EASTPOINTE, Mich. – President Joe Biden extended a ban on foreclosures for homeowners and an Eviction Moratorium is in effect until March.
Some small businesses said they want to be included in those measures, so they don’t lose what they’ve worked so hard for.
“We had to close down, like everybody else,” said Oliver Gantt with Elegant Cuts and Styles.
This summer was tough for Gantt, who is the owner of Elegant Cuts and Styles in Eastpointe. Just like many businesses, he had to shut his doors, but he opened back up in August of last year
“Slow. Things have been very slow,” Gantt said. “We lost clients. We lost employees.”
The loss of clients and the loss of money make it hard for Gantt to pay his bills, including the building’s rent.
“I’m facing eviction. As a matter of fact, they gave me a 30-days notice last month,” Gantt said. “I’m at the stage now where I’m almost faced to close the business down and hopefully try and find another location very soon.”
Gantt said he applied for small business loans and is now waiting for that to be approved. He’s now trying to find help elsewhere, that’s why he wants to reach out to the Governor to see if she can add businesses to her Residential Eviction Moratorium.
“She extended it to residential, but I believe it should had been extended to commercial as well,” said Gantt..
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the Federal Government gave Michigan over $5 billion to deploy into the economy to help out with vaccines getting children back into school, eviction rental relief and support for small businesses.
“Those dollars are here but we can’t spend them until the Legislator appropriates them,” Whitmer said. “So anyone who cares about of those things -- vaccines, kids in school, helping small business -- call your legislator and tell them they got to get that supplemental, the Michigan COVID Relief Plan passed so we can get these funds into the economy and help people who are struggling.”