Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland to Distribute $280K in Federal CARES Act Funds to Local Businesses

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

Westland to Distribute $280K in Federal CARES Act Funds to Local Businesses

Westland, MI (June 29, 2020) - More than 45 Westland businesses will be awarded a total of $280,000 in grants under the Westland CARES Small Business Relief Program. The average grant award totaled $5,000. Funds will be dispersed in the upcoming weeks upon execution of grant agreements between the City of Westland and the grantees. A list of businesses who receive funds will be available upon completion of the agreements. There is no obligation for businesses to repay funds unless information provided through the application process is deemed to be fraudulent.

The program, which launched on June 3, was designed to minimize and avoid job loss caused by business closures related to COVID-19 and social distancing. The goal was to provide short-term working capital assistance (grants) to small businesses to enable retention of jobs held by low and moderate income persons. Funding was provided through special CDBG-CV funding authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Under Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines, eligible applicants had to show a loss in revenues as a result of COVID-19 and that at least 50% of their employees were of low/moderate income. The program was administered through the City of Westland's Economic Development Department who handled the initial intake and processing of applications. Each applicant was given a score based on their ability to demonstrate qualifying criteria. Final grant decisions were then decided by a secondary review team.

"Our Small Businesses are facing drastic reductions in cash flow while attempting to navigate extremely difficult operating conditions," commented Mayor Wild. "No qualifying businesses were denied funds through the program and it will allow us to retain over 375 jobs right here in our community."

Small Business grant recipients represent diverse segments of the economy including retail, dining, construction/maintenance, landscaping, health and fitness, barber shops/salons, entertainment, education and other professional services.

Westland also used CARES Act funding to set up a rent/mortgage relief program and a program to help small businesses and residents secure Personal Protection Equipment. More information on these programs can be found on www.cityofwestland.com.

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.