Washtenaw County community furnishes over 25 apartments for those exiting homelessness
Itโs hard to furnish just one apartment but groups from around Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County have furnished over 25 in Avalon Housingโs new Hickory Way Apartments. By the end of the first phase of Hickory Way move-ins, community members will have filled 34 units. An additional 36 units will be available for Avalon Housing clients sometime in the summer, seven of which still need sponsors. (Heidi Ruud / HouseN2Home)Teams of volunteers and sponsors worked to collect items and set up over 25 apartments at Hickory Way in January. (Heidi Ruud / HouseN2Home)
Quality of life in Ann Arbor strong, but hereโs what concerns residents on 2020 Citizen Survey
ANN ARBOR โ The city of Ann Arbor released Tuesday the results of its 2020 Citizen Survey, which asked 2,700 randomly selected residents over the summer to share their opinions on quality of life, city services and amenities. Hereโs how they responded to the NCS Community Livability Report:90% of the respondents rated Ann Arbor as an โexcellentโ or โgoodโ place to live. Respondents rated Ann Arborโs walkability and bus or transit services as โexceptionalโ and higher than other cities around the country. Roughly 8 in 10 residents said the overall economic health of Ann Arbor was strong. To see the reportโs complete survey responses, detailed survey methods, survey and benchmark comparisons, click here.
Help direct Ann Arborโs future budget and spending
ANN ARBOR, Mich. โ Should the City spend more on street repairs and maintenance, or more on pedestrian safety and affordable housing? Through an online-only survey, community members can help city staff and Ann Arbor City Council members develop a budget and decide spending priorities for fiscal years 2022 and 2023. The priority-based budget survey, conducted by The National Research Center, aims to collect meaningful input from a broad range of individuals living in and around Tree Town, according to a social media post by the City of Ann Arbor. It is currently available in English, Spanish and Simplified Chinese. Find the different surveys below:โข English Survey: https://polco.us/sac754โข Simplified Chinese: https://polco.us/s27cbdโข Spanish: https://polco.us/scb0ebโ Like what youโre reading?
City of Ann Arbor asking for public input on potential affordable housing
ANN ARBOR, Mich. โ The City of Ann Arbor wants community members to share their thoughts on the redevelopment of four city-owned properties. Each survey is open until Dec. 14 and takes between five to seven minutes. Community input can also be given during three live virtual sessions held from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1; Nov. 9 and Dec. 10. The city is currently in the conceptual design phase for the redevelopment. The redevelopment sites are:121 E. Catherine St. (4th Avenue and Catherine Street parking lot)353 S. Main St. (Main Street and East William Street parking lot)309 S. Ashley St. (Ashley Street and West William Street parking lot)721 N. Main (a 5.26-acre site used for municipal parking)Learn more about the redevelopment sites at community-engagement-annarbor.com/
Detroit mayor pledges $50 million to keep affordable housing in city
DETROIT โ As Detroit continues to come back, Mayor Mike Duggan wants to make sure the city is affordable for everyone. On Tuesday, Duggan, along with nonprofit organizations and JPMorgan Chase, announced a $50 million pledge to keep affordable housing in the city. The overall goal is to raise $75 million to develop housing, such as the Saint Rita building. Affordable housing can quickly evaporate when new jobs and businesses move into the city. But over the last few years, Duggan said of 4,000 affordable housing units that have expired, all have been renewed.
Whitmer, Huntington announce $5 billion commitment toward Michigan businesses, housing, community
Gretchen Whitmer and Huntington have announced a $5 billion commitment toward Michigan businesses, affordable housing and community efforts. The five-year lending, investment and philanthropic plan aims to help improve financial opportunities for Michigan businesses, consumers and communities. Itโs part of a $20 billion community plan Huntington Bancshares announced Sept. 1. The plan will evolve as Huntington listens and takes action to meet the changing needs of Michiganโs communities, according to state officials. โThis is an opportunity to take a more deliberate approach toward investing in the people and businesses that will have the greatest impact in our communities,โ Michigan Lt. Gov.
Affordable housing development planned for Detroits Milwaukee Junction neighborhood
DETROIT The City of Detroits Housing and Revitalization Department announced Tuesday construction plans for a new affordable housing project in the citys Milwaukee Junction neighborhood. According to a press release, the 22,845 square-foot, four-story development is planned to be located at 258 Milwaukee Street and cost about $8 million. This is truly a mixed-income development, one that is representative of the community as a whole, Donald Rencher, director of the Housing and Revitalization Department, said in the release. It also creates affordable housing opportunities in an area experiencing rising rents. A successful city is an inclusive city, and this is why it is one of our key missions as a department.The housing initiative was initiated through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, as well as support from the citys Housing and Revitalization Department and citys Housing Commission.
Ann Arbor to put tax on ballot to build affordable housing
ANN ARBOR, Mich. Ann Arbor voters will decide whether to raise millions of dollars through a new property tax to build or acquire housing for people with certain incomes. Ann Arbor, the home of the University of Michigan, has one of the strongest economies in Michigan, although that also means higher housing costs compared to other communities. Council member Zachary Ackerman, a Democrat, said the millage could keep service workers and public employees in Ann Arbor. It would get unhealthy.Council member Jack Eaton, a Democrat, said rents could increase if the millage passes and landlords pass the tax to tenants. We need to be careful not to create a community where only the very wealthy and those eligible for housing subsidies can afford to live, Eaton said.
Poll finds Ann Arbor voters in support of proposed millage
ANN ARBOR, Mich. A poll commissioned by the Partners of Affording Housing, a coalition of nonprofit organizations and citizens, suggests that voters in Ann Arbor would support a proposed millage to fund more affordable housing. In its release, Partners for Affordable Housing pointed to a decline in affordable housing around Washtenaw County as private developers have converted properties away from affordable housing. Ann Arbor City Council members Chip Smith and Elizabeth Nelson plan to present a resolution to the Ann Arbor City Council for a November 2020 ballot proposal seeking voter approval for the millage. The poll was funded by a grant given by the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation to the Washtenaw Housing Alliance. Partners of Affordable Housing is a coalition of individuals and nonprofit organizations interested in a millage to support affordable housing so as to help the city achieve affordable housing goals.
Detroit mayor, leaders to break ground on redevelopment of abandoned building
DETROIT Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and other leaders will join developer W. Emery Matthews and Real Estate Interests at 1 p.m. Tuesday to break ground on the redevelopment of a long-abandoned multifamily building in the citys Hubbard Farms neighborhood. Twenty-five percent of the units in this neighborhood will be reserved as affordable housing. The project is part of the Duggans $56 million Strategic Neighborhood Fund initiative.