SBA Promises Thorough Review of Loan Program

Testifying before Congress for the second time this week, Small Business Administration chief Aida Alvarez on Thursday announced a "top-to-bottom review" of the popular 7(a) loan program.

The agency's main lending program has experienced a number of problems this year, including running out of funds. To conserve funds, Ms. Alvarez in April limited loans under the program to $500,000. But before those curbs took effect, 1,200 loans exceeding the cap were made; 422 exceeded $1 million.

Ms. Alvarez told the House Small Business Committee that 60% of these loans were made in six states-California, Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Florida, and New Jersey.

"I question whether this distribution of resources adequately reflects the distribution of credit needs for small businesses nationally," she said. "SBA needs to review its current allocation mechanisms."

Ms. Alvarez also is concerned about what type of borrower is getting 7(a) loans.

"SBA's larger loans, for example, are less likely to support women-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses, and rural areas than the smaller loans," she testified.

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