More Neighbors Ann Arbor

'Co-living' is catching on in Connecticut. Here's the latest on a hot affordable lifestyle Co-living apartments are expanding in CT, from UConn Storrs to the Thread City Crossing Bridge, also known as the Frog Bridge, in Willimantic.

Great to see @prohomesct.bsky.social testifying this week for the "Golden Girls" bill to unlock this home choice for more CT residents!

To Cut Housing Costs, Some States Are Easing Fire Safety Rules

Here's the New York Times bringing single-stair reform to the mainstream.

www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/b...

Our current building codes aren't working well. Single stair reform would allow safe, more affordable, better ventilated small and mid-rise buildings in the places where they fit.

www.pew.org/en/research-...

Ride 'Round A2 (Bus and Bike in Ann Arbor) YouTube video by Kirk Westphal

Check out this wonderful blast-from-the-past song about riding your bike and taking the bus in Ann Arbor! This is gonna be playing on repeat in our heads for the next month.

Shout out to @kirkwestphal.bsky.social for putting it together.

#A2Council #AnnArbor #Transit #BikeSky

Quote from Governor Gretchen Whitmer's 2026 State of the State address: "Our laws have made it easy to expand suburbs but hard to build walkable downtowns and main streets or do more with your own property. It shouldn't be so hard to build the homes people need in the places where they want to live."

Gretchen Whitmer is on point: We need more homes and allowing more choices and more building will help get us there.
@abundanthousingmi.bsky.social
#a2council #shareourcity #neighborsformoreneighbors #annarbor #a2 #michigan

North Main Street Transportation Study A study to learn about opportunities to improve safety, increase mobility options, and support land use density.

I hope everyone participates in the North Main Street Transportation Study! Survey is open now.

#A2Council #VisionZero

engage.a2gov.org/n-maintransp...

Great news! Nice to see some affordable housing being added to our downtown. Great example of a community-led, city funded development. Onward to the Y-Lot at 350 S Fifth! #A2Council

If your ticked off about corporate homeownership, wait til I tell you about the impact of restrictive zoning and building codes on reducing housing supply and driving up costs in a manner than makes housing a lucrative investment.

A new condo building in Honolulu has 310 income-restricted homes. These don't merely benefit the residents in the new units; through vacancy chains, those residents free up their previous homes for other poor people to live in.

This vacancy chain mechanism also works for the 202 market-rate homes.

Today’s Planning Commission vote is a major milestone for our city and for the residents who have long advocated for more affordable housing and smarter growth. This land use plan will help create walkable neighborhoods, expand housing options, and strengthen our local economy. More Neighbors A2 has worked alongside community members and city leaders to advance these policies, and we’re grateful to the Planning Commission for listening to residents. We look forward to supporting strong implementation so this vision becomes reality.

#A2Council #AnnArbor #Michigan #Housing #HousingCrisis #Affordability #Equity #Sustainability #Planning #Zoning

bsky.app/profile/govp...

It's good to hear this from our friends on the other side of Lake Michigan.

Tonight at 5:30, Planning will hear A LOT of comments, many with erroneous talking points.

What will matter more is new commenters sharing their stories and priorities.

Tell them why we need neighborhoods with more housing options and mixed uses.

We can help you - just ask.

#A2Council

RIP to civil rights giant Rev. Jesse Jackson. His work for economic justice for all had a huge impact on housing policy. In this speech from 2023, former HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said there may not be a Fair Housing Act without Rev. Jackson's work. https://archives.hud.gov/news/2023/pr23-143.cfm

Michigan Ability Partners | Non-Profit Organization Michigan Ability Partners (MAP) creates pathways to stability for Veterans and individuals with disabilities. MAP provides housing, job placement, and finance management.

Our Feb. meeting was lovely. Great presentation by Michigan Ability Partners. If you don't know them check them out and donate!

Folks talked about how More Neighbors A2 is super positive, builds friendships, and makes it easy to get involved.

Join us! actionnetwork.org/forms/join-t...

#A2Council

Cover page of Ann Arbor's draft Comprehensive Land Use Plan for 2050.

#A2Council Planning Commission considers Comp Plan Draft 4 on Wednesday, 2/18.

Please write or speak with your support. planning@a2gov.org.

Mtg details
a2gov.legistar.com/MeetingDetai...

Tips on making public comments at CPC
www.moreneighborsa2.org/faqs?questio...

‘Deeply illogical’: this man’s life work could end homelessness – and Trump is doing all he can to stop it After four decades of research and over a decade of federal support, Housing First’s Sam Tsemberis is ‘back to being an outlaw’ in the US

Housing First works because everyone deserves a home.

This Guardian feature spotlights HFPC’s Sam Tsemberis and the decades of research behind #HousingFirst, and why it’s more than “just keys to a house.” It’s housing with support, respect, and choice.

Read: www.theguardian.com/society/ng-i...

scatterplot of year over year % change in apartment inventory (supply) on x-axis against year over year % change in effective rents. Trend line shows strong negative correlation. The dots for Grand Rapids and Detroit are annotated. They are both located in the upper-left quadrant, with less than 2% increases in supply and more than 3% increases in effective rents.

With data from the top 150 US cities, the consensus couldn't be more clear: build housing --> lower rents.

#annarbor #michigan #A2Council

@abundanthousingmi.bsky.social

Here is important info from the City.

www.a2gov.org/snowparking

Snow emergency! If you need to move your car off a public street to a garage, you can text 734-328-1705 for a ride from one of our volunteers. #annarbor #a2council

Very cold weather is coming. The Delonis Center and the HAWC hotline will be open tomorrow. You can go to Delonis at 312 W. Huron, or call 734-662-2829. HAWC can be reached at 734-961-1999. If you need a temporary warming center, visit https://www.washtenaw.org/2789/Winter-Warming-Centers.

In solidarity with our neighbors who have been impacted by the presence of federal agents, Neighbors for More Neighbors will be closed on Friday, January 23rd, and participating in ICE Out of MN: Day of Truth & Freedom. What is the Day of Truth & Freedom? Friday, January 23rd, will be a statewide day of nonviolent moral action and reflection, and a unified, statewide pause in daily economic activity: no work, no school, no shopping. How can I Participate? We encourage all Minnesotans to participate by spending time with family, neighbors, and their community to show Minnesota’s moral heart and collective economic power. There will be a peaceful march and rally in downtown Minneapolis at 2:00 pm.

Learn more: www.iceoutnowmn.com

Join us at the march in downtown Minneapolis: facebook.com/events/s/ice...

Why 2026 Is A Big Year for More Neighbors A2 Neighbors for More Neighbors Ann Arbor newsletter: Against disruption and violence in neighborhoods; Next steps for rezoning; An abundance of social activities

Current zoning is actively harming our community every day. But City staff seem willing to let years pass before any rezonings.

We sent #A2Council & Planning a proposal to enact incremental zoning reforms in 2026.

#A2Council should pass a resolution. Write to them today and copy us. Here's how:

"Racial inequality is produced by zoning rules that restrict affordable housing, by transportation systems that isolate neighborhoods... These systems are often described as neutral, efficient, or inevitable. Yet their effects are deeply racialized."

MLK Jr. Taught Us that Justice Requires Building Community It "is not whether we honor Dr. King’s words. It is whether we are ready to build the beloved community he envisioned."

Today we are remembering how fair housing was critical to MLK's work and legacy, and how we still have not achieved housing justice.

time.com/7347218/mlk-...

Graphic for MLK Day featuring stylized black and white portraits of Martin Luther King Jr. in three stages of life, from young to older, set against a yellow background with the text 'MLK DAY' and a link to aadl.org/mlk.

AADL honors Dr. King's legacy this MLK Day with a featured event with Veterans for Peace, as well as collection suggestions for those who are interested in learning more about MLK and his life.

Visit aadl.org/mlk to explore.

Why 2026 Is A Big Year for More Neighbors A2 Neighbors for More Neighbors Ann Arbor newsletter: Against disruption and violence in neighborhoods; Next steps for rezoning; An abundance of social activities

The first newsletter of 2026 is out. Contents include:

📣 Advocating for Safe, Inclusive Neighborhoods
🏘️ How You Can Help Address Ann Arbor’s Housing Crisis Now
🤝 January Members Meeting
❄️ Conquer The Cold Challenge
📚️ Urbanism Book Club
📸 Photo of the Day

Sign up to have it delivered to your inbox:

Attention #A2Council

Minneapolis City Council asks Walz to declare eviction moratorium Several Minneapolis City Council members called for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to issue an order that would prohibit evictions of residents amid the ICE surge.

Yesterday, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously passed a resolution calling on Governor Walz to enact an eviction moratorium to keep Minneapolis families in their homes and protect them from ICE.

sahanjournal.com/housing/minn...

See the trailer from a brand new documentary about addressing Washtenaw housing insecurity: THE ROAD HOME.

www.watchtheroadhome.com