New Information on PPP Loan Forgiveness
LOUISIANA REALTORS • April 25, 2020
Payroll Protection Program Forgiveness: Consult with you Certified Public Accountant
As part of the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has allowed for significant aid to many small businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. One of the main benefits of the PPP loan program is the ability to have some or all of the loan forgiven. However, if not utilized pursuant to the CARES Act and related government rules, loan forgiveness may not be possible.
This is why the ability to understand and apply PPP funds received appropriately is critical. Every agent or broker who has received these funds will have a different set of circumstances and concerns. Accordingly, Louisiana REALTORS® encourages you to consult with your Certified Public Accountant about loan forgiveness if you or your office has received PPP funds.
SBA Issues New PPP FAQs
The Small Business Administration, in consultation with the United States Treasury Department, released an updated set of FAQs about the Paycheck Protection Program. The FAQs address concerns about eligibility, acceptance of signatures on behalf of borrowers, borrowers that contract with payroll providers, loans applied for or received based upon previous issued guidance and more. The updated guidance can be found here:
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Lending Operations Update – Wednesday, April 29, 2020
SBA and Treasury value all lenders and their small business customers.
To ensure access to the PPP loan program for the smallest lenders and their small business customers, starting at 4 p.m. today EDT through 11:59 p.m. EDT, SBA systems will only accept loans from lending institutions with asset sizes less than $1 billion dollars.
Please note, lending institutions with asset sizes less than $1 billion will still be able to submit PPP loans outside of this time frame. Please also note that lenders with asset sizes greater than $1 billion will be able to submit loans outside of today's 4pm -11:59pm EDT reserved processing time.
This reserved processing time applies today April 29, 2020. SBA and Treasury will evaluate whether to create a similar reserved time again in the future.
SBA and Treasury continue to monitor loan system performance and will continue to provide frequent updates to the lending community.
On Monday, April 27th at 9:30 a.m. CST, the Small Business Administration will resume accepting Paycheck Protection Program loan applications from approved lenders on behalf of any eligible borrower. This does not necessarily mean that your bank will be accepting or processing applications at that time, but that they will be able to do so. If you are planning to apply or have applied for a PPP loan, we encourage you to visit your bank Monday morning and to inquire if they are accepting or processing PPP applications. Be sure to have your application in order along with any supporting paperwork.
For more guidance on applying for the PPP or EIDL, please see:
Week three of the Regular Session kept real estate issues in the conversation, even as lawmakers continued to focus heavily on workforce, tax and insurance policy. On the property tax front, measures to reshape assessments and exemptions, including proposals for a new blight rehabilitation exemption and additional relief for seniors, remain parked in the House Ways and Means Committee as stakeholders work through fiscal and local government concerns. These bills matter because they will influence long-term carrying costs, redevelopment incentives and how tax burdens are shared across residential and commercial property. Homestead related legislation, including parish level authority to increase the exemption amount, is also in the queue, signaling that the broader structure of Louisiana’s homestead system is officially on the table, not just the dollar figure. For homeowners and buyers, this debate goes directly to affordability. For local governments, it raises revenue stability and service delivery questions. There also has been movement on several identical pieces of legislation that would instruct parish assessors to develop a process for homeowners to permanently register for the homestead exemption for the duration that they own and live on the property. We are actively tracking legislation that will directly shape how investor activity and non-traditional transactions are recognized and regulated in Louisiana’s real estate market. This includes HB 468 by Troy Hebert , a key component of the Louisiana REALTORS® legislative package that targets the wholesale of residential real estate, which was heard in the House Commerce Committee on Monday. The bill is currently positioned for a floor vote early next week. As drafted, HB 468 represents a major step in the right direction for consumer protection in Louisiana, advancing needed guardrails through potential disclosure, registration, and practice standards that could redefine how assignment contracts and “off-market” transactions intersect with licensed brokerage activity. In parallel, HB 292 by Delisha Boyd passed the House on final reading, 86-3, and is on its way to the Senate. Together, these measures represent a coordinated policy effort to bring greater structure and transparency to emerging transaction models, while preserving the integrity of the traditional brokerage framework. Finally, the broader policy backdrop remains important: the Governor continues to push income tax changes and cost of living relief, while business and industry groups are prioritizing insurance, workforce and energy — each a key driver of long run housing demand and investment. As these debates evolve, we’ll keep you updated on what moves, what stalls and what it all means for your clients, your pipeline and private property rights across Louisiana. Please view the weekly bill tracking report provided by our lobbying team over at Harris, DeVille and Associates.
Tax Questions & Updates for 2026 Webinar Recording Now Available
NAR is pleased to share the latest consumer guide that explains the concept of home staging, offers DIY staging tips and missteps and shares the latest NAR member sentiment on how staging can help buyers better visualize the property as their future home and potentially net sellers a higher price. As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow up to two weeks for the Spanish version of the latest resource to be translated and uploaded. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: Staging Your House for a Sale Spotting Deepfake Scams in Real Estate Are You Ready to Invest in Real Estate? Thinking of Selling? 7 Factors to Consider How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient Thank you for your continued engagement with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with prospective clients to ensure they have the information they need to find success in their home buying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Be on the lookout for the next consumer guide, which discusses home mortgage options that allow buyers to fold in renovation costs.
