Michael Che Pays New Yorkers’ Rent After Grandmother Dies

Comedian Michael Che is giving back to New Yorkers in a special way after the death of his grandmother due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Saturday Night Live star, who co-anchors the faux news segment “Weekend Update,” announced on Wednesday (April 15) on Instagram that he will be paying rent for the residents of the New York City apartment building where his grandmother, Martha, once lived.

“It’s crazy to me that residents of public housing are still expected to pay their rent when so many New Yorkers can’t even work,” Che said in the post.

“Obviously I can’t offer much help by myself,” he continued. “But in the spirit and memory of my late grandmother, I’m paying one month’s rent for all 160 apartments in the NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority) building she lived in.”

Earlier this month, the 36-year-old announced that his grandmother had passed away from COVID-19, People reports. She had lived in the building until the 1990s.

“I’m doing ok, considering,” he wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post on April 6. “I’m obviously very hurt and angry that she had to go through all that pain alone. But I’m also happy that she’s not in pain anymore. And I also feel guilty for feeling happy. Basically the whole gamut of complex feelings everybody else has losing someone very close and special. I’m not unique.”

Che ended his announcement to treat New Yorkers to a month’s rent by calling on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Diddy to help those impacted by the pandemic.

“Let’s fix this!” Che said. “Page me!”