Walz asks feds to free up loans for Minneapolis businesses following looting, fires

ST. PAUL — Gov. Tim Walz on Monday, Aug. 3, announced that he had again requested federal disaster aid to help rebuild Minneapolis following extensive arson fires and looting there following the killing of George Floyd.

In a letter Friday, Walz asked that the federal Small Business Administration declare a disaster for Hennepin County that would free up low-interest loans for business owners affected by the damage. The Federal Emergency Management Agency in July rejected a prior request for disaster assistance and Walz said he planned to appeal the decision.

“We need to work together to support Minnesotans who lost their homes and businesses to this destruction — that’s why we’ve asked our federal partners to step in,” Walz said in a news release. “We remain committed to working with the impacted communities to restore their vitality in the wake of this damage.”

The governor earlier this month wrote to the Trump administration noting that there were more than $15 million in damage and cleanup costs in Minneapolis and St. Paul that could qualify for federal reimbursement. More than 1,500 businesses were damaged or destroyed during the riots that lasted several days.

Read more: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/government-and-politics/6601395-Walz-asks-feds-to-free-up-loans-for-Minneapolis-businesses-following-looting-fires