Property damage numbers rise, SBA loans available following storm
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Storm-damaged homes in Rogers. Photo: Alex Golden/Axios
The federal Small Business Administration has set up a recovery center in Rogers where people affected by the Memorial Day weekend storms can apply for low-interest loans, according to a news release from Benton County.
State of play: Loans are available to businesses, nonprofit organizations and homeowners. The center is open 8am-5pm Monday-Friday and 8am-1pm Saturday at the World Trade Center at 3300 S. Market St., Suite 400. Applications are also available online.
- FEMA also plans to set up an in-person center where Benton County residents can apply for federal assistance. The location and when it will open are TBD. Applications are already available online.
Catch up quick: President Biden late last week declared a federal disaster in Arkansas. The move makes federal assistance available to people and local governments affected by the storms, which included seven tornadoes in Benton County.
The latest: National Guard members will continue to help with traffic control at Benton County debris dump sites until June 21, according to another county news release.
By the numbers: As of Tuesday, 75 homes in Benton County were deemed destroyed, meaning they incurred extensive damage to two or more walls or the roof, according to the county.
- Another 258 homes had major damage, meaning at least one wall or the roof had extensive damage. The storms caused minor damage — defined as roofs or walls penetrated by debris — to 612 homes.
- The county had reviewed 2,026 damage reports as of Tuesday.
What's next: Rogers city officials are asking residents to place debris — separated by vegetative like trees and nonvegetative like construction materials — at their curbs. Looks Great Solutions, a company contracted by the city, will begin curbside debris pickup from 7am to 7pm daily.
- "This will be a long process and we appreciate your patience as we work to clean up our community," a city news release reads.
- The Bentonville City Council on Monday declared the city is in a state of emergency and approved a $200,000 contract with Thompson Consulting Services for debris monitoring services, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.