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It is going to take all of us working together to end homelessness in our community. Pledge your commitment to advocate and fight for affordable housing in Washtenaw County.

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The Advocacy & Communications Committee is vital in supporting the WHA’s local, state, and federal advocacy actions as well as amplifying communication alerts. This committee typically meets virtually several times in the year.

On May 15th, the Ann Arbor City Council approved amendments to its FY 2024 City Budget.  One significant amendment passed was to appropriate $400,000 from FY 2024 Marijuana Excise Tax Rebate for comprehensive trauma-informed supportive services and case management for returning citizens and residents impacted by the criminal legal system who have obtained tenant-based vouchers (e.g. housing choice vouchers). The Ann Arbor Housing Commission (AAHC) is the funding administrator and the WHA assists in facilitating coordination of the one-year grant.

The new Rising Hope for Housing program is now open to receive referrals. For anyone interested in applying or referring someone please check out the flyer and referral form below.

Rising Hope for Housing Flyer for those applying (pdf)

Rising Hope for Housing Fillable Referral Form (pdf)

On October 18th, 2023 the Winter Shelter Task Force presented to County Commissioners about shelter and warming center response plans for the upcoming winter season.  The slide deck presented to the Commissioners at their Working Session can be viewed here.  The recording of the presentation as well as the full session can be watched here.

The Task Force is a collaboration of over 25 individuals from close to 20 organizations and county offices who participate in the County’s Continuum of Care.  It was created in April 2023 to:

• Help analyze existing data and programs for winter shelter,

• Research best practices for providing winter shelter in our Michigan climate,

• Develop strategies and recommendations, and

• Identify funding necessary to provide winter sheltering for all populations.

County Commissioners passed a resolution to support additional investments in homeless programs for this winter at their Wednesday, November 1st, 2023 meeting.  WHA is grateful for the passing of the $2.18M resolution which will support investments in eviction prevention and shelter diversion, winter shelter staffing and support, and short-term hoteling.  Thank you to everyone who supported our call for advocacy to help get this resolution passed!  Read more…

The WHA created the video Improving the Tenant Experience in Michigan to highlight what more can be done to improve a tenant's housing experience in our state.  Certainly more affordable housing is needed, but so too are laws to protect tenants from "junk fees" when applying for or renting housing or even to expunge their eviction records from long ago.

Read recent progress update here.

In July 2023 MCTEH provided progress updates on its 2023-2025 State Action Plan.  The MCTEH Action Plan outlines six (6) key goals that establish the parameters for what it will take to work toward ending homelessness in Michigan over the next three (3) years.

Thanks to everyone’s advocacy the Michigan House brought their two (2) bills (HB 4062 and 4063) up for a hearing in front of the Judiciary Committee on April 17th, 2024! This committee hearing follows Senate Bills 205, 206, and 207 being passed by the Michigan Senate back in October 2023.  Those three (3) bills would amend the Landlord Tenant Act and the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act to prohibit housing discrimination on the basis of a legal source of income. It is now expected that the House Bills’ language will be made consistent with the Senate Bills before being brought back to the committee for a vote as early as May 1st, 2024.

Under current Michigan law, there is no clear prohibition against a landlord refusing to accept Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs), veterans’ benefits, alimony, MDHHS cash assistance, or SSI/SSDI as part of a person’s legal total combined income.  Source of Income protections legislation aims to change that.  If enacted, the bills introduced in the House and those passed by the Senate will protect Michigan renters from discrimination based on their source of income.  Joining 17 other states, including California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah, and Virginia, the Michigan Legislature should protect renters’ civil rights throughout the state, no matter where they choose to live.  The WHA, Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness (MCAH), and the Coalition for Expanding Housing Access (CEHA) support this legislation and urges that the bills get passed in 2024.

Did you know that Source of Income protections already exist in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti?  Here’s a blog summary the WHA pulled together about these protections.

Source of Income Fact Sheet for general public (pdf) (text only version here)

Source of Income Fact Sheet for landlords (pdf) (text only version here)

On October 17th, 2023 the WHA joined Nation Outside, Vera Institute, Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness, Avalon Housing, A Brighter Way (ABW), and dozens of other organizations and individuals from across the state in advocating for House Bill 4878, the Michigan Fair Chance Access to Housing Act.  The bill aims to increase housing access for formerly incarcerated individuals, addressing the hurdles they face when seeking safe and affordable housing. Participants meet face to face with policy makers to educate them on the bill as well as showed up to rally on the Capitol steps.

Thank you to all the event organizers as well as Representative Abraham Aiyash (the bill’s sponsor) who spoke at the rally.  And, a very special shout out to Adam Grant at ABW who also spoke at the rally!

On April 22nd, 2024 the Supreme Court of the United States will hear oral arguments in the case of Johnson v. Grants Pass. The hearing sets the stage for the most significant Supreme Court case about the rights of homeless people in decades. At its core, this case will decide whether cities are allowed to punish people for things like sleeping outside with a pillow or blanket, even when there are no safe shelter options. Read more…

Homeless activists, organizers, and advocates will rally on April 22nd to speak on the impact of this case and what will happen if SCOTUS rules in favor of either Johnson or Grants Pass. Anyone interested in participating in the rally can RSVP at johnsonvgrantspass.com/attend-the-rally.

Take action here.

Racial inequities in all areas of life are deeply rooted in housing segregation, discrimination, and inequity.  The prominent power imbalance between renters and landlords puts renters at greater risk of housing instability, harassment, and homelessness, further fueling racial inequity.  Affordable, stable, and accessible housing and robust housing choice are necessary to foster just and equitable communities.  Keep urging your members of Congress to establish vital renter protections and advance policies addressing systemic racism and discrimination.

In January 2023 the Biden-Harris Administration released a statement of principles called "The White House Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights.”  It is a white-paper published by the Domestic Policy Council and National Economic Council intended to support the development of policies and practices that promote fairness for tenants living in rental housing.  It is commendable to have these principals outlined by the Administration.  However, none are binding or constitute as current U.S. government policy.  It is vital to continue advocating for elected officials to strengthen and enforce renter protections within current federal, state, and local law.

As part of the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2024 Housing Policy Forum, homeless and affordable housing advocates joined together to participate in Capitol Hill Day on March 21st, 2024. Close to 400 participants schedule as many as 200 meetings with their U.S Senators and Congressmembers.

The Washtenaw Housing Alliance joined 18 other staff from Michigan-based organizations to connect with our elected representatives. At the meetings we urged our reps to provide the highest possible funding for HUD’s vital affordable housing and homelessness programs in FY2025 as well as to cosponsor three (3) important Senate/House Bills highlighted in NLIHC’s Legislative Priorities for the year. In addition, we jumped into the audience for two press conferences happening on the Hill: the Renters Caucus announcement of the first-ever Renters Agenda and the relaunch of the Green New Deal for Public Housing.

Homes Guarantee is an historic campaign organizing for a National Tenant Bill of Rights.  Everyone living in the U.S. should have safe, accessible, sustainable, and permanently affordable housing: a Homes Guarantee. This includes tenants like renters, unhoused people, and mortgage holders.

What's your boldest vision for a National Tenants' Bill of Rights? Share your vision here. Want to host your own Imagination Session with friends, family and neighbors? Download the toolkit here.

NLIHC released a toolkit offering recommendations for lawmakers working to enact eviction record sealing and expungement legislation in their jurisdictions.  Read more and download the toolkit here.

NAEH provides the most important legislative priorities in real time.  Sign up for NAEH’s advocacy alerts here.

Fair Housing Center of South Central Michigan has several advocacy opportunities to support.  Consider volunteering as a civil rights tester or represent FHC as a cooperating attorney.  Find out more information at fhcmichigan.org/get-involved.

MCAH is helping to engage low-income and housing insecure individuals with registering to vote (registration application here). From 2010 to 2020, individuals earning over $100k were twice as likely to vote as individuals earning under $20k, and only around 10% of homeless individuals voted. Let’s make sure everyone’s voice is represented. Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th, 2024.

Voter registration deadlines in Michigan:

• Online registration deadline: 15 days before Election Day

• Register by mail deadline: Must be postmarked 15 days before Election Day

• In person registration deadline: Available up to and including on Election Day

County Commissioners passed a resolution to support additional investments in homeless programs for the 2023-2024 winter at their Wednesday, November 1st, 2023 meeting. WHA is grateful for the passing of the $2.18M resolution which will support investments in eviction prevention and shelter diversion, winter shelter staffing and support, and short-term hoteling. Thank you to everyone who supported our call for advocacy to help get this resolution passed! Read more…

On March 21st, 2023 the City of Ann Arbor’s Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the site plan for WHA member agencies’ Ann Arbor Housing Commission (AAHC) and Avalon Housing 70-unit mixed-use affordable housing development at 121 S. Catherine Street.  Read more here on the community engagement process that is guiding the property’s development in the historic Black business district in Kerrytown.

Ypsilanti City Council approved the second and final reading of the PILOT for the 206-210 N. Washington Street development on April 4th, 2023.  City Council’s approval enables Avalon Housing to move forward on their plans to bring 22 new one-bedroom apartments to this property site.  All units will be affordable and some are set to become supportive housing, providing built-in services like medical care, education and job training as well as transportation particularly for those exiting homelessness.  Developers expect to break ground in early 2024.

Read more on this exciting affordable housing project from The Michigan Daily: Everything you need to know about affordable housing at 121 Catherine St (February 19, 2024) and from MLive: Ann Arbor to break ground on Kerrytown affordable housing development in spring (February, 5, 2024).

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners reviewed and approved funding for seven (7) agencies to receive New Human Services Partnership (NHSP) - Safety Net grants (see the Resolution with award grants here).  Due to advocacy from WHA and our partners, the Board also approved new, continued funding for 6-months for agencies previously funded through the Coordinated Funding model and which were not recommended for NHSP awards. Here is the resolution, that was introduced and approved during that meeting, which provides the continued funding for agencies for another 6-months.

Ann Arbor City Council voted to allocate the $24M in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and as part of that package, they supported:

• $1M for housing for the homeless

• $3.5M for property acquisition for affordable housing, including up to $500,000 for supportive services for tenants

• $1.68M in additional funding for Coordinated Funding support

• As well as $3.5M for an unarmed police response, and $1.6M for a basic income pilot program!

In the same April session, City Council also voted to rezone the Old Y-Lot at 350 S. Fifth as a Planned United Development (PUD), making it possible to move forward with development that will create more new affordable housing units!

Ann Arbor voters passed the Affordable Housing Millage with 73% support!  Prop-C provides a 20-year, 1-mill tax for affordable housing and related services that will generate approximately $6.5M in funding.  It provides funding to create approximately 1,500 units of affordable housing, with a portion dedicated to those in need of permanent supportive housing.  Thank you to all who donated their time, talent and treasures to ensure the passage of Proposal C, including WHA staff, Board members, member agencies, volunteers, and supporters.  We also want to thank everyone involved with Partners for Affordable Housing for running an incredible campaign!