Business Watch

Federal H-2B visas make tourism possible for visitors in summer, business leaders say. But every year is a question mark about who will get workers and how many will be allowed. They say it’s time to solve that.

‘Try not to freak out,’ says one new homeowner who navigated the extreme lack of inventory and rapidly rising prices. Easier said than done.

Used car prices are high in Michigan and across the country, with demand high and supply low. It’s not going to change any time soon.

The 648,000 Michigan residents who received federal pandemic relief benefits in error will not have to repay the funds if they applied in good faith. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said waivers will be awarded if payments were the state’s error.

One of the state’s signature crops is facing its second year of decline. Growers weighed whether the work of the small harvest would be worth it and experts are wondering what it means for the industry.

The deadline is looming for those who’ve been flagged for receiving pandemic unemployment benefits. Step one: Don’t panic. Step two: Complete the process and be ready to appeal.

Lawmakers demand answers after Michigan officials send letters to recipients of federal COVID relief asking to update their qualifications or risk repaying benefits. It’s the latest gaffe for the agency.

Summer tourism isn’t solving the glut of rooms going unused in the biggest hotel market in the state. The city counts on business travelers and events to fill its rooms, and it could be years before it fully recovers.

Brick-and-mortar businesses struggled to adapt during the pandemic, but a self-taught builder in Southwest Detroit carved his niche in custom food truck design. He’s now on track for $1 million a year in sales.

Social districts created a lifeline for the industry in 2020. Now many new communities are looking at establishing the areas — including on city streets — to retain the downtown vitality created during the pandemic.

New study shows that the marijuana marketplace “has unlimited economic potential for Michigan,” according to the trade group representing the regulated providers. They’re trying to ‘rein in’ illicit sales.

Jobless workers waited more than a year for the chance to solve their unemployment issues in person. As of Thursday, they now can make appointments at 12 of the state’s offices for June 30 and beyond.

While most businesses are optimistic, two thirds also say that the pandemic is negatively affecting their business, according to a survey released this week by the Small Business Association of Michigan.

Michigan employers large and small say they can’t fill open positions. But General Motors still has lots of pull in a labor market where people remember the pay and stability of an auto job in GM factories.

Employers outside of health care settings now can choose whether to keep mask requirements, social distancing measures and plastic barriers to protect workers.

Border businesses and the state’s tourism industry suffer as COVID limits prevent Canadian visitors for another month at least. And state residents with the travel bug or property in Canada also can’t cross. One official said it could be Thanksgiving before the border opens.

Storage units crammed with old couches and kitchenware are a long way from designer fashion. But as retail changes, so are the types of businesses that will survive in former anchor stores in the state’s malls.

Small community theaters anchor downtowns across the state, but they had to fight to survive capacity limits and state-ordered closures during the pandemic. They hope their recovery this summer is epic.

What will developers pay to add moderately priced apartments to downtown? The city is about to find out, as it puts one of its properties on the market.

The state’s economic recovery from the pandemic may be limited, officials say, as fewer child care options keep women out of the workforce. It’s a business issue, too, for child care providers seeking available workers.