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July 29, 2021

Friends,   

I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe. I am writing to connect with you about some upcoming events some important information about flood resources and updates below.   

UPCOMING EVENTS 

Friday, July 30 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. – Virtual Coffee Hour
Join me for a virtual chat about what Team Chang has been working on in Senate District 1 and hear about flood relief resources.

>> For more information, please visit Facebook.com/StephanieChangMI or register to receive the information to join the Zoom meeting here.

Friday, July 30 from 3-6 p.m. – Outdoor Resource Fair
Nagel Park, 3100 Wabash St., Detroit, MI

Join Senator Stephanie Chang and Councilmember Raquel Castaneda-Lopez for an outdoor resource fair! Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib will be joining as a special guest for this event. Many agencies like United Way, League of Women Voters, Detroit Area Agency on Aging, the Wayne County Treasurer Department, and many more will be present to assist residents with getting connected to a variety of services. The Detroit Public Library’s mobile resource library will also be present to help residents with filling out the FEMA Disaster Assistance application. The Detroit Health Department will be present to administer COVID-19 vaccinations. For those who would like to attend, masks are encouraged, and social distancing reminders will be put in place to ensure a safe environment for all participants. 

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We are planning a multi-part Housing Summit — all taking place on Zoom! Stay tuned for more information.


FLOOD RECOVERY ASSISTANCE

As we all try to recover from the multiple flood events of the past few weeks, I wanted to share information from FEMA on the Disaster Recovery Centers opened so far in Wayne County. Please note that residents are encouraged to apply for relief for which they are eligible — FEMA, SBA loans, Detroit Water & Sewerage Department, and Great Lakes Water Authority all have relief resources, and Michigan has State Emergency Relief (SER) funds available. More Disaster Recovery Centers will open this week and my office will share their locations as they do. 

>> You can find more resources on flood relief on my website at SenatorStephanieChang.com.

FEMA Assistance

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., seven days a week until further notice.

In addition, if you have suffered disaster-related damage to your home, personal property or business and have questions about available assistance, visit a FEMA-State Disaster Recovery Center in Southeast Michigan:

  • Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Ave., Dearborn, MI 48126
  • Maplewood Community Center, 31735 Maplewood St., Garden City, MI 48135
  • Kemeny Recreation Center, 2260 S. Fort St., Detroit, MI 48217
  • Eton Senior Recreation Center, 4900 Pardee Ave., Dearborn Heights, MI 48125

Centers are staffed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Sunday. At a Disaster Recovery Center, you can:

  • Register for FEMA assistance by using phone banks at the center.
  • Check the status of your application.
  • Meet with a FEMA applicant assistance representative.
  • Obtain information from state agencies and voluntary organizations.
  • Discuss U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) low-interest disaster loans for businesses, nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters, and receive help inputting your application or documents.
  • Obtain information about additional resources available and how to reduce future damage.

>> Click here to download a flyer (in English and Spanish) of the above helpful information!

MDHHS State Emergency Relief Program

The State Emergency Relief program provides immediate help to families and individuals facing conditions of extreme hardship or for emergencies that threaten health and safety. It is available to eligible residents that need help with home repairs necessary to correct unsafe conditions and restore essential services. 

Applicants must be the owner or purchaser of the home and meet other eligibility requirements, including income limits, to qualify. 

The lifetime maximum amount of funds available for non-energy related home repairs is $1,500 per household. State Emergency Relief Program assistance is available for repairs not covered by homeowner’s insurance for the basic house structure, hot water heater, septic/waste disposal system, doors/windows, extermination services, electrical, plumbing, roofs and wells. 

To apply for State Emergency Relief, visit Michigan.gov/MIBridges. Anyone who does not have internet access or needs assistance applying can contact their local MDHHS office. Or call 2-1-1 to be referred to other community resources.

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department Claims Application

If you live or own a business in Detroit and have experienced flooding because of the rain on June 25-26, call Detroit Water and Sewerage Department at 313-267-8000 and fill out this form to file a claim. You must file this claim within 45 days of when the overflow or backup was discovered.

This form can also be printed and mailed to:

Office of the General Counsel
735 Randolph St., Suite 901
Detroit, MI 48226

Great Lakes Water Authority Claims Applications

The application for the Great Lakes Water Authority can be found online at glwater.org. If you have any questions about the form please call 844-455-4592. After filling out the application it can be mailed to:

Office of The General Counsel
735 Randolph St., Suite 901
Detroit, MI 48226

Please reach out to me or my office if we can help navigate the numerous flood relief resources for you or your neighbor.


FLOOD RELIEF FUNDING SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

On Monday, Governor Whitmer signed Senate Bill 27, which provides millions of dollars for flood relief and COVID-19-related relief to support hospitals, childcare resources, nursing facilities, law enforcement, and the wrongful imprisonment compensation fund. While the focus right now is on the damage caused by flood events at the end of June, I will continue to work with my legislative colleagues to address needs created by the storms in July.

I am also working with colleagues on climate resiliency policy proposals to prevent the kind of damage we’ve seen from extreme weather events in recent years.

As always if my office can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 517-373-7346 or email us at senschang@senate.michigan.gov.  

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Stephanie Chang
State Senator
District 1