I hope your family is well and has had the opportunity to take advantage of the outdoors during these summer months. The school year is swiftly approaching, and our students will soon be returning to the classroom. As we enjoy the remainder of summer and prepare for fall, I wish to share with you some important information and invite you to my upcoming coffee hours.

It is an honor to serve as your state representative, and I hope that you will reach out if I can be of assistance.

Kevin

Upcoming Coffee Hours

Please join me at one of my upcoming coffee hours in August and September.

I will be at Homestead Kitchen, 8036 N. Wayne Road in Westland this Saturday, Aug. 21, at 11 a.m. to hear your concerns and share what has been going on at the state level.

In addition, Wayne County Commissioner Glenn Anderson and I will be hosting a coffee hour on Sept. 13 from 9-10 a.m. at the Westland Public Library, 6123 Central City Parkway.

I hope to see you there!

Storm Preparedness and Recovery Resources

With the recent severe storms in our region, the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) has put together some resources to help you prepare for future storms and address damage.

Severe Storm Resources:

Additional information regarding disaster preparedness, as well as how to file a complaint against an insurance company with DIFS, is available on the DIFS website at www.michigan.gov/difs under the “Consumer” link. Resources related to the recent flood can also be found on the DIFS website under “Disaster Preparedness.”

Please feel free to contact the Office of Consumer Services toll free at (877) 999-6442 with any questions regarding your insurance policies and claims. 

Rental Assistance Is Available to Help Renters and Landlords

If you’re a renter having trouble paying your rent, utilities or other housing costs — or if you’re a landlord trying to stay afloat with tenants in this situation — help may be available. State and local programs are distributing billions of dollars in rental assistance to help renters stay housed during the pandemic.

Visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Rental Assistance Finder to find out what this means for you and what you can do. The CFPB’s site also includes resources to help renters and landlords understand other resources to help navigate various financial hardships related to the pandemic.

Eligible Unemployment Claimants Granted Overpayment Waivers

The Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) has begun to notify claimants who are no longer eligible to receive Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits that overpayments will be waived.

In June, claimants were asked to requalify for PUA by providing the agency with the necessary information to remain eligible for the federal program. Four PUA COVID-19 eligibility reasons that were included at the beginning of the pandemic were later found by the U.S. Department of Labor to be non-qualifying. Under federal law, UIA had to re-evaluate PUA eligibility for individuals who selected one of the non-qualifying reasons.

Of the roughly 690,000 claimants that were asked to requalify, about 241,000 responded to the UIA’s request. Waivers will be granted to the initial group of approximately 350,000 non-responses, many of whom may no longer be collecting benefits.

Claimants will be notified through their MiWAM account or via U.S. mail.

As always please feel free to reach out to my office at (517) 373-2576 or via email at kevincoleman@house.mi.gov with your comments, concerns and for assistance.