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SBA Offers Disaster Loans to Buffalo Flood Victims

Low-interest federal loans are available to Buffalo-area property owners, renters, nonprofits and small businesses hit by September flooding.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Natural Disasters

Wet residential street in an older Buffalo neighborhood with brick rowhouses, standing floodwater along the curb, and a single sandbag against a stoop under overcast sky.
The Small Business Administration is offering low-interest disaster loans starting at 3% to Buffalo-area residents and businesses hit by September flooding. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest disaster loans to Buffalo-area residents and businesses affected by record rainfall that caused flash flooding in North Buffalo in September. Loan interest rates start at 3%.

Why it matters

Flood damage can leave households and small businesses with losses they cannot cover on their own, and low-interest federal loans offer a path to recovery for Buffalo residents still dealing with the aftermath. The loans are open to property owners, renters, nonprofit organizations and small businesses.

The SBA is offering loans starting at a 3% interest rate, with one Buffalo homeowner reporting about 2 feet of basement flooding and $20,000 in lost items. The total number of affected properties and the full scale of losses across the area have not been reported.

The players

U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration is a federal agency that provides loans and support to small businesses and disaster-affected individuals and organizations.

Justin Hofschneider

Justin Hofschneider is a Buffalo-area resident whose basement flooded during the September 2026 flash flooding in North Buffalo.

The details

Applicants can apply in person at the temporary SBA field office at Ellwood Volunteer Fire Department, 1000 Englewood Avenue, or online at sba.gov/disaster. Justin Hofschneider's basement flooded with approximately 2 feet of water on September 3, and he lost $20,000 worth of items.

Timeline

  1. September 3: Flash flooding fills Justin Hofschneider's basement with about 2 feet of water.

  2. November 2: SBA disaster loans are offered in Buffalo, two months after the flooding.

  3. November 16: The temporary SBA field office closes.

  4. December 18: Deadline to apply for SBA disaster loans.

Seasonal Patterns

The SBA disaster loan program, which provides federal low-interest loans after declared disasters, is being applied here to flood damage from record September rainfall in North Buffalo. The story places a single localized flood within the federal disaster-recovery framework rather than a broader seasonal trend.

Buffalo-area property owners, renters, nonprofits and small businesses affected by the September flooding can apply in person at the Ellwood Volunteer Fire Department, 1000 Englewood Avenue, or online at sba.gov/disaster. Applications must be submitted by December 18.

The takeaway

Low-interest SBA loans can help flood-affected households and small businesses cover repairs and losses that insurance may not fully address. Applicants should act before the December 18 deadline.

What happens next

The temporary SBA field office at Ellwood Volunteer Fire Department is open through November 16, and the deadline to apply for the loans is December 18.

Further reading

For more on flood and storm recovery, browse Natural Disasters coverage.

More information

Apply for an SBA disaster loan online or review program details on the SBA disaster loan application portal.

Source note: This article includes information reported by WKBW.

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Do you trust federal disaster loans to help local families recover after storms?