An August 28 storm ravaged San Antonio. The West Side and the Historic Five Points were hit hard. In the neighborhood, a tree destroyed this home.
An August 28 storm ravaged San Antonio. The West Side and the Historic Five Points were hit hard. In the neighborhood, a tree destroyed this home. (SBG San Antonio)
“Nobody has reached out to any of us,” said Sandra Cortez, a Five Points resident.
As parts of buildings sit in the middle of roads, the sun rises. Little more than a month has gone by, and some residents say they feel as alone as they did when they first saw the damage.
“I think San Antonio deserves more,” said William Sheppard, a Five Points resident.
In response to the storm, the U.S. Small Business Administration is providing federal loans for damage to homes and businesses.
“They are intended to be at a lower-than-normal market rate that you will see with normal traditional institutions,” said Gabriel Perales, a public affairs specialist with the SBA.
SBA staff are at the Las Palmas Public Library to help people sign up. Homeowners can get loans of up to $500,000, and businesses can get up to $2 million. The deadline to apply is November 9.
“Just agency standards,” Perales said.
Residents are lukewarm about the loans.
“They’re gonna try and help us, even though we have to pay it back,” said Cortez.
Many residents would have preferred cash grants. The City of San Antonio provides some money for repairs, but pays contractors directly.
We reached out to the governor’s office to ask why FEMA grants were not requested. The office directed us to the Texas Division of Emergency Management. We are waiting for a response.