Here is an SBA lending update at December 18, 2009. The following article is re-printed from an email sent by Mike McGrane, an SBA lender with Wells Fargo based in Roseville, CA.

The Senate and the House have both passed various versions of the following improvements to the Small Business Admin 7a and 504 loan programs. This is a very good thing for Small Business, Entrepreneurs, Banks and Business Brokers and Developers. There is something for everyone in this Senate Bill outlines below. It still needs to be signed into law and the SBA needs to make their official guidelines public, but this should be what is coming.

Senate Bill 2869 contains several critical provisions to bolster SBA assistance to America’s nearly 30 million small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. Specifically, the bill would:
• Increase the loan limit on 7(a) loans from $2 million to $5 million;
• Increase the loan limit on 504 loans from $1.5 million to $5.5 million;
• Increase the loan limit on microloans from $35,000 to $50,000 and increase the maximum loan made to a microloan intermediary from $3.5 million to $5 million;
• Allow the 504 loan program to refinance short-term commercial real estate debt into, long-term, fixed rate loans;
• Extend the authorization to provide 90 percent guarantees on 7(a) loans and fee elimination for borrowers on 7(a) and 504 loans through December 31, 2010; and
• Direct the SBA to create a website where small businesses can identify lenders in their communities.