Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) Director Gary Brown joined Mayor Mike Duggan to announce the intention to permanently end water service interruptions in Detroit. Currently, through several available funding sources, water service will be maintained for residents who do not have the ability to pay through at least 2022. The water service moratorium was announced at the Mayor’s news briefing Dec. 8.

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed – the City’s former public health director and water access advocate – also announced his support for the effort and plans to work with the Duggan administration to locate new funding to prevent residential water service interruptions, for nonpayment, on a permanent basis.

Brown said the COVID-19 Water Restart Plan, launched in March, has restored water service at nearly 1,300 occupied homes, many of which needed plumbing repairs. The City has set aside sufficient state, federal, private, and local funds to continue the moratorium on water service interruptions even after Health Department orders end December 31.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, DWSD has helped thousands of financially insecure households with water bills and emergency plumbing repairs. By the end of December, $22 million is expected to be spent, $15 million of which has been for bill credits to nearly 50,000 Detroit households. DWSD has 227,000 active residential accounts, with 92 percent of Detroit households regularly paying their water bills.

The plan announced today is not payment amnesty. Residential households will continue to generate their full water and sewer charges based on monthly usage, and the drainage charge, using current rates. Residential households who have the ability to pay should continue to pay their monthly bill to support maintaining and improving the water and sewer systems for Detroit.

To learn more about the program, contact Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency at 313-386-9727 or visit www.waynemetro.org. To read the announcement, go to detroitmi.gov/water.

Detroit residents, who qualify, have until Dec. 14 to get a property tax exemption.  Under the Homeowners Property Tax Assistance Program (HPTAP), residents who cannot pay their taxes for financial reasons may be able to reduce or eliminate current year’s property tax obligation.

Residents can save between 25 and 100 percent on taxes depending on household income. Detroit individuals making less than $22,000 and families of 4 making less than $32,000 are eligible for the program.

Residents must complete the HPTAP application by:

• Going online to www.detroitmi.gov/HPTAP  or
• Going to the TCF Center, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. through December 14 .

Individuals should bring the necessary documents as indicated on the City’s Web site at detroitmi.gov/hptap.

City of Detroit and United Community Housing Coalition (UCHC) officials urged residents facing eviction to seek help now. There are funds to assist residents, who have received a notice to quit, or a court order summons, complaint or judgment. The eviction prevention program was outlined by Mayor Mike Duggan and Ted Phillips, UCHC Executive Director, at the Mayor’s news briefing Dec. 8.

With evictions scheduled to restart with the 36th District Court January 4, residents should act today rather than waiting until next month, when there will be influx of individuals requesting assistance, Phillips said.

To learn more about eviction prevention, go to www.DetroitEvictionHelp.com or call (866) 313-2520.

City Officials Urge Detroiters to Remain Vigilant to Keep COVID-19 Infection Rates Down

With COVID-19 cases still on the rise, City of Detroit officials today reminded residents to continue to practice safety measures. The Detroit Health Department released new figures today indicating Detroit’s positivity rate has risen to 9% as of Dec. 4, yet still lower than surrounding areas. The seven-day average positivity rate as of Dec. 4 for Wayne County’s was 15.8%; Oakland County was 13.7%, and Macomb County was 19.2%.

Mayor Mike Duggan and Chief Public Health Officer Denise Fair discussed COVID-19 numbers and the need for residents to remain vigilant at the Mayor’s news briefing Dec. 8. Duggan and Fair stressed that all Detroiters must continue to wear a mask covering nose and mouth, maintain social distancing at all times from others, wash their hands, and avoid crowds.

“It is no doubt in my mind that Detroiters are making smart choices. And we need to keep doing what we are doing,” the Mayor said.

He added the residents still have time to get a flu shot before the peak of flu season hits. Go to detroitmi.gov/health for more information on COVID-19 and flu shots.

The Detroit Health Department (DHD) is providing two ways for residents to report businesses that are violating COVID-19 safety restrictions. A form is available at detroitmi.gov/health or anyone can call 313-876-4000. Businesses found to be in violation will be subject to a fine of up to $1,000. Chief Public Health Director Denise Fair said a list of businesses in violation will be maintained on DHD’s website.

Fair also referred businesses to Detroit Means Business as a source of masks and gloves at no charge to small businesses. Further information on PPE distribution, as well as easy-to-understand guides and other resources related to the State’s health order, is available at www.detroitmeansbusiness.org.