Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland to Launch "Westland CARES" Grant Programs June 3

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 Launch "Westland CARES" Grant Programs June 3

Westland, MI (June 3, 2020) - The City of Westland is set to launch the Westland CARES program, a series of three grant programs designed to provide relief to those impacted negatively by the COVID-19 pandemic. All three programs will launch and begin accepting application at 9am on Wednesday, June 3. Funding for these programs was provided through special CDBG-CV funding authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The Department of Community Development will manage two grant funds, established by the program:

Westland Rent/Mortgage Relief Fund - a program to assist low to moderate income families whose income has been negatively affected by COVID-19. The City will provide up to 3 months of emergency rent or mortgage payments for households whose income has been significantly affected by COVID-19 due to job loss or medical costs for COVID-19 care.

Westland PPE Fund - a program to provide personal protection equipment (PPE) (masks, gloves, sanitizer) to vulnerable Westland residents and organizations that demonstrate the inability to secure the needed item(s). Priority will be based on the most vulnerable: elderly, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, employers of essential activities (i.e., less than 10 employees, non-profit organizations), caregivers for someone with COVID-19.

*Applications for both of these programs will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis and will be accepted indefinitely, until funds are exhausted. For questions or assistance, please call (734)793-9390

The third fund will be managed by the Department of Economic Development:

Westland Small Business Relief Fund - a program designed to minimize and avoid job loss caused by business closures related to COVID-19 and social distancing. The fund will provide short-term working capital assistance (grants) to small businesses to enable retention of jobs held by low and moderate income persons.

*Applications for this program will be accepted from June 3 through June 17. Grants will be awarded by a merit based system, with no determinations being made until the initial submission window is closed.

For questions or assistance, please email [email protected]

"We know individuals and business owners are struggling and our team has worked very hard to get these programs up and running quickly to provide relief quickly," commented Mayor Wild. "The establishment of these programs will allow us to reach a diverse makeup of individuals in need, while maximizing the overall economic impact for the community."

Applications for all programs will be available at www.cityofwestland.com

Inquiries can also be sent to [email protected]

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.