EASTON, Pa. — In the weeks after a devastating fire displaced dozens of residents and damaged nearby businesses on Northampton Street, federal disaster officials say one of the biggest challenges isn’t just funding recovery.
It’s reaching people who lost everything.
"It can be difficult trying to knock on doors and let people know what’s going on.”April Adkins, a public affairs specialist with the SBA’s Office of Field Operations and Disaster Recovery
The U.S. Small Business Administration has been “boots on the ground” in Easton since the February blaze at the Hotel Hampton, working alongside state and local partners to connect those who were impacted with financial assistance.
But for many victims, including renters living in precarious housing situations, even starting that process can be difficult.
“It was an isolated incident that affected that particular [area] and affected people in different ways," said April Adkins, a public affairs specialist with the SBA’s Office of Field Operations and Disaster Recovery.
"So it can be difficult trying to knock on doors and let people know what’s going on.”
A disaster with unique challenges
Unlike large-scale natural disasters, the Easton fire was geographically contained — but socially complex.
Many of those displaced were living in a rooming house and lacked access to basic documentation needed to apply for aid.
Others were small business owners operating near the building who were impacted in different ways.
That overlap has required a multi-layered response.
The SBA is offering low-interest disaster loans to both renters and business owners, while the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency has helped facilitate grant programs for renters, Adkins said.
She said renters are eligible for assistance covering personal property losses, while business owners can apply for loans tied to both physical damage and economic injury.
Rebuilding without paperwork
At the Disaster Loan Outreach Center — which closed Thursday at Easton City Hall — SBA staff worked one-on-one with survivors navigating the application process.
In some cases, applicants arrived with little to no documentation.
Adkins recalled observing a man who had lost nearly everything and came in with only a Social Security card.
Customer service representatives still were able to begin processing his application, guiding him through next steps to verify identity and residency.
“They understood, ‘Hey, you lost everything,’” Adkins said. “They were patient… just helping him stay calm through the process.”
Replacing documents such as driver’s licenses to proof of residency has been a critical first step for many survivors before they can access aid.
What help is available
SBA disaster loans can provide up to $500,000 for real estate repair or replacement and up to $100,000 for personal property, though actual awards depend on verified uninsured losses.
The home disaster loans specifically apply to renters to repair or replace personal property.
The agency emphasizes that repayment is deferred, typically for up to a year, to give recipients time to stabilize financially.
Deadlines to apply currently are:
- May 4 for physical damage applications
- Dec. 4 for economic injury applications
The physical damage category applies to both renters and businesses. That’s a key point, Adkins said, given that many residents “lost everything” and have no homes to which to return.
Outreach beyond the center
With displaced residents scattered across shelters, churches and other temporary housing in the aftermath of the blaze, outreach has extended beyond a single location.
SBA teams have coordinated with local officials, visited libraries and worked through community networks to spread information.
Still, gaps remain, officials said.
“Our reach only goes so far,” Adkins said.
For those who missed the outreach center, she emphasized assistance still is available:
- Online at SBA’s disaster assistance portal
- By phone at 1-800-659-2955
- By email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov
A long recovery ahead
For many in Easton, the fire’s aftermath is as much about uncertainty as it is about loss.
“It’s a fear of the unknown. You’ve lost everything… and you don’t know what to do.”April Adkins, a public affairs specialist with the SBA’s Office of Field Operations and Disaster Recovery
Business owners face weeks or months of interrupted income. Displaced residents are navigating temporary housing with no clear timeline for permanent solutions.
“It’s a fear of the unknown,” Adkins said. “You’ve lost everything… and you don’t know what to do.”
As recovery continues, officials say connecting survivors to available resources — and ensuring they can actually access them — remains one of the most critical pieces of the rebuilding process.
