FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 14, 2022

Contact: [email protected]

Gov. Whitmer Awards Grants to 33 Local Governments and Nonprofits to Upgrade Housing Infrastructure Across the State

The grants can be used for home repairs and energy efficiency upgrades to lower costs for homeowners

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer awarded more than $1.7 million in Neighborhood Enhancement Program (NEP) grants to 33 local governments and nonprofit groups to help residents make home repairs, energy efficiency upgrades, and neighborhood amenity improvements. The funding comes on the heels of an historic announcement from Governor Whitmer to launch the first-ever Statewide Housing Plan to create or preserve 75,000 housing units, increase homeownership and reduce homelessness, and lower utility costs for residents by upgrading energy infrastructure in homes and apartments.

“Every Michigander deserves a safe, affordable place to call home and a vibrant community that they can be proud of,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Today’s Neighborhood Enhancement Program grants will help local officials and nonprofits complete home repairs, make energy efficiency upgrades, and fund neighborhood amenity projects. Since I took office, my administration has delivered on the kitchen-table issues that matter most to working families, including building nearly 12,000 affordable, attainable housing units, funding home repairs to improve efficiency, helping with utility bills, and more. Let’s keep working together to get it done.”

The governor’s Building Michigan Together plan includes a historic investment in Michigan’s infrastructure and allocated $654 million to Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to support the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA) program and the Michigan Homeowner Assistance Fund (MIHAF). Of the funds allocated, $50 million went to the Neighborhood Enhancement Program to expand energy efficiency and housing improvements across the state.

The funding will be distributed to 11 local units of government and 22 nonprofit agencies serving both urban and rural communities. Each grantee demonstrated a level of need in their communities and proposed projects that will make a significant difference in the community while promoting and increasing neighborhood stability.

“This funding is essential for communities across the state to deploy projects that will invoke positive change and improve the lives of residents,” said Tonya Joy, Neighborhood Housing Initiatives Division director.

The NEP provides funding for an array of small-scale single family home rehabilitation activities like roofs, siding, windows, doors, accessibility improvements. Up to 50% of the funding also can go toward public amenity activities like park improvements, basketball courts, and more.

Residents of the communities can expect to see neighborhood improvements as early as this summer and fall as projects funded by the grants should be complete by December 31, 2022.

The grant awardees are:

Building Michigan Together Plan Housing Investments

Governor Whitmer’s Building Michigan Together Plan will fund the construction of thousands of affordable, attainable housing units to give thousands of working families a stable foundation to pursue their potential. It will also help over 100,000 families stay in their homes with mortgage and rental assistance and finance energy-efficient home repairs, lowering costs for Michiganders.

Governor Whitmer’s Housing Investments

Since taking office, the Whitmer-Gilchrist Administration has made several investments to help families find a place to call home. The administration helped thousands of families buy homes with the Down Payment Assistance Program and MI Home Loan Mortgage Program, provided services through the Housing Education Program to encourage homeownership and assist homeowners with the transition to new housing, and supported families with the Step Forward Michigan Homeowners Assistance Fund, a mortgage foreclosure prevention program to help families stay in their homes.

The governor also proposed funding for home repair and plumbing improvements for low-income households and encouraged housing developers to meet higher levels of sustainability commitments and energy efficiency by shifting construction of new units near amenities essential to healthy living like parks, grocery stores, and more.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 14, 2022

Contact: [email protected]

Gov. Whitmer Announces Michiganders to Receive Additional Assistance in June to Lower the Cost of Groceries

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced all Michigan families who are eligible for food assistance benefits will continue to receive at least an additional $95 monthly payment in June to help lower the cost of groceries and ensure Michiganders can keep more of their hard-earned money. The additional assistance will help approximately 1.36 million Michiganders in more than 700,000 households.

“Michiganders will continue to be able to put food on the table thanks to our ongoing partnership with the federal government. In addition to helping Michigan families lower their out-of-pocket food costs, this collaboration has helped us continue to grow our economy by returning federal dollars to Michigan,” said Governor Whitmer. “I know Michiganders need real relief right now, which is why I have put forward proposals to send a $500 rebate from our additional revenue back to working families and suspend the sales tax on gas to lower prices at the pump. I will work with anyone to lower costs for Michiganders and get things done that make a real difference in their lives.”

In April 2020, some Michigan residents began receiving additional food assistance under this program. In May 2021, all eligible households began getting extra monthly benefits. Federal approval is necessary every month.

Eligible clients who receive food assistance are seeing additional benefits on their Bridge Card from June 11-20. These benefits will be loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the assistance provided earlier in the month.

All households eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) receive an increase of at least $95 monthly, even if they are already receiving the maximum payment or are close to that amount. Households that received more than $95 to bring them to the maximum payment for their group size will continue to receive that larger amount.

Secured by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow as Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, the federal government is providing additional funding to states for food assistance under House Resolution 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Eligible families do not need to re-apply to receive the additional benefits. People who receive food assistance can check their benefits balance on their Michigan Bridge Card by going online to www.michigan.gov/MIBridges or calling a consumer service representative toll-free at 888-678-8914. They can ask questions about the additional benefits by calling or emailing their caseworker.

Customer service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Spanish and Arabic service is available. If you are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing or speech-impaired, call the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 13, 2022

Contact: [email protected]

PHOTOS: Lt. Governor Gilchrist Tours Rebuilding Michigan Project in Flint

FLINT, Mich.– Today, Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II provided an update on ongoing infrastructure construction projects as the administration makes the largest investment in state roads and bridges in Michigan’s history. Lt. Governor Gilchrist inspected progress made on the Rebuilding Michigan project at the I-69 and I-475 interchange in Flint. This project is one of over 20 Rebuilding Michigan projects that invest a historic $3.5 Billion into Michigan’s Infrastructure – without raising taxes.

“Both the Rebuilding Michigan Plan and the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan are helping us build safe, reliable infrastructure that makes a difference for families and small businesses across the state,” said Lt. Governor Gilchrist. “Throughout Michigan, we are rebuilding roads and bridges using the right mix of materials to ensure that our roads are safe, create good-paying jobs, and support local economies and small businesses. By the end of this year, we will have fixed over 16,000 lane miles of road and 1,200 bridges, directly supporting nearly 89,000 jobs.”

Project Profile: Southbound I-475 and Westbound I-69 in Genesee County

The southbound I-475 ramp at Court Street and westbound I-69 reconstruction project are a part of the $100 million investment to rebuild over 2 miles of I-69, along with various work at the I-69/I-475 interchange. This project will improve ride quality and safety while supporting a vital commercial route. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to, directly and indirectly, support 1,270 jobs.

Historic Infrastructure Investments

Governor Whitmer and Lt. Governor Gilchrist will have repaired 16,000 lane miles of road and over 900 bridges by the end of the year, sustaining almost 89,000 jobs without raising taxes. The Rebuilding Michigan plan, a 5-year, $3.5 billion investment in our highways and bridges without raising gas prices, and the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan, the greatest one-time investment in Michigan’s infrastructure in state history, has made these and future repairs possible. These strategic investments in Michigan’s critical infrastructure ensure future Michiganders will have safe roadways and bridges to run errands, travel, and build a stronger economy.

Learn more about the Whitmer-Gilchrist Administration’s historic infrastructure investments by clicking on the following link: Infrastructure Accomplishments.