Mandeville recovery center to covert to SBA site

New Orleans CityBusiness, Sep 26, 2008

The Mandeville Disaster Recovery Center at the Mandeville Public Works Department will convert to an Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Center at 9 a.m. Monday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said.

The center is at 1100 Mandeville High Blvd.

FEMA, the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the SBA opened the DRC to help businesses and residents in the wake of Hurricane Gustav.

The Mandeville DRC will cease operations at 6 p.m. Saturday.

The SBA center will operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays thorough Fridays.

"At this stage of the recovery process, the emphasis for assistance is to meet the long-term needs of victims," said Michael Ricks, district director of the SBA's Louisiana office. "We believe the transition of the Mandeville Disaster Recovery Center to an SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center will better meet the current needs of St. Tammany Parish residents and businesses. Assistance is also available for victims of Hurricane Ike as well as Hurricane Gustav."