C
O
M
E
R
I
C
A
HOMEFRONT
Black United Fund of Michigan Celebrates 50 Years of Service Roots. A3
Michigan Chronicle
Vol. 85 – No. 11 | November 17-23, 2021
Powered by Real Times Media | michiganchronicle.com
Judge Approves Final $626 Million Flint Water Settlement By Scott McClallen Staff Reporter — The Center Square)
U.S. District Judge Judith Levy gave final approval to the $626.25 million settlement for victims of the Flint lead-contamination water crisis. “The court is persuaded that the over $600 million settlement is a fair and sensible resolution of the claims against the settling defendants,” Levy wrote in a 178page opinion. “The complexity and volume of this litigation present significant risks and potentially great expense to all parties if the cases were to be tried.” The ruling means that Flint residents can now begin to receive the settlement payout. About 80% of that will fund those who were minors when exposed to lead, with a majority of that amount to be paid for the claims of children aged six and younger. Another 15% will be spent on claims of adults and property damage, 3% on property owners and renters, 2% for special education services, and less than 1% will go toward claims for business losses. “For those who have endured the damage done by the Flint water crisis, I know this day brings only partial relief to what remains unimaginable hardship, but I hope this important settlement can be acknowledged as a positive step in the healing process.” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. “The people of Flint deserve accountability and to be compensated for any injuries they suffered.” About $35 million will be set aside in a trust fund for future minor plaintiffs. “What happened in Flint should never have happened, and no amount of money can completely compensate people for what they have endured,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said. “We hope this settlement helps the healing continue as we keep working to make sure that people have access to clean water in Flint and communities all across Michigan.” The state will pay $600 million, Flint $20 million, McLaren Health Care $5 million and consulting firm Rowe Professional Services Co. $1.25 million. Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D–Flint, welcomed the settlement. “No amount of money can change what happened to my city, but this settlement is a measure of justice; justice that we are owed,” Ananich said in a statement. “It is also is an important declaration that the State will be held accountable when its actions – or inactions – cause irreparable harm to the people who live here. That said, our quest for justice does not end here, not by a long shot. There is still much work to do to make sure that anyone who played a role in poisoning the children of Flint answers to the law.”
WHAT’S INSIDE
“Reparations:”
What’s Next for Detroit and the fight for Reparations? By Sherri Kolade It’s Black Detroit’s time now. Proposal R gained momentum during the November general election with 72,462 voters saying “yes” approving the Detroit City Council to establish a Reparations Task Force to make recommendations for housing and economic development programs that address historical discrimination against the Black community in Detroit. There were almost 18,000 votes against the measure. On July 21, Detroit City Council unanimously voted to have the ballot question proposed to citizens in the November general election. The Reparations conversation has been discussed at length by various groups and entities around the city and was presented as legislation in Congress by John Conyers and HR1 at the local level in the City of Evanston, Ill. Since then, an ordinance was passed to help address the housing disparity caused by the racial divide which started as slavery, the Michigan Democratic Party Black Caucus reported. Michigan Democratic Black Caucus Chair Keith Williams, who is vocal about his pro-reparations’ stance, told the Michigan Chronicle that the city, and its residents, are headed on the right track in the quest to bring vital issues to the forefront for Black De-
Living in a home without the threat of eviction hanging over one’s head could make all the difference for some Wayne County residents in need of help with their rent.
$1.00
Reparations William Cobbs
Reparations Keith Williams
Photo courtesy of William Cobbs
Photo courtesy of Keith Williams
troit.
field for those impacted but it is imperative for America to maintain some semblance of moral authority in the world.”
The Reparations plan will be funded by a three percent tax on recreational marijuana and donations, Williams confirmed. Back in June, Detroit City Council President Pro Tem Mary Sheffield passed a historic Reparations Resolution. The effort garnered thousands of signatures and succeeded in creating a committee to oversee the creation and development of a “Reparations Fund.” “While it will take several lifetimes to fully repair the harm caused by slavery and the systemic oppression of African Americans in this country, the time has passed for us to embark upon this righteous journey,” Sheffield said in a previous statement. “Reparations is not only necessary to level the playing
William said that “there is more to come” after the Reparations vote, which he said was just the first step toward reconciliation. “It’s like you’re building a house – you got to build the foundation first,” Williams said adding that in the next couple of weeks the Detroit City Council is looking to get a committed task force going to set up parameters and processes to move the plan forward. Williams said with progress inevitably comes some who, naturally, don’t agree. “A lot of naysayers out there [say this] ain’t going to happen,” he said, adding that he believes in the positive, bright side. “With God
Native Detroiter William Cobbs, (who ran for governor in 2018) is a Democrat who believes a bit differently. He feels that while the people have spoken on the issue of reparations by voting in favor of it, some of their votes are contradictory because of their choice in re-electing a white mayor. “Detroit has a white mayor, Pontiac now has a white mayor – for the first time in history Dearborn has an Arab American mayor,” Cobbs said of how Black communities had “lost traction.” “While other ethnic groups are moving forward for the first time in history … we got our eye on the wrong thing.” Cobbs said that reparations can only truly happen if the right pieces are in place. He added that he supports the idea of reparations but it’s time for Black people to make the argument from a “position of power.” “We keep asking for real power without having the power to create the change we want,” he said. “Reparations will never come until we have the ability to apply some pressure and the way you apply pressure is... creating communities that are self-determined.”
Wayne County Emergency Rental Assistance Program Offers Home Hope By Sherri Kolade
Relish Indi-Soul Catering Company Savors International Culinary Flavor City.Life.Style. B1
all things are possible and ... if they picked the right people it’s going to work... we got the momentum. We got to keep this … moving while we got excitement going on in the city of Detroit.”
Wayne County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is making that a possibility with funding available to assist households that are unable to pay rent or utility bills. ERAP is available to Wayne County residents who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, who are experiencing housing instability, and whose household income is at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). Types of assistance available include help with paying rent as well as for utilities. Utility assistance may include electricity, home heating, water, and sewer. Internet stipends
and relocation assistance are also available. Through this program, a renter or landlord can apply in an online application. If the application is approved, a notification will be made via email. Applications are being accepted and renters can apply via the tenant application now. “Even as the American economy continues its recovery from the devastating impact of the pandemic, millions of Americans still face deep rental debt and fear the loss of basic housing security,” according to an ERAP press release. “COVID-19 exacerbated an affordable housing crisis that predated the pandemic and thus has deepened the economic disparities that threaten the strength of our nation.” To lessen the severity of this crisis, ERAP makes funding available to assist house-
See RENTAL
ASSISTANCE page A2