Quitman County still eligible for SBA storm recovery loans, deadline nears

Quitman County homeowners, renters, small businesses and private nonprofits still have a narrow window to tap federal storm relief for damage from January’s ice storm, including repairs to homes, equipment, inventory and other property losses. The U.S. Small Business Administration says the county remains a primary disaster area, and applicants affected by the Jan. 23-27 winter storm have until June 10 to apply for physical damage loans.

That matters most in Marks, Crowder, Lambert and Falcon, where residents and local employers may still be sorting out losses that were not fully covered by insurance or other aid. Under the SBA program, businesses and most private nonprofit organizations can borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace real estate, machinery, equipment, inventory and other business assets. Homeowners can borrow up to $500,000 to repair or replace a primary residence, while homeowners and renters can borrow up to $100,000 for personal property.

The deadline comes as the county continues to work through a storm that state and federal officials treated as a major emergency. Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency on Jan. 22, 2026, warning that ice could build on power lines and downed trees could trigger outages. He later reported about 143,700 power outages statewide and damage reports involving 92 homes, 3 businesses and 7 farms. The National Weather Service described the event as a historically damaging ice storm, with ice accretion reaching up to one inch in parts of North Mississippi and the ArkLaMiss Delta.

Federal damage assessments followed quickly. FEMA lists the incident period as Jan. 23-27, 2026, with an emergency declaration on Jan. 24 and a major disaster declaration on Feb. 6. A FEMA preliminary damage assessment report said the governor requested Individual Assistance for 36 counties and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Public Assistance for 38 counties and the tribe, and statewide hazard mitigation.

For Quitman County, the SBA notice also offers a chance to build back stronger. Applicants may qualify for a loan increase of up to 20% of verified physical damages for mitigation projects, including stronger storm protection, wind-rated garage doors and safe rooms or storm shelters. Interest rates in the notice were set as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.625% for private nonprofits and 2.875% for homeowners and renters, with repayment terms of up to 30 years.

Recovery is still visible on the ground. Quitman County government said on April 26 that MEMA and federal and local partners would open six Disaster Recovery Centers and seven Disaster Survivor Assistance sites beginning April 27 for residents affected by the storm. Those centers remain a key place for people trying to finish recovery work before the SBA window closes and uninsured damage becomes harder to cover.