Washtenaw Emergency Housing Update
As we approach the end of the year, with the looming end of the moratorium on evictions, the County is working hard to be sure that people have as much help as we can give them. Resources are limited, but they are there, so anyone needing help for either eviction prevention or homelessness should reach out. In both cases, the point of contact is HAWC (Housing Access Washtenaw County) at (734) 961-1999. (The recording will say Delonis Center).
For emergency night housing, the county has space at Delonis Center, in churches participating in a rotating program, and, as of now, at the Learning Resource Center. There are also hotel rooms for persons with particular needs, and for quarantine when needed. Daytime warming this month is being offered at the Journey of Faith Church, which also offers showers, a food pantry, a clothing closet, and other services.
For people in danger of eviction, it’s important to know that the moratorium on eviction only applies to those who are unable to pay due to Covid-induced problems and that residents must contact their landlord or mortgage holder and sign an affidavit before they take action. If someone has difficulty paying but hasn’t yet received a notice to quit, or is struggling to pay utilities or other basic needs, they can also contact Barrier Busters at Washtenaw.org/2818. A comprehensive set of flyers about many common situations can be found here.
So far, 231 families have been helped by the Eviction Prevention Program, and another 239 are slated to receive help. Funds and legal assistance are still available, though the continued ability of the county to help will depend on the negotiations for state and federal funds for 2021. We can only urge our members to continue to contact our Senators and Congresspersons, as allowing people to lose their homes in the midst of the ongoing pandemic would be an unqualified disaster.
Christmas Dinner in the Community
Wednesday, Dec. 23 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
S. Adams St., Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Women and Men Working for Change is partnering with Ypsi Community Schools to provide a hot Christmas dinner to people and families in Ypsilanti. WCDP is among the sponsors, and new Board Member and County Commissioner Caroline Sanders is one of the organizers. There’s still room for more volunteers, so if you are able, contact Caroline at electcaroline4commissioner@gmail.com. Masks and precautions obligatory, of course.
State Senator Jeff Irwin – Virtual Coffee Hour
Saturday, Dec. 19 from 11 a.m. to Noon
Jeff wants to make sure you’re plugged in to what’s happening in the legislature and in our communities. Please use this form to RSVP to Saturday’s coffee hour. Registration deadline is Friday, Dec. 18 by 5:00 p.m. You will be emailed a link to the meeting (Zoom) prior to the event.
WCDP Election Results
The new 2021-2022 WCDP County Committee recently held its first meeting. The committee’s first order of business was to elect three more members to fill vacant committee seats. Here are the results of that election:Morgan Foreman – Ypsilanti Township, Precincts 1-10Alyshia Dyer – Ypsilanti Township, Precincts 11-20Omkar Karthikeyan – Ann Arbor, WardA complete list of WCDP County Committee members can be found here. The County Committee also elected a new Executive Board, voting in the “Leadership Slate” for 2021 to 2022. The new board along with members’ email addresses can be found here.
WCDP’s Monthly Meeting
The Ann Arbor Democratic Party and the Washtenaw County Democratic Party will meet virtually on Saturday, January 9, 2021, 9:30 am-12:00 noon, for a continuing discussion about lessons learned from the November 3rd election, with updates from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes, as well as a discussion about Democratic strategies. Discussions are open to all! A Zoom meeting link will be provided on the WCDP’s Community Calendar and in this newsletter closer to the meeting.
