{meta_title}

SBA Announces ARRA Wind down Plan for 504 and 7(a) Programs

Nov 2009

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced plans to simultaneously wind down the temporary reduction of fees for the 504 and 7(a) programs and bring both programs back to pre American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) terms.

The transition period for the fee reductions begins on Nov. 23, 2009.

Once effective, applications for new 504 loans may be submitted either:

As Recovery Act loans, which means applications will be placed in a queue to await the potential availability of ARRA fee reduction funds; or

As non-Recovery Act loans, which will be authorized as soon as approved, but will not be eligible the fee reductions.

504 applications submitted as Recovery Act loans will be processed up to the point of approval and then will be placed into a queue awaiting the availability of funds. Sometimes previously approved loans are later cancelled or never disbursed for a variety of reasons. The queue takes this into account and will allow eligible small businesses, in consultation with their lender, to choose to be placed in this queue for possible approval if funding becomes available.

At any time while waiting in the queue, a 504 applicant may choose to withdraw and re-submit as a non-Recovery Act loan.

The fee eliminations for the 504 program have helped jumpstart more than $14 billion in lending to small businesses nationwide and increased the SBA's average weekly loan volume by more than 75% since February, according to the SBA.

The SBA is now working closely with President Obama and Congress to ensure the continued recovery of small businesses, including legislation that will increase the cap on 504 loans to $5 million for standard small businesses and $5.5 million for small manufacturing businesses. 504 loan caps are currently set at $1.5 million ($2 million if a public policy is met) and $4 million, respectively.

The proposed shift to $5 million for standard small business borrowers would support a total project of $12.5 million, and to $5.5 million for small manufacturers would support a total project of $13.75 million, according to the White House and the SBA.

Click here to download SBA Notice 5000-1131 ARRA Wind down Transition.pdf.

For more information about 504 loans in Florida, contact Florida First Capital by visiting www.ffcfc.com, emailing us at insider@ffcfc.com or calling 888.320.5504.