Dear Friends,

Happy Black History Month! This year’s celebration of Black History is especially momentous, as the nation witnessed the first African American and South Asian woman be sworn in as the Vice President of the United States of America. Jan. 20, 2021, was a day to be proud, not just because of the accomplishments of V.P. Kamala Harris, but proud of the fact that Black women everywhere have a living example of what they can achieve.

I would also like to take this moment to thank you for allowing me to serve you in the 6th House District and act as your voice in Lansing. My team and I remain committed to helping constituents with their questions and issues, keeping residents up to date on new developments related to the pandemic, and providing useful resources.

As your representative, I am most effective at my job when acting on your input. I encourage you to reach out to me and my staff with any questions, comments or concerns you may have about issues in the district or legislation that will impact our state. You can contact me at (517) 373-0823, by email or through my website. Thank you for your commitment to the community we both call home; I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Tyrone Carter

State Representative, 6th House District

 

In This Edition:

  • Upcoming Coffee Hours
  • Delray Home Improvement Program
  • COVID-19 Relief Funding

 

Upcoming Coffee Hours

I hope you can join me for one of my upcoming coffee hours! I look forward to having an informal conversation with you about the issues facing families in our community.

When: Monday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m.
Where: ZOOM
Meeting ID: 852 2613 5803
Passcode: 645540

When: Monday, Feb. 22 at 10 a.m.
Where: ZOOM
Meeting ID: 879 7512 3026
Passcode: 587271

Delray Home Improvement Program

The Gordie Howe International Bridge team has recently launched the Delray Home Improvement Program, a free home repair program for eligible homes or duplexes in the area surrounding the Gordie Howe International Bridge and US Port of Entry construction site in the Delray, Detroit neighborhood.

This program is part of their Community Benefits Plan, which was developed in consultation with local residents, businesses, and elected officials. The program represents a $4 million (CDN) investment to help residents undertake home repairs to properties located in Delray, Detroit. The program boundaries are:

  • Interstate-75 (I-75) to the north
  • Clark Avenue/South Clark Street to the east
  • West End Street to the west
  • West Jefferson Avenue to the south.

Applications are now being accepted online, by emailing info@wdbridge.com or calling (844) 322-1773.

Successful applicants may receive items from the pre-approved repair and replacement list, based on an assessment of the home, with a per-house cap of $20,000. Improvements offered include:

  • Roof repair and roof replacement
  • Window and door replacement
  • Roof and wall insulation
  • Repair or replacement of heating, ventilation, or air-conditioning (HVAC) unit.

For more information, visit the Gordie Howe International Bridge website.

COVID-19 Relief Funding

 

On Monday, Michigan House Democrats unveiled a plan that would provide $5 billion in federal funding for vaccine distribution, education, and the economy. Some of the highlights include:

  • $90 million for vaccine distribution;
  • $575 million to expand COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and lab capacity;
  • $2 billion for food assistance;
  • $661 million for rental and utility assistance;
  • $2 billion for public schools;
  • $270 million for small business relief; and
  • Language that would extend unemployment assistance from 20 to 26 weeks.

People in Detroit are hurting, yet we have $5 billion in federal funding just sitting in limbo. It isn’t right. I stand with you and will continue to demand the funding necessary to ensure our friends and neighbors don’t go hungry and can stay in their homes, our children and teachers have the resources they need to succeed, and small businesses have the necessary support to survive. Every day we delay is a day people go without, which is why I am calling for an immediate vote.

As a survivor of COVID-19, I am also strongly advocating that this plan includes necessary funding for vaccine distribution. Many people are understandably concerned about our economy, but rebuilding our economy without addressing the root cause of the problem is simply foolish. This is the light at the end of the tunnel, so now is not the time to withhold resources from a program that could help end this nightmare. Every day that this pandemic continues leads to more deaths. On top of the more than 15 thousand Michigan families are grieving the loss of a loved one, our small businesses, families and schools are suffering. The best way to help them is by defeating COVID and ending this crisis, and that starts with an aggressive vaccination plan.