The Ann Arbor City Council
met Monday evening via Zoom in
a public livestream. Despite the
meeting’s alternative format, the
council kept its usual structure,
including
public
comments
via
phone
calls
and
speakers
from
various
city
government
organizations, informing the public
on issues such as zoning policy and
the city budget.
With people across the country
as well as local tenants calling for
a rent freeze, or the forgiveness of
debt, council members took up the
issue.
Council members unanimously
passed a resolution that extended
eviction prevention for tenants of
Ann Arbor Housing Commission
properties. The resolution also
allocated $200,000 in emergency
assistance funds.
Councilmember
Zachary
Ackerman, D-Ward 3, said the
COVID-19
outbreak
and
the
necessary public health solutions,
such as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s
“Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive
Order, have had major economic
repercussions that impact Ann
Arbor tenants.
“We have a set of tenants who
find themselves in a financial
hole and, when the states release
their hold on evictions, may face
becoming homeless very quickly,”
Ackerman said. “As a community
and an affluent one, in fact the most
affluent in the state, we can take it
upon ourselves to fill that hole.”
Councilmember
Jack
Eaton,
D-Ward 4, said the council should
strive to help the Ann Arbor
community during this difficult
time.
“We are really going to have
a
horrible
economy
for
the
foreseeable future, and to the extent
that we can help our residents, we
should do that,” Eaton said.
The
council
opened
their
meeting
with
comments
from
various council members to the
public. Council members used this
time to thank essential workers,
citizens for 3D-printing protective
equipment for health care workers
and citizens doing their part by
social distancing.
Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher
Taylor
encouraged
citizens
to continue to practice social
distancing.
“Go outside, but do so in a
matter that is safe,” Taylor said.
“Your attention to detail will help
a nurse on her shift or a doctor on
her rounds. Your attention to detail
will save lives, so please be careful
at all times.”
The recent coronavirus outbreak
has sent the economy reeling, with
fears of a looming recession and
massive spikes in unemployment.
The
federal
government
has
stepped in to provide relief for
individuals
and
corporations
through a series of economic
stimulus packages over the past
several weeks.
At $2 trillion, the most recent
bill is the largest stimulus bill in
U.S. history. As part of the package,
millions of people older than age 18
will receive $1,200 checks, with an
additional $500 checks going to the
parents of qualifying children under
age 18. The legislation includes
$377 billion to small businesses and
boosts unemployment benefits by
$600 per week.
However, college students and
young adults across the country
are largely ineligible to receive
benefits because they are claimed
as dependents by their parents.
Students have struggled to deal
with the economic toll of the virus,
facing internship cancellations and
the loss of on-campus jobs. Many
students are also bound to pay rent
for 12-month leases in Ann Arbor
while they are away, and many
students have had trouble finding
people to sublet their apartments
over the summer.
Thomas
Lyon,
professor
of
sustainable
science,
technology
and commerce at the University
of
Michigan,
called
the
bill
“enormous and complex,” noting
the importance of providing relief
for everyday Americans. He said
the bill would provide some help for
students regarding loan payments.
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
College students frustrated with lack of
benefits in $2 trillion federal stimulus bill
Recent legislation
intended to provide
relief offers minimal
aid to young adults
Design by Cara Jhang
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Vol. CXXIX, No. 100
©2020 The Michigan Daily
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O P I N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
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ACADEMICS
The
Senate
Advisory
Committee on University Affairs
held a meeting on Monday
afternoon with Interim Provost
Susan M. Collins as a guest to
discuss current operations at
the University of Michigan in
light of the recent coronavirus
pandemic. Collins talked about
faculty
and
student
mental
health efforts, considerations
of
evaluations
of
remote
instruction and alternate plans
for graduate students involved
in
research
that
has
been
halted. The meeting took place
virtually.
Interim provost addresses
SACUA on faculty feedback
City approves $200k to stop evictions
Council unanimously passes resolution allocating funds to address housing insecurity
ALEC COHEN/Daily
The Ann Arbor City Council votes via Zoom to provide funds to stop potential evictions
caused by loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
DESIGN BY CARA JHANG
Collins talks
evaluations
for semester
SARAH PAYNE
Daily Staff Reporter
See LEGISLATION, Page 3
ISABELLA PREISSLE
Daily Staff Reporter
CELENE PHILIP
For The Daily
See SACUA, Page 3
Read more at
MichiganDaily.com