Mike Wolanin | The Republic Diane and Keith Tobias fill out paperwork with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security for disaster assistance at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center in the Doug Otto United Way Center in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, May 1, 2025. Structures on the Tobias’ property near Southern Crossing were damage by the March 19th tornado. The outreach center was opened up in response to the emergency declaration from the tornado that stuck the country in March.
A handful of homeowners and businesses have visited The Bartholomew County Disaster Loan Outreach Center in Columbus so far, seeking information about and applying for low-interest federal disaster loans in the wake of the March 19 tornado which tore across a portion of the county.
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The center, which opened at the United Way of Bartholomew County building, 1531 13th St., on April 28, has been seeing many homeowners seeking assistance for roof damage. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays through May 10.
Local residents are eligible to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans, available as part of a disaster declaration issued by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Customer service representative Eric Cardona said the following types of loans are available to apply for, according to the SBA:
- Home Disaster Loans are available to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property including automobiles.
- Business Physical Disaster Loans are available to businesses and private nonprofits like charities and churches to repair or replace their disaster-damaged property.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans, or EIDL, are working capital loans available to assist small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture-engaged businesses and most private, nonprofit organizations through the disaster recovery period.
SBA Public Affairs Specialist Stephen Clark said the center is also processing applications for physical damage disaster loans for homeowners and renters whose personal property was damaged.
“So maybe a tree limb fell on your car and you might need money to pay for an insurance deductible, that would be an example of something that you could use your SBA physical damage disaster loan to pay for, which would be property damage but wouldn’t be real estate, but it can be any other kind of things,” Clark said. ”I mean, if your home was damaged and then because of that the contents were damaged, you can get loan funds for both repairing the physical structure but also replacing personal property…”
Bartholomew County residents Keith and Diane Tobias came into the center Thursday to apply for a loan to hopefully assist with damage to their property including repairing some of their fences and tree removal. Diane said their house thankfully received a little damage on areas like their roof and chimney, and she said she is glad the center is present and they might get a little more assistance.
“You know insurance is there, but it doesn’t always cover 100% of the needs that you have. So a little bit of help can even assist in the debris removal, maybe I could pay the people that were there to help me,” Diane Tobias said. “Even though a lot of them volunteer, I might be able to donate to whatever they might need. It does possibly cover the food and supplies that I did that day, it might even assist in… covering our deductible.”
Clark said there are no application fees for these loans and people are not obligated to take a loan if they are approved, with at least 60 days to decide whether to move forward once they are approved. He said there are also no required payments for the first 12 months after the first disbursement and there is no accrued interest.
He emphasized, however, that this declaration and loans do not apply to damage that may have occurred during March’s windstorms or April’s flood — this process is only for damage sustained during March 19’s tornadoes and severe weather.
“We encourage people, do not wait to receive an insurance settlement before applying. We can fund you up to our loan limits, the extent of your uncompensated losses, before you receive insurance money,” Clark said. “So this could allow you to begin repairs or rebuilding much sooner and for most people that’s probably a better deal, so we don’t want anyone to hesitate.”
The deadline for physical damage applications is June 23, and the deadline for economic injury applications is Jan. 22, 2026. Those interested in applying can also do so online at lending.spa.gov.
