Nationwide support is needed! Please sign now. City of Benton Harbor residents are in danger of rent increases and/or losing their homes when the city adds the water bills to their property taxes this month. When the covid-19 state of emergency shutdown order went into effect, City of Benton Harbor lawmakers agreed to stop water shutoffs but they failed to freeze the incoming water bills. As the water bills accumulated, City Officials were also aware that the water was unsafe to drink due to lead. Residents were sick and babies even died not knowing the cause, leaving families devastated by unsafe water conditions. Instead of freezing the people’s water bills, the City Commission passed an ordinance to INCREASE the water and sewage bills for the next 5 years. Yes, the City Commission voted to raise the bills on unsafe water during the pandemic in a city already riddled with poverty. Mayor Marcus Muhammad and the City Officials claimed that a huge portion of the resident's water bill increase would help cover costs to replace the dangerous lead pipes. This gentrifying decision was made under the advice of Chris Cook, President of Abonmarche, the City’s engineering firm, and now Managing Director of Harbor Shores Development. Cook estimated the lead removal project to take 20 years.

The Benton Harbor Water Council petitioned the State of Michigan to finance the lead replacement project within 18 months and Governor Whitmer guaranteed that the State would fully finance the project. The State Of Michigan covered the cost, so there was no reason to overcharge Benton Harbor residents for unsafe water. Although the City reported that 95% of the lead pipes have been replaced, health officials still advise against drinking the water. City Officials are still overcharging water customers and charging residents extra for the printing of shutoff notices. Even worse, this month, October 2022, the City is on schedule to send past due water bills to the County Treasurers' Office where they will add the unethical water bills to the residents’ property taxes. People who can not afford these heartless costs are in danger of becoming homeless and further distressed during this recession. Benton Harbor residents are being overcharged for dangerous water, and now they may lose their homes due to the hardship of the water bills. Renters are in danger of rent hikes due to the added costs to property taxes from overdue bills accumulated from the water crisis. 

We are urging City of Benton Harbor lawmakers to:

• Zero out all water bills and credit water customers starting from 2018
• Freeze water bills until an independent environmental expert verifies that the water is safe to drink
• Retroactively remove the water and sewage bills increases 
• Stop all water bills from being added to property taxes immediately
• Seek state and federal funding to prevent potential economic collapse 

Without acknowledging the clear gentrification and exploitation of residents, we all face a larger risk of unsafe living conditions and environmental chaos unless we demand that our representatives fix this heinous city ordinance and petition the full support of state and federal governments. View the Town Hall to learn more and follow the timeline.