Livingston Today

Many small businesses in Michigan are still waiting on federal relief loans to pay their employees during the pandemic. 

Federal COVID-19 relief loans for small businesses are being offered through the Small Business Administration's Payroll Protection Program, according to Michigan Public Radio. This program will forgive the loans if the small businesses use them to pay employees, but businesses are still waiting to receive their funds. 

“I have not heard of anybody who has actually received funds from any of the programs at this time,” President of the Howell area Chamber of Commerce Janelle Best told Michigan Public Radio. “I have heard that some individuals have received confirmation that their application has been received and it’s being processed.”

But Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) told Michigan Public Radio she knew one small business that has received funds. 

“That was actually my first data point of an organization actually seeing money,” Slotkin told Michigan Public Radio. “So that, I think, means we’re at the beginning of the (money) trickling in.”