North Bay Business Journal

North Bay lenders are lamenting the imminent expiration of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s temporary 504 refinance program, which allows a one-time refinance of debt and reinvestment of equity.

The temporary program, launched by the Jumpstart Our Small Businesses (JOBS) Act of 2010, allows a small-business owner to refinance debt through the typical 504 loan structure used for financing property and other tangible assets: a 10 percent equity contribution from the borrower, a 40 percent, 20-year fixed-rate government loan and a 50 percent second mortgage from a second commercial lender. In combination, up to $10 million can be refinanced through the program.

NORTH BAY — North Bay SBA lending — both 504 and 7a — increased by 35 percent in dollars and 21 percent in volume year-over-year for the first half of fiscal 2011 that began in October.