Press Release | Office of the Mayor | City of Westland to Implement Programs to Support Individuals and Businesses Affected by COVID-19

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

City of Westland to Implement Programs to Support Individuals and Businesses Affected by COVID-19

Westland, MI (May 6, 2020) - On Monday, May 4, the Westland City Council approved a funding allocation plan to utilize special CDBG-CV funding authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in the amount of $657,944. The plan, which adheres to guidelines issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, allows for funding to be used for a range of eligible activities that prevent and respond to the spread of the Coronavirus and its economic impacts. The city will work to implement an array of programming in order to best serve the community.

Included in the proposal was a provision to use $219,069 of the CDBG-CV funds to establish a grant program for Westland families to assist with rent or mortgage payments for a period of up to six months. This program aligns with the federal initiative of homelessness prevention and is designed to assist families suffering financial hardships due to income loss as a result of COVID-19.

The proposal also included allocation for the establishment of an employee retention grant program for local small businesses that employ low-moderate income employees in order to promote job retention. The plan allocates $279,220 for this program.

In addition, the city utilize $28,067 for the purchase of personal protection equipment (PPE) to be provided to small enterprises and residents that cannot secure PPE. This includes masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, no-touch thermometers and protective gowns.

The remaining allocation will be used to administer the project and to cover any necessary purchases or personnel costs to implement these programs.

"I am grateful to the Westland City Council for approving this proposal quickly so we can get to work providing these critical resources to those in need in our community," commented Mayor Wild. "Our team will be working diligently to get these programs up and running as quickly as possible."

The City's target date for the kick off of these programs is June 1, 2020.

For more information, please call (734) 467-3200

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, one of the country's original four regional malls.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.