Emergency lending by the SBA to survivors of natural and man-made disasters has surpassed $50 billion.

According to the agency, since fiscal year 1989, more than $36 billion in SBA disaster loans have been made, with significant portions of that total going to those rebuilding after the Northridge, Calif., earthquake in 1994 ($4 billion), 1997's Upper Midwest floods ($738 million), Hurricane Ivan in 2004 ($2.2 billion) and the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes ($10.9 billion).

“Since the agency's founding in 1953,” said SBA Associate Administrator James Rivera, “the agency has made more than 1.9 million low-interest disaster loans worth more than $50 billion to homeowners, renters, nonprofit organizations and businesses of all sizes.”

Disaster loans are the only form of SBA assistance not limited to small businesses, the agency said. The SBA said it makes low-interest loans to homeowners, renters and non-farm businesses of all sizes.

Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace damaged real estate. Individuals may borrow up to $40,000 to cover losses to personal property.