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News

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Local Resources

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COVID-19 Transportation Services

Transportation services will be available to residents of the City of Detroit who do not have their own means of transportation for the purpose of COVID-19 testing. All trip requests will be centrally scheduled and not by calling the transportation provider directly. If you are interested in serving as a transportation provider for this operation, please complete the fields in this webform we will contact you. If you have any questions, please contact Mark de la Vergne DLVergneM@detroitmi.gov.

Requirements for Transportation Providers Interested in Providing COVID-19 Transportation Services

  • Certificate of Insurance
  • Copy of W9
  • Sample invoice
  • Vehicle Information Form- provides information about each vehicle (make, model, VIN, seating capacity, mode)
  • Driver Information Form- provides information about each of their drivers (names, DOB, Driver’s License, etc.)

Insurance Requirements

General Liability – To include Premises/Completed Operations, Contractual, Personal Injury, Contractual, Personal Injury and Independent Providers with a minimum limit of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 Aggregate.

Automobile Liability – To include “any auto” or all Owned, Non-Owned and Hired Auto, to cover all vehicles operated by Provider under this contract, with a minimum combined single limit of $1,000,000 per accident for bodily injury and property damage.

Detroiters who need their water turned on can sign up for DWSD’s Water Restart Plan. If you sign up before April 9, you don’t have to put any money down. The State of Michigan will cover it for you! Just come in, sign up and turn your water on. Since the $25 Water Restart Plan was announced on March 9, more than 1,300 customers have taken advantage of it.

If you’re a Detroit resident living without water in your home or have received a notice of service interruption, call Wayne Metro at 313-386-9727 to make an appointment and sign up.

Customers also must make a monthly minimum payment of $25 during the time there is a risk of outbreak in Detroit to avoid service interruption. The amount of each customer’s previous bills will be deferred until after the COVID-19 situation is under control. At that time, residents will be transitioned to the WRAP or a 10-30-50 Payment Plan, both of which will keep their water service on as long as they remain current.

Moratorium on all evictions in the City of Detroit
Effective immediately, the 36th District Court has issued a moratorium on evictions due to the coronavirus. Visit the 36th District Court for more information about the court’s coronavirus contingency plan.

Homeowner’s Property Tax Assistance Program (HPTAP) Extension
HPTAP provides an opportunity for homeowners to be exempt from their current year property taxes based on household income or circumstances. If approved, you will still be responsible for any fees such as the solid waste fee. Homeowner Property tax exemptions are granted at three levels; full (100%), partial (50%), or 25%. The City has extended the deadline for HPTAP applications and will approve them on an on-going basis instead of four times a year. If residents submit their HPTAP by May 1st, it will be reflected on their summer tax bill. Information about how to apply for HPTAP can be found here.

  • Pay as You Stay Program. If you are HPTAP approved, you may also qualify for “Pay As You Stay.” PAYS is a simple, three-part plan for residents with unpaid delinquent taxes that reduces the burden of those taxes.

Income Tax Deadline now July 15
Following the Federal and State decisions to push back the filing deadline for income taxes to July 15, the City of Detroit has pushed back the deadline for residents and non-residents who must file city income taxes to July 15th as well.

The City and it’s shelter partners are expanding shelter in order to adhere to CDC standards, allowing for isolation of symptomatic people. If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness, please contact Detroit’s Coordinated Assessment Model (CAM) for shelter placement. CAM will first attempt to divert the household to another safe housing location, such as with friends or family. If CAM is not able to find another safe housing location for the household, they will direct them to a shelter. Prior to receiving a bed, shelter staff will take the household’s temperature. If any member of the household has a fever or any other symptoms of COVID-19, staff will call for transport so the household can stay in another shelter location where they will be able to isolate from other shelter guests.  Please see information provided for CAM contact information.

CAM information

Individuals typically have to go in person to see CAM but due to COVID-19, CAM has closed all in person locations. Effective Monday, March 23rd, CAM will be operating a phone line 7 days a week from 7:00am to 8:30pm. If you are in need of shelter, please call CAM at (313) 484-4449.

If you are a veteran, the Veteran Access Points will remain open for in-person visits.

Veteran Access Points Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) 

4646 John R.

8:00am-8:00pm (S-S)

Veteran Comm. Resource & Referral Center (VCRRC)

301 Piquette St.

8:00am-2:00pm (M-F)

Medical teams visit homeless shelters to check for COVID-19 symptoms
The City is working closely with the 31 shelter providers in the city to ensure they have necessary personal protective equipment.  It also has set up a 125-bed facility in partnership with the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries where homeless individuals at shelters who are exhibiting symptoms of illness can be taken and screened.  Each individual will have his or her own private room so they will not be exposed to others.  After being examined by medical staff, it will be determined on a case-by-case basis if each individual needs to be taken to the hospital, held for further observation or is well enough to return to the shelter.

List of Homeless Shelters in Detroit

  • Alternatives for Girls
    903 W Grand Blvd, (313) 361-4000
  • Cass Community Social Services
    11745 Rosa Parks Blvd, (313) 883-2277
  • COTS
    26 Peterboro St, (313) 831-3777
  • Covenant House Michigan
    2959 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, (313) 463-2000
  • Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, (313) 993-4700
    150 Stimson Stree
    3840 Fairview
    12900 W. Chicago
    3535 Third St.
  • Freedom House
    1777 N Rademacher St, (313) 964-4320
  • Love Outreach
    17646 Greenview Ave, (313) 371-9100
  • Mariners Inn
    445 Ledyard St, (313) 962-9446
  • Michigan Veterans Foundation
    4626 Grand River Ave, (313) 831-5500
  • NSO, (313) 883-7246
  • Operation Get Down
    6821 Medbury St, (313) 925-4100
  • St. John
    14320 Kercheval, (313) 823-8323
  • The Salvation Army
    3737 Humboldt, (313) 361-6136
  • YWCA, (313) 259-9922

TechTown Small Business Stabilization Fund
Techtown, in collaboration with the City of Detroit and DEGC has developed the Detroit Small Business Stabilization Fund to provide working capital grants up to $5,000 to small neighborhood businesses whose income is at or below 80% of area median income and has ten or few employees. This particular outreach targets small businesses with low-income owners located in neighborhoods at high risk for displacement. The goal of the fund is to help small businesses bridge the gap until additional funding resources are announced. Application instructions will be make available later this week at techtowndetroit.org.

New grants for artists available!

03/23. DETROIT

  • ConvertKit: COVID-19 Grant [$500] – Marketing software company, ConvertKit, is offering grants of up to $500 to individual creative artists experiencing financial difficulty due to Coronavirus/COVID-19. Funding is intended to provide financial assistance to active creators who are undergoing economic hardship due to the Corona pandemic. Grants may be used by creators who have emergency requests related to medical, childcare, housing (rent or mortgage), or grocery needs. Apply here.
  • Visual Arts Grants – The Chicago-based Harpo Foundation invites applications for its Visual Artists Grants program. It offers grants up to $10,000 to provide direct support to visual artists age 21 or older. The maximum grant amount is $10,000. Application deadline is April 18. Apply here.

We hear you.

03/18. DETROIT – We hear you. We see you. And we’re trying to help.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has hit the American economy hard. But a large part of that economy is one that some people don’t think about: artists. These are professionals who make a living creating, entertaining, investing, designing, molding and teaching–as well as those running programs for children.

The Detroit Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship is hard at work trying to find emergency relief for this  group of workers who may not be covered by small business relief. Please come back to this site for updates, and send any information you might have about support to detroitartsandculture@gmail.com. We are working on what we hope will be real ways to have your backs.

Resources for Artists

03/18 DETROIT – The Detroit Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship is searching for foundations and organizations offering emergency grants for artists and entertainers during the Covid-19 outbreak. The following is a partial compilation of possible resources for artists and entertainers. Please do not use these sites to promote your talents or products. It is a list of places where you might get help during this difficult time. If you learn of others, please send them detroitartsandculture@gmail.com. We will update this list and continue to search for local funding every day. -RR

  • First, take a look at the COVID freelancers resources
  • Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grants Program. Created in 1993 to further FCA’s mission to encourage, sponsor, and promote work of a contemporary, experimental nature, Emergency Grants is the only active, multi-disciplinary program that offers immediate assistance of this kind to artists living and working anywhere in the United States, for projects occurring in the U.S. and abroad. Each month FCA receives an average of 95 Emergency Grant applications and makes 12-15 grants ranging from $500 to $2,500. The FCA recommends that artists review all eligibility guidelines and FAQs before applying. Then complete our Eligibility Questionnaire, but please know that the questionnaire does not replace a thorough review of program guidelines.
  • The Actors Fund. The fund provides a list of health insurance for artists in all disciplines.
  • The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). NYFA offers lists of emergency funds for artists nationwide in a variety of disciplines affected by recent natural disasters.
  • Carnegie Fund for Authors. The applicant must be an American author who has had at least one full-length work — fiction or nonfiction — published by a mainstream publisher. Works that applicants paid to have published are not eligible. Applicants must demonstrate need; the emergency may be because of illness or some other urgent need such as fire, flood, hurricane, etc. Documentation should be included with the application and can mean a doctor’s letter or other proof of the emergency situation. Get more information here.
  • Authors League Fund. The Fund gives open-ended, interest-free, no-strings-attached loans to professional writers and dramatists who find themselves in financial need because of medical or health-related problems, temporary loss of income or other misfortune.
  • The PEN Writers Fund. This fund offers financial to professional–published or produced–writers with serious financial difficulties. Depending on the situation, the fund gives grants or loans of up to $2,000.
  • American Society of Journalists & Authors Writers Emergency Assistance Fund. This fund helps established freelance writers across the country who, because of advanced age, illness, disability, a natural disaster, or an extraordinary professional crisis, are unable to work. Membership in ASJA not required. No grants will be awarded to beginning freelancers seeking funding for writing projects or for works-in-progress of any kind. Maximum grant $3,500. More information.
  • CERF + (Formerly the Craft Emergency Relief Fund). CERF+ provides a safety net to support strong and sustainable careers. CERF+’s core services are education programs, advocacy, network building and emergency relief. CERF+ is currently focusing its relief aid on those infected with Covid-19 who require intensive medical care. More information.
  • The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation. The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant program is intended to provide interim financial assistance to qualified painters, printmakers and sculptors whose needs are the result of an unforeseen, catastrophic incident, and who lack the resources to meet that situation. Each grant is given as one-time assistance for a specific emergency, examples of which are fire, flood, or emergency medical need. To be eligible for this program, an artist must be able to demonstrate a minimum involvement of 10 years in a mature phase of his or her work. Artists must work in the disciplines of painting, sculpture or printmaking. More information.
  • Musicians Foundation. This foundation helps professional musicians who have worked five or more years in the U.S. by providing emergency financial assistance in meeting current living, medical and allied expenses.  Applicants must be able to show that their music is or was their primary source of income. More information.
  • Jazz Musicians Emergency Fund. The JMEF is committed to helping jazz professionals, especially older musicians, overcome hard times and get back on their feet, making emergency funds available for immediate needs. They have programs for housing and emergency assistance, a network of pro bono medical care providers, and disaster relief.
  • MusicCares Foundation. MusiCares may grant short-term financial assistance for personal or addiction needs that have arisen due to unforeseen circumstances. Funding may be awarded for needs such as rent, car payments, insurance premiums, utilities, medical/dental expenses, psychotherapy, addiction treatment, sober living, and other personal expenses. Applicants must be able to show that they have worked in the music industry for at least five years or that they have six commercially released recordings or videos (singles).
  • Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. SRMF provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians who are facing illness, disability, or age-related problems. The applicant must be a musician who has regular public performances or performed on at least three widely released recordings (audio or audiovisual), or written music that has been performed on three widely released recordings or published on three occasions.

Coordination on Employment
The City is offering guidance to business owners on how to handle employees during this time.  More information can be found here. 

How to claim unemployment benefits in Michigan

If you have become unemployed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, you may qualify for unemployment insurance benefits. These benefits are intended to provide temporary income as you seek new employment. To be eligible for unemployment benefits, you must be unemployed and able to, available for, and actively seeking suitable full-time work. Sign up online HERE or call 1-866-500-0017. If you are hearing impaired, TTY service is available at 1-866-366-0004.

Fill out the Census
The Census Bureau will send a notice to all addresses in the US beginning in March 2020. Only one person per household needs to physically fill out the census but they need to count EVERYONE in the household. So, if 6 people live at the house as of April 1, 2020, then the person filling out the form counts all 6 people. The Census can be completed online, by phone or using a paper form. If you don’t have access to a computer, the city has Census kiosks where residents can take the Census for free.

Small Businesses

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources

Health and government officials are working together to maintain the safety, security, and health of the American people. Small businesses are encouraged to do their part to keep their employees, customers, and themselves healthy.

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To apply for a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan, click here.

In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, small business owners in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories are eligible to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance of up to $10,000.

The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing. The loan advance will provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. Funds will be made available within three days of a successful application, and this loan advance will not have to be repaid.

The SBA Debt Relief program will provide a reprieve to small businesses as they overcome the challenges created by this health crisis.

Under this program:

  • The SBA will also pay the principal and interest of new 7(a) loans issued prior to September 27, 2020.
  • The SBA will pay the principal and interest of current 7(a) loans for a period of six months.

Express Bridge Loan Pilot Program allows small businesses who currently have a business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 with less paperwork. These loans can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing and can be a term loans or used to bridge the gap while applying for a direct SBA Economic Injury Disaster loan. If a small business has an urgent need for cash while waiting for decision and disbursement on Economic Injury Disaster Loan, they may qualify for an SBA Express Disaster Bridge Loan.

Terms

  • Up to $25,000
  • Fast turnaround
  • Will be repaid in full or in part by proceeds from the EIDL loan

Find an Express Bridge Loan Lender by connecting with your local SBA District Office.

The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America – 15 Days to Slow the Spread

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers the most up-to-date information on COVID-19. This interim guidance is based on what is currently known about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). For updates from CDC, please see the following:

The following interim guidance may help prevent workplace exposures to acute respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, in non-healthcare settings. The guidance also provides planning considerations if there are more widespread, community outbreaks of COVID-19.

To prevent stigma and discrimination in the workplace, use the guidance described below and on the CDC’s Guidance for Businesses and Employers web page.

Below are recommended strategies for employers to use now. In-depth guidance is available on the CDC’s Guidance for Businesses and Employers web page:

  • Actively encourage sick employees to stay home
  • Separate sick employees
  • Emphasize staying home when sick, respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene by all employees
  • Perform routine environmental cleaning
  • Advise employees before traveling to take certain steps
    • Check the CDC’s Traveler’s Health Notices for the latest guidance and recommendations for each country to which you will travel. Specific travel information for travelers going to and returning from designated countries with risk of community spread of Coronavirus, and information for aircrew, can be found on the CDC website.
  • Additional Measures in Response to Currently Occurring Sporadic Importations of the COVID-19:
    • Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk assessment of their potential exposure.
    • If an employee is confirmed to have COVID-19, employers should inform fellow employees of their possible exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace but maintain confidentiality as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employees exposed to a co-worker with confirmed COVID-19 should refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk assessment of their potential exposure.

Common Issues Small Businesses May Encounter:

  • Capital Access – Incidents can strain a small business’s financial capacity to make payroll, maintain inventory and respond to market fluctuations (both sudden drops and surges in demand). Businesses should prepare by exploring and testing their capital access options so they have what they need when they need it.  See SBA’s capital access resources.
  • Workforce Capacity – Incidents have just as much impact on your workers as they do your clientele. It’s critical to ensure they have the ability to fulfill their duties while protected.
  • Inventory and Supply Chain Shortfalls – While the possibility could be remote, it is a prudent preparedness measure to ensure you have either adequate supplies of inventory for a sustained period and/or diversify your distributor sources in the event one supplier cannot meet an order request.
  • Facility Remediation/Clean-up Costs – Depending on the incident, there may be a need to enhance the protection of customers and staff by increasing the frequency and intensity by which your business conducts cleaning of surfaces frequently touched by occupants and visitors. Check your maintenance contracts and supplies of cleaning materials to ensure they can meet increases in demand.
  • Insurance Coverage Issues – Many businesses have business interruption insurance; Now is the time to contact your insurance agent to review your policy to understand precisely what you are and are not covered for in the event of an extended incident.
  • Changing Market Demand – Depending on the incident, there may be access controls or movement restrictions established which can impede your customers from reaching your business. Additionally, there may be public concerns about public exposure to an incident and they may decide not to go to your business out of concern of exposing themselves to greater risk. SBA’s Resources Partners and District Offices have trained experts who can help you craft a plan specific to your situation to help navigate any rapid changes in demand.
  • Marketing – It’s critical to communicate openly with your customers about the status of your operations, what protective measures you’ve implemented, and how they (as customers) will be protected when they visit your business. Promotions may also help incentivize customers who may be reluctant to patronize your business.
  • Plan – As a business, bring your staff together and prepare a plan for what you will do if the incident worsens or improves. It’s also helpful to conduct a tabletop exercise to simulate potential scenarios and how your business management and staff might respond to the hypothetical scenario in the exercise. For examples of tabletop exercises, visit FEMA’s website at: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-planning-exercises

SBA is here to assist small businesses with accessing federal resources and navigating their own preparedness plans as described by the CDC’s Guidance for Businesses and Employers.

SBA works with a number of local partners to counsel, mentor and train small businesses. The SBA has 68 District Offices, as well as support provided by its Resource Partners, such as SCORE offices, Women’s Business Centers, Small Business Development Centers and Veterans Business Outreach Centers. When faced with a business need, use the SBA’s Local Assistance Directory to locate the office nearest you.

SBA provides a number of loan resources for small businesses to utilize when operating their business. For more information on loans or how to connect with a lender, visit: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans.

  • 7(a) program offers loan amounts up to $5,000,000 and is an all-inclusive loan program deployed by lending partners for eligible small businesses within the U.S. States and its territories. The uses of proceeds include: working capital; expansion/renovation; new construction; purchase of land or buildings; purchase of equipment, fixtures; lease-hold improvements; refinancing debt for compelling reasons; seasonal line of credit; inventory; or starting a business.
  • Express loan program provides loans up to $350,000 for no more than 7 years with an option to revolve. There is a turnaround time of 36 hours for approval or denial of a completed application. The uses of proceeds are the same as the standard 7(a) loan.
  • Community Advantage loan pilot program allows mission-based lenders to assist small businesses in underserved markets with a maximum loan size of $250,000. The uses of proceeds are the same as the standard 7(a) loan.
  • 504 loan program is designed to foster economic development and job creation and/or retention. The eligible use of proceeds is limited to the acquisition or eligible refinance of fixed assets.
  • Microloan program involves making loans through nonprofit lending organizations to underserved markets. Authorized use of loan proceeds includes working capital, supplies, machinery & equipment, and fixtures (does not include real estate). The maximum loan amount is $50,000 with the average loan size of $14,000.

SBA provides export loans to help small businesses achieve sales through exports and can help these businesses respond to opportunities and challenges associated with trade, such as COVID-19. The loans are available to U.S. small businesses that export directly overseas, or those that export indirectly by selling to a customer that then exports their products.

  • Export Express loan program allows access to capital quickly for businesses that need financing up to $500,000. Businesses can apply for a line of credit or term note prior to finalizing an export sale or while pursuing opportunities overseas, such as identifying a new overseas customer should an export sale be lost due to COVID-19.
  • Export Working Capital program enables small businesses to fulfill export orders and finance international sales by providing revolving lines of credit or transaction-based financing of up to $5 million. Businesses could use a loan to obtain or retain overseas customers by offering attractive payment terms.
  • International Trade loan program helps small businesses engaged in international trade to retool or expand to better compete and react to changing business conditions. It can also help exporting firms to expand their sales to new markets or to re-shore operations back to the U.S.

SBA is focused on assisting with the continuity of operations for small business contracting programs and small businesses with federal contracts. For more information on federal contracting, visit https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide

More specifically:

  • 8(a) Business Development program serves to help provide a level playing field for small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged people or entities, and the government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses that participate. The 8(a) program offer and acceptance process is available nationwide, and the SBA continues to work with federal agencies to ensure maximum practicable opportunity to small businesses. 8(a) program participants should stay in touch with their Business Opportunity Specialist (BOS).
  • HUBZone program offers eligibility assistance every Thursday from 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET at 1-202-765-1264; access code 63068189#.  Members of the HUBZone team answer questions to help firms navigate the certification process.  For specific questions regarding an application, please contact the HUBZone Help Desk at hubzone@sba.gov.
  • Women-owned Small Business firms who have questions, please visit www.sba.gov/wosbready or write to wosb@sba.gov.

If a situation occurs that will prevent small businesses with government contracts from successfully performing their contract, they should reach out to their contracting officer and seek to obtain extensions before they receive cure notices or threats of termination. The SBA’s Procurement Center Representatives can assist affected small businesses to engage with their contracting officer. Use the Procurement Center Representative Directory to connect with the representative nearest you.

SBA works with a number of local partners to counsel, mentor, and train small businesses. The SBA has 68 District Offices, as well as support provided by its Resource Partners, such as SCORE offices, Women’s Business Centers, Small Business Development Centers and Veterans Business Outreach Centers. When faced with a business need, use the SBA’s Local Assistance Directory to locate the office nearest you.

National Resources

Government Response to Coronavirus, COVID-19

Visit Coronavirus.gov for the latest official information from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Task Force at the White House.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for official Coronavirus (COVID-19) health information.

Visit FEMA for answers to coronavirus myths and rumors.

What is the Federal Government Doing in Response to COVID-19?

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Here’s a list of the agencies responding to coronavirus (COVID-19).

 

How Are States Responding to COVID-19?

Visit your state Health Department website for the latest coronavirus information, resources, and guidance.