SBA Declaration Awarded for Kent County to Aide Those Displaced by Westgate Condominium Fire

Cranston, RI – April 7, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — On Monday, April 6, 2015, the State of Rhode Island received notification that Kent County was awarded a Non-Stafford Act Administrative Declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to assist the victims of the Westgate Condominium fire that destroyed 38 apartments and displaced 56 people on March 11, 2015.

“I am thankful to the state’s Emergency Management Agency, the City of Warwick, and the SBA for coming together to assist the residents of the Westgate Condominiums who suffered devastating losses,” said Governor Gina Raimondo. “These disaster loans will provide critical support to families as they work to recover from this fire.”

At the request of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA), the SBA, in conjunction with the Warwick Emergency Management Agency, conducted a Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) of the structure fire at 752 Quaker Lane, Warwick, RI, on March 24, 2015.

“The purpose of the PDA was to ascertain eligibility for an SBA Administrative Agency Declaration,” said RIEMA Director Peter Gaynor. “The awarded Declaration will allow the affected residents to apply for low-interest, long-term disaster loans that assist in physical loss and economic injury due to devastation.”

“I am grateful to Fire Chief Edmund Armstrong, RIEMA, the SBA and the Governor’s staff for working to make this funding available for those whose lives have been forever altered in some way by the fire,” said Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian. “These low-interest loans offer a way for Westgate residents to begin rebuilding by providing resources to help them replace those items that can be replaced. I am hopeful that securing this funding will provide fire victims some measure of hope and a sense of normalcy as they move forward, and strongly encourage affected residents to stop by the Disaster Loan Outreach Center for information and assistance.”

The general criteria for an SBA Administrative Agency Declaration states that the PDA must show that at least 25 homes, businesses, or other eligible institutions, sustained uninsured losses of 40 percent or more.

For those affected by the fire, the SBA will be opening a Disaster Loan Outreach Center at the Warwick Public Library for the following dates and times:

• Wednesday, April 8 – Thursday, April 9: 9:00am – 6:00pm • Friday, April 10: 9:00am – 5:00pm • Saturday, April 11: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm • Monday, April 13 – Thursday, April 16: 9:00am – 6:00pm

For additional information on SBA disaster assistance, contact RIEMA at (401) 946-9996 or visit the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster.

Contact: Alex Ambrosius (401) 462-7337 External Affairs www.riema.ri.gov