# Small business loans in Gardena, CA

**Short answer:** The most active SBA lenders in Gardena, CA since FY2024 are Bank of Hope (8 loans) and Northeast Bank (6). The median loan was $337,000, and half fell between $116,000 and $870,000. For free help, see the California SBDC. Source: SBA 7(a) loan data.

Canonical page: https://www.sbaexpress.loans/california-small-business-loans/gardena/
Data as of: 2026-06-30

## Lenders making SBA loans in Gardena

No lender made more than 10% of the loans in Gardena, and Bank of Hope made the most. The four largest lenders together made 30%.

**Lenders with five or more SBA loans in Gardena, CA, FY2024 to June 2026**

| Lender | Loans | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Bank of Hope](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-express-lenders/bank-of-hope/california/) | 8 | 9.9% |
| [Northeast Bank](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-express-lenders/northeast-bank/california/) | 6 | 7.4% |
| [Lendistry SBLC, LLC](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-express-lenders/lendistry-sblc-llc/): Non-bank lender | 5 | 6.2% |
| [U.S. Bank](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-express-lenders/u-s-bank/) | 5 | 6.2% |

Share is the percent of all Gardena loans in that period. Each name links to that lender's page for California where one exists.

Gardena has four lenders with five or more loans since FY2024. Others had fewer, and the California page counts 251 lenders with at least one approved loan statewide.

## Local help near Gardena

Gardena borrowers can start with SBA's district offices for California, an SBDC or SCORE.

SBA runs six district offices that cover California. Each page points to state and federal resources and to lenders in its area. The California SBDC gives free counseling across California.

- [SBA Fresno District Office (San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast): SBA district office](https://www.sba.gov/district/fresno)
- [SBA Los Angeles District Office (Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties): SBA district office](https://www.sba.gov/district/los-angeles)
- [SBA Orange County / Inland Empire District Office (Santa Ana and Palm Desert): SBA district office](https://www.sba.gov/district/orange-county-inland-empire)
- [SBA Sacramento District Office (northeastern California): SBA district office](https://www.sba.gov/district/sacramento)
- [SBA San Diego District Office (San Diego and Imperial counties): SBA district office](https://www.sba.gov/district/san-diego)
- [SBA San Francisco District Office (northern California): SBA district office](https://www.sba.gov/district/san-francisco)
- [California SBDC: Small Business Development Center](https://www.californiasbdc.org/)
- [SCORE mentors in California: Business mentoring](https://www.score.org/ca/)

Alongside SBA loans, California runs three loan programs. The [California page](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/california-small-business-loans/#loan-programs-in-california) describes each, and the official pages are linked here.

- [Small Business Loan Guarantee Program (IBank)](https://ibank.ca.gov/small-business/loan-guarantees/)
- [CalCAP for Small Business](https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/cpcfa/calcap/sb)
- [CalCAP Collateral Support](https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/cpcfa/calcap/collateral)

## Loan counts and sizes in Gardena

Gardena ranks 49th by loans since FY2024 among the 92 California cities with 100 or more SBA loans since FY2020. Nationally it is the 282nd busiest of the 580 cities that reach 100 loans.

The 81 loans, 0.4% of the 19,508 in California, were approved for $55.0 million in all. The median loan was $337,000, 2.2 times the national median of $150,300. Half of the loans fell between $116,000 and $870,000. The Gardena median is 68% above the California median of $200,000.

**Gardena, CA compared with California and the nation, loans from FY2024 to June 2026**

| Measure | Gardena | California | U.S. |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Loans | 81 | 19,508 | 162,355 |
| Median loan | $337,000 | $200,000 | $150,300 |
| 25th percentile | $116,000 | $65,000 | $50,000 |
| 75th percentile | $870,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| Via SBA Express | 27.2% | 29.0% | 35.8% |
| Lines of credit | 12.3% | 18.8% | 28.1% |
| Startups | n/a | 8.9% | 16.1% |
| Ownership changes | 12.3% | 8.6% | 10.4% |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median spread | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Charged off | 0.0% | 3.5% | 3.6% |

A quarter of loans were smaller than the 25th percentile loan and a quarter were larger than the 75th. Median spread is in percentage points over Prime. Charged off is the share of FY2020 to FY2022 loans a lender wrote off as a loss. It is shown only for groups of 30 loans or more. Fewer than 5 marks a share that would stand for 1 to 4 loans, which we do not publish. U.S. covers every loan in the file.

72% of the loans were $500,000 or less, the size SBA Express covers. 27.2% of all loans went through SBA Express, below the national 35.8%. Lines of credit were 12.3% of loans, below the national 28.1%.

SBA loans in Gardena, CA by size, FY2024 to June 2026

- $50,000 or less (17%): 14
- $50,001 to $150,000 (20%): 16
- $150,001 to $350,000 (16%): 13
- $350,001 to $500,000 (19%): 15
- $500,001 to $1,000,000 (9%): 7
- $1,000,001 to $2,000,000 (12%): 10
- Over $2,000,000 (7%): 6

Labels show each size's share of all loans. The highlighted bar is the size band that contains the median.

SBA loans in Gardena, CA by fiscal year

- FY2020: 26
- FY2021: 30
- FY2022: 19
- FY2023: 24
- FY2024: 28
- FY2025: 33
- FY2026 (through June 30): 20

Fiscal years run October to September. The last bar covers nine of its twelve months.

Volume rose 18% from FY2024 (28 loans) to FY2025 (33), the two latest full years. The busiest full year in the file was FY2025, with 33 loans. FY2026 already shows 20 loans through June 30.

Of the 75 loans Gardena borrowers received in FY2020 to FY2022, 0.0% were charged off by June 30, 2026, against 3.6% nationally. That group is small, so treat the rate as rough. Lenders reported 867 jobs supported across the 81 loans since FY2024, about 10.7 per loan. SBA does not audit these estimates.

## What businesses in Gardena borrow for

Freight Transportation Arrangement was the largest borrower group in Gardena, with 7 loans or 8.6% of the total.

The three largest industries made up 22% of all Gardena loans.

**Industries with the most SBA loans in Gardena, CA, FY2024 to June 2026**

| Industry | Loans | Share | U.S. share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Freight Transportation Arrangement](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/industries/freight-transportation-arrangement/california/) | 7 | 8.6% | 0.2% |
| [Full-Service Restaurants](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/industries/full-service-restaurants/california/) | 6 | 7.4% | 4.6% |
| [Security Guards and Patrol Services](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/industries/security-guards-patrol-services/) | 5 | 6.2% | 0.1% |

Share is the percent of all Gardena loans in that period. Industry is the NAICS code on each loan. A name links to the California page for that industry where one exists.

## A typical loan payment in Gardena

The median Gardena loan was $337,000 with a median term of 10 years.

The median variable-rate loan in Gardena was priced at Prime plus 2.75 percentage points at approval. At today's Prime that spread works out to 9.75%. On $337,000 over 10 years, principal and interest would come to about $4,407 a month. That is arithmetic on past loans, not a rate a lender is offering.

**Payment at today's rate on three Gardena loan sizes over 10 years**

| Loan | Amount | Monthly payment |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 25th percentile loan | $116,000 | $1,517 |
| Median loan | $337,000 | $4,407 |
| 75th percentile loan | $870,000 | $11,377 |

Principal and interest only. Fees, a different term or a fixed rate change the payment. This is an illustration from SBA's file, not an offer.

SBA's rate ceiling for this loan size

SBA's maximum for a loan of $337,000 is Prime plus 4.5 percentage points, or 11.50% today. The median variable-rate loan here was priced 1.8 points under that ceiling. Source: 13 CFR § 120.214(d)(3); SOP 50 10 8.1, App. 18, Para. A.2 (p. 395).

Gardena loans approved since FY2024 had a median starting rate of 10% at approval, against 10.25% nationally. Prime changed during those years, so use the spread above, not that rate, as the guide to today's cost.

Run your own numbers: [payments on a $350,000 loan](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/loan-amounts/350000-business-loan/) and [SBA Express payment calculator](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/sba-express-payment-calculator/).

## SBA 504 loans near Gardena

Gardena has 18 SBA 504 loans since FY2024, with $19.4 million in SBA and CDC dollars.

The median 504 loan in Gardena was $870,000 in SBA and CDC dollars, 17% of the $5,000,000 program maximum. The bank's share of each project is separate and is not counted in these figures.

Business Finance Capital is the Certified Development Company (CDC) named on the most loans since FY2020, with 19. Mortgage Capital Development Corporation follows with 13. The four CDCs listed are named on 43 loans between them.

**CDCs named on five or more 504 loans in Gardena, FY2020 to June 2026**

| Certified Development Company | 504 loans |
| --- | --- |
| Business Finance Capital | 19 |
| Mortgage Capital Development Corporation | 13 |
| CDC Small Business Finance Corp. | 6 |
| California Statewide Certified Development Corporation | 5 |

How a 504 loan is split

A standard 504 project is 50% third party lender, 40% CDC debenture, 10% borrower. 504 money pays for major fixed assets such as land, buildings and long-term machinery and equipment, not working capital or inventory. Source: SOP 50 10 8.1, Sec. C, Ch. 1, Para. B (p. 221). SBA keeps a [list of Certified Development Companies](https://www.sba.gov/loans/504-loans/list-of-certified-development-companies/).

## California cities near Gardena

Gardena made up 0.4% of California's SBA loans since FY2024.

Gardena is one of 92 California cities with 100 or more SBA loans since FY2020. The [California page](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/california-small-business-loans/) covers all 19,508 loans in California. The closest come first, ranked by county and ZIP code on their loans.

- [Downey: 52 loans, median $150,000](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/california-small-business-loans/downey/)
- [Beverly Hills: 70 loans, median $251,500](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/california-small-business-loans/beverly-hills/)
- [Inglewood: 47 loans, median $150,000](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/california-small-business-loans/inglewood/)
- [Santa Monica: 114 loans, median $160,000](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/california-small-business-loans/santa-monica/)
- [Los Angeles: 1,453 loans, median $200,000](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/california-small-business-loans/los-angeles/)
- [Torrance: 122 loans, median $250,000](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/california-small-business-loans/torrance/)
- [Whittier: 64 loans, median $208,000](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/california-small-business-loans/whittier/)
- [Santa Fe Springs: 61 loans, median $353,000](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/california-small-business-loans/santa-fe-springs/)

## Common questions about SBA loans in Gardena

### Which lenders make the most SBA loans in Gardena?

Bank of Hope leads with 8 loans in Gardena since FY2024. Northeast Bank (6) and Lendistry SBLC, LLC (5) follow. Only lenders with five or more Gardena loans are counted.

### Which industries get SBA loans in Gardena?

Freight Transportation Arrangement leads with 7 loans in Gardena since FY2024. Full-Service Restaurants (6) and Security Guards and Patrol Services (5) follow.

How to read this

Counts come from SBA's 7(a) loan-level data release, as of June 30, 2026. The file lists loans SBA approved. It does not list declined applications, so it cannot show approval odds. We do not publish any figure built on fewer than 5 loans. Location is the borrower's address in the file, and city names are as SBA recorded them. Recent means FY2024 through June 30, 2026. Charge-off rates use FY2020 to FY2022 loans, the only years old enough to have had time to go bad. Jobs supported are lender-reported estimates. [How we build these pages](https://www.sbaexpress.loans/method/).

## Sources

- [SBA 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan-level data, as of June 30, 2026](https://data.sba.gov/dataset/7a-504-foia)
- [SBA, 504 loans](https://www.sba.gov/loans/504-loans/)
- [SBA, resource partners: SBDCs and SCORE](https://www.sba.gov/counseling/local-assistance/resource-partners/)
- [SBA Fresno District Office (San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast)](https://www.sba.gov/district/fresno)
- [SBA Los Angeles District Office (Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties)](https://www.sba.gov/district/los-angeles)
- [SBA Orange County / Inland Empire District Office (Santa Ana and Palm Desert)](https://www.sba.gov/district/orange-county-inland-empire)
- [SBA Sacramento District Office (northeastern California)](https://www.sba.gov/district/sacramento)
- [SBA San Diego District Office (San Diego and Imperial counties)](https://www.sba.gov/district/san-diego)
- [SBA San Francisco District Office (northern California)](https://www.sba.gov/district/san-francisco)
- [California SBDC](https://www.californiasbdc.org/)
- [SCORE, California](https://www.score.org/ca/)
- [SOP 50 10 8.1, Sec. C, Ch. 1, Para. D.1 (p. 241); 13 CFR § 120.931](https://legacy.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2026-10/SOP%2050%2010%208.1%20Technical%20Policy%20Updates%20effective%20%2010.1.2026.docx)
- [SOP 50 10 8.1, Sec. C, Ch. 1, Para. B (p. 221)](https://legacy.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2026-10/SOP%2050%2010%208.1%20Technical%20Policy%20Updates%20effective%20%2010.1.2026.docx)
- [sba.gov/loans/504-loans; SOP 50 10 8.1, Sec. A, Ch. 3, Para. A (p. 51)](https://www.sba.gov/loans/504-loans/)
- [SOP 50 10 8.1, Sec. B, Ch. 2, Para. B.1 (p. 126)](https://legacy.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2026-10/SOP%2050%2010%208.1%20Technical%20Policy%20Updates%20effective%20%2010.1.2026.docx)
- [13 CFR § 120.214(d)(3); SOP 50 10 8.1, App. 18, Para. A.2 (p. 395)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/section-120.214)