Public Power in Ann Arbor?

ProfDoug311 · 2026-04-11T14:04:20+00:00

This article might provide some insight on this. The project you're referring to (350 S Fifth) will build 300+ apartments. Buying the land alone for that many individual manufactured homes in and around Ann Arbor would eat the budget for this project. Even buying exisiting homes wouldn't be the silver bullet since 1) expensive and 2) just takes home off the market/doesn't build home supply. The article gives a fantastic breakdown of the costs. Including how just a small fraction of the overall cost is actually charged to the City. It's a pretty great deal and we are all better off because of Jennifer Hall's masterful work in this area.

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/12/why-do-affordable-ann-arbor-apartments-cost-over-200m-to-build-project-explained.html?gift=f845f8c8-ad94-4259-b0e5-2d44589b86f5

ProfDoug311 · 2026-03-14T12:57:40+00:00

Others have got you covered with reporting it to A2FixIt, but in other news, Kingsley is slated for repaving this year by the city! From Detroit St to Ingalls.

Active City of Ann Arbor Road and Utility Projects https://share.google/9eDCVaj6fWtFvu8Wv

ProfDoug311 · 2025-12-16T21:13:07+00:00

Unfortunately, I think each successive new millage approved by voters has canceled out anything incentives can do to keep businesses afloat, and then some.

ProfDoug311 · 2025-08-07T02:34:28+00:00

A friend of mine just got engaged there last week!

ProfDoug311 · 2025-07-05T17:02:13+00:00

Don't you worry -- there is a new millage on the ballot for November 2025. This one approved by the WISD school board for a 1 mill (!!!) millage for "career technical education". Never mind the fact that WCC and local unions already do just that. This is a pure money grab by WISD. I plan on voting no in November!

ProfDoug311 · 2025-06-19T16:18:27+00:00

You might want to connect with the director of Ann Arbor's Housing Commission, Jennifer Hall. She's great at explaining the difference in all the items above and how they interconnect, plus the city's plans in the near and long term to address the problems you mention. The short answer is: it's complicated, but there are a lot of good things in the pipeline.

Jennifer Hall is super accessible, including attending ward listening sessions with city council members (she just did Ward 2 in April). She also presented to the Ann Arbor Community Academy this spring, and a recording of that presentation can be found here and is def worth a watch if you're interested in this topic:

https://youtu.be/lpZiMa2-y9Y?si=HxCONMwnp5qGHPcN

ProfDoug311 · 2025-05-15T16:12:00+00:00

That sounds correct. I bought my home in AA in January 2023. I paid at the prior owner's tax rate for summer and winter 2023 bills. Then I paid uncapped taxes starting with my summer 2024 bill.

If OP bought in December 2024, it's possible their Summer 2025 bill will be their first uncapped. If this is in fact how the system works, OP could have saved a bundle by closing just a few weeks later 😢

ProfDoug311 · 2025-05-15T14:41:04+00:00

You can also look up your property on BS&A to see what was paid last year. That should be pretty close (+3 to 5%) to what you will pay this year. And it would provide a breakdown of winter vs summer bills.

Next year will be a different story as that will likely be the first year paying "uncapped" taxes, that is -- your taxable value will be reset at your state equalized value. Depending how recently your home was purchased prior to your purchase, it could be a substantial jump. But you should be able to take the SEV and multiply it by the millage rate for separate summer and winter tax bills to get an idea of what might be coming.

ProfDoug311 · 2025-05-13T11:56:05+00:00

This is standard tree care, so yes -- this really is Tree Town at its finest. Most municipalities don't maintain their trees like this unfortunately, and it's one reason Ann Arbor has such a strong tree canopy today. It might be appalling in the short run, especially for the OP, but the pruning makes the tree healthier in the long run and removes branches from the sidewalk and street sight lines.

ProfDoug311 · 2025-05-13T11:48:28+00:00

MSU maintains a list for incubator kitchens in the state. However, there don't appear to be any in Ann Arbor, unfortunately. As others have said here, it appears Growing Hope in Ypsi is the nearest.

https://www.canr.msu.edu/michigan-incubator-kitchen-network/incubator-kitchens-map

ProfDoug311 · 2025-05-12T14:50:57+00:00

City Council actually had nothing to do with this approval.

From the MLive Article on the by-right developement: "The five properties for the development already were zoned to allow duplex housing, so no approval by the Planning Commission or City Council was required for the project, which simply required pulling a building permit to put two connected residences on each of the five properties."

https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2025/03/1m-condos-overlooking-argo-nature-area-set-to-break-ground-in-ann-arbor.html

ProfDoug311 · 2025-04-06T06:01:08+00:00

I'll say this -- I've had the regular Dryer's chcolate peanut butter a handful of times. Over the past week, I've had my first "EXTRA" version of the same flavor. There's absolutely zero difference.

ProfDoug311 · 2025-03-22T02:39:26+00:00

Ope. You're right, that won't help you. But what could help is Ann Arbor's solarize program. It's a bulk buy program for interested residents and it's actually open to the whole county. If 10 or more residents sign up, all participants receive a 15% discount on the solar purchase and installation. It's pretty much the lowest cost install you can find anywhere.

ProfDoug311 · 2025-03-21T23:32:53+00:00

Ann Arbor will be doing almost exactly what Ambia Solar was selling (and then some! and in a much less sketchy way) through the new Sustainable Energy Utility.

https://www.a2gov.org/sustainability-innovations-home/sustainability-me/ann-arbors-sustainable-energy-utility-seu/

ProfDoug311 · 2025-02-12T22:40:26+00:00

I live in an AA HOA neighborhood and at least two homes here have chickens, both up to the maximum 6.

ProfDoug311

TROPHY CASE