Homeowners and entrepreneurs learn about resiliency resources to prepare for the future
Hillsborough County's Entrepreneur Collaborative Center (ECC) was buzzing on Monday, Jan. 27, with homeowners and entrepreneurs from around the county. Four months after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, businesses still looking for disaster resources hoped the Rising Resilient open house would provide fruitful information.
Event partners
The open house event was cohosted by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Hillsborough's Economic Development department. From noon to 2 p.m., residents and business owners had the opportunity to meet with representatives from the SBA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Florida Small Business Development Center, Hillsborough County's Procurement department and Minority and Small Business Development Program, and nonprofit partners - SCORE, Black Business Investment Fund, and Prospera - to learn about disaster assistance programs.
Residents and business owners mingled and shared their Hurricanes Helene and Milton experiences including property damage, repair, and disaster assistance. And many left armed with information, resources, and more clarity on ways to improve their structures before next storm season.
Jessica Driskill of Constant Associates, a partner with the SBA, shared mitigation and resiliency strategies to help reduce future disaster damage, limit recovery costs, create resilient communities, and ultimately promote peace of mind.
Mitigation property upgrades to consider
- Elevate utilities and electrical
- Install flood vents
- Modify landscaping
- Install sump pumps
- Elevate property
Driskill explained that residents who have applied to the SBA for a disaster loan can upgrade their loan by 20% for mitigation purposes.
Attendees were assured that if they missed the Jan. 7 application deadline, there is still time. A 60-day SBA application extension is in place and the Business Recovery and Assessment Center (BRAC) will remain open at the ECC through April 6, 2025.
BRAC hours of operation
- Monday - Thursday: 8 AM to 4 PM
- Friday: 8 AM to 2 PM
- Saturday: 9 AM to 1 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Saturday, Feb. 8, will be the last weekend the BRAC will be open. After Feb. 8, the BRAC will be open Monday through Friday.
More information
For additional mitigation tips and how to apply for assistance, visit SBA.gov or call (800) 659-2955.
The ECC was established by the Hillsborough County Economic Development Department in 2014 to provide entrepreneurs easy access to business service providers, resources, mentorship, and specialty training. Services are provided for each businesses' unique stage of development and business category: pre-venture, start-up, micro-enterprise, small-to-mid-size enterprise, community-based, targeted industry, technology and innovation, and more.