ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved a Maryland request for a disaster declaration to enable people to apply for low-interest loans to repair damage in Baltimore caused by rioting.
Gov. Larry Hogan announced approval of the disaster declaration on Monday.
About 200 small businesses in Baltimore were affected by the unrest after Freddie Gray suffered a fatal spinal injury in police custody.
State and city officials joined SBA staff last week to assess damage in order to apply for the program.
Businesses, homeowners and renters can apply for the low-interest loans.
Police Legislation
Hogan will be signing measures aimed at improving policing and community relations, but advocates for greater police accountability say lawmakers missed opportunities to do more.
The bills Hogan is signing Tuesday were approved before Grays's death.
One measure directs a commission to develop a policy for body cameras. Another requires authorities to report information about deaths in police custody to the governor's office.
But a variety of bills on police accountability did not pass. Sara Love, the public policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, says advocates are disappointed lawmakers mostly avoided tough challenges.
After Gray's death and unrest in Baltimore, lawmakers announced that a panel will study the issues and make recommendations for next year.
Curfew
Public defenders are challenging the Baltimore mayor's authority to impose a citywide curfew after last month's riots stemming from the death of Freddie Gray.
In a filing Monday in Maryland District Court, the deputy city public defender says Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake overstepped her authority in ordering a citywide, 10 p.m. curfew for all residents April 27.
Natalie Finegar says only the governor could have ordered a curfew when he declared a state of emergency that day.
The curfew was in effect for five days. Finegar says dozens were charged with violating it.
The Baltimore Sun reports that city prosecutors are dropping the charge in cases where a curfew violation was the only offense.
The prosecutor's office didn't immediately respond to phone calls and emails from The Associated Press.
