the assessment analysis will determine eligibility for additional recovery resources.
Any residents needing damage and debris cleanup can contact Crisis Cleanup at 910-218-1569 by August 1. Crisis Cleanup can connect residents with volunteers from local relief organizations who may be able to assist with cleanup, downed tree removal, and general debris removal.