On May 19 Ann Arbor City Council approved the city's FY26 budget, which begins July 1, 2025. In the budget, $565K is allocated for the renewal of the Rising Hope for Housing program with funds collected from the Marijuana Excise Tax Rebate.

The proposed FY26 budget was first shared by the City Administrator at the April 21 Council meeting (watch meeting) which outlined around $600K in excise tax rebate funding available for City Council to decide how to spend. Staff from Washtenaw Housing Alliance joined other grant partners of the program to provide public comment at the May 5 and May 19 meetings in a joint effort to ensure the Rising Hope program would be renewed and fully funded in FY26. Please join us in thanking Mayor Taylor and City Council for renewing this program and increasing their investment in it!

Dear Council member [Name], 

Thank you for approving the renewal of the Rising Hope for Housing program in the city's FY26 budget. I am grateful for your support and willingness to aim higher to support justice-involved individuals with housing and supports. I am confident this support will be used to enhance Rising Hope for Housing and provide more direct assistance to those in need.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Rising Hope is a collaborative program of the Washtenaw Housing Alliance and five grant partner organizations to help justice-impacted households avoid eviction and improve housing stability and self-sufficiency. In FY24 the program’s pilot was funded at $400K, and in FY25 it was renewed at $500K. We are grateful the program will continue in FY26 at $565K.

The Rising Hope for Housing program is open to receive referrals now through June 30th. For more information and to see if you may qualify, please check out the flyer below.

Rising Hope for Housing Flyer for those applying (pdf)

Those in support of “Ann Arbor for All,” the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan, can sign this petition as well as visit the Neighbors For More Neighbors website for more ways to get involved.

The City of Ann Arbor is charting its course for affordable, sustainable, equitable and dynamic land uses for the next 25 years. The Ann Arbor Comprehensive Land Use Plan draft is available for public review on the new online platform for city projects, Engage Ann Arbor (EA2), at plan.a2gov.org/plan24. Here, community members can also find project information, timeline and recordings, and materials from previous meetings for the comprehensive plan project.

The city invited the public to learn about and share input for the draft Ann Arbor Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Three engagement sessions were scheduled in April and May 2025 to review and discuss the plan draft with planning staff, ask questions, and provide feedback. The city also gathered feedback and held public meetings and workshops throughout 2024 to aid in the development of the plan draft.

The City’s Planning Commission reviewed the draft in April and May 2025. Starting this summer, the plan will begin the adoption process with the draft scheduled to go to City Council for a final decision in November 2025.

Neighbors for More Neighbors A2 is a group of Ann Arbor area neighbors who believe in a more inclusive, more open, friendlier Ann Arbor. NFMNA2 is a special project under the WHA.

NFMNA2 supports Ann Arbor for All (the Comp Plan). Join in showing your support!

1. Request a Neighbors for More Neighbors yard sign.

2. Sign the petition in support of increased housing density and diversity in Ann Arbor.

3. Write an email to City Council (citycouncil@a2gov.org) and Planning Commission (planning@a2gov.org) sharing your story of housing in Ann Arbor and expressing support for more housing--including duplexes, triplexes, townhomes and small apartment buildings--in the residential neighborhoods that are close to downtown and close to public transit. Share what housing abundance means to you. You can share your story even if you do not live in Ann Arbor! It is just as important to share why someone who wants to live in the city is unable to because of the city’s unaffordability.

4. Attend (in-person or virtually) a City Council or Planning Commission meeting.

Sign on here.

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.

Sign up here.

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 June 4th the Winter Shelter Task Force presented during Working Session to County Commissioners updating on winter shelter planning for the upcoming winter season.  The recording of the presentation as well as the full session can be watched here. It is anticipated that Commissioners will present a resolution to invest in winter sheltering for 2025-26 before the end of summer.

Last September, the Task Force presented to County Commissioners about response plans for the 2024-25 winter season.  The recording of the presentation as well as the full session can be watched here. The presentation slide deck can be viewed 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.

Following the Task Force's presentation in its first year, County Commissioners passed a resolution to support additional investments in homeless programs for that upcoming winter.  WHA was grateful for the passing of the $2.18M resolution which supported 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!

On February 21st, 2025, the WHA joined Continuum of Care (CoC) partners to host a Community Debrief recapping the 100-Day Challenge we collaborated on between late September 2024 and January 23rd, 2025.

The Challenge, part of our community's work with the Built For Zero movement, was designed to bring together community leaders, service providers, advocates, and other individuals to accelerate progress on achieving an end to Veteran homelessness. Our goals were:

• Identify barriers Veterans face when seeking housing, specifically through feedback from Veterans with lived experience, and help remove those barriers.

• Expand our community partnerships.

• Engage with landlords willing to provide safe and affordable housing for Veterans.

• Reduce the number of Veterans entering the homeless system through expansion of prevention and diversion services.

By the end of the Challenge, 25 Veterans experiencing homelessness were permanently housed. And! The number of unhoused Veterans tracked on our system's By-Name-List stayed under 20 during each month of the Challenge, down from the monthly high of 25 in 2023.

To read the full recap about the Community Debrief and the 100-Day Challenge click here.

On December 30th, 2024 Governor Whitmer signed the source of income (SOI) non-discrimination Senate bills into state law (the House bills were signed on January 16th, 2025). The new statewide tenant protection under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act took effect on April 2nd, 2025.

Since April 2nd, source of income is now a protected class under the Elliott-Larsen Act. This means that landlords with five or more rentals must accept non-wage sources of income such as Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs), veterans’ benefits, alimony, MDHHS cash assistance, or SSI/SSDI as part of a tenant’s legal total combined income. Previous to the new law, this type of non-discrimination was only protected in the cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti in Washtenaw County.

Landlords and tenants wanting more information about the new protected class can watch Michigan Department of Civil Rights’ Fair Housing Law and Renters’ Rights webinar recording. The webinar breaks down what source of income is and what can be considered discriminatory. Other available materials from the webinar include:

• Civil Rights Enforcement Presentation by the Office of Legal Affairs (link here)

• Reasonable Accommodations and Modifications in Housing by the Disability Rights and Compliance Division (link here)

Landlords and tenants can also visit these Fair Housing Center webpages for more details on source of income protections:

• Fair Housing Center of Southeast and Mid-Michigan Source of Income webpage and downloadable Fact Sheet. If you have any questions about your fair housing rights, please call their office at 877-979-FAIR (3247).

• Fair Housing Center of West Michigan downloadable Fact Sheet.

On September 9th the Michigan Senate Housing and Human Services Committee held a second hearing on a Senate Bills Package 372, 373, 374, and 375. The package includes bills related to junk fees, credit report usage, and eviction sealing/expungement that are being reintroduced this legislative session. Watch the committee hearing here.

The Committee heard testimonies on these bills back at their June meeting but included at their September meeting time to hear additional testimony ahead of holding votes on the bills. The bills were reintroduced from the last legislative session.

In the words of one of the testifiers, “When you take account of where the rental housing market is today, I think it compels the response that these bills offer.” All four bills were voted favorably out of committee without amendment, sending them back to the Senate.

On June 3rd the Michigan Senate Housing and Human Services Committee held a hearing on Senator Sarah Anthony‘s Tenant Empowerment Package (Senate Bills 19, 21, and 22).

The Tenant Empowerment Package is designed to protect tenants, providing them with the tools they need to advocate for their rights by:

• Enshrining tenants’ Right to Repair into law by giving tenants the ability to remedy any unsafe conditions within their own homes if landlords fail to begin repairs in an appropriate timeframe;

• Ensuring adequate notice for rent increases to give people time to plan, budget, and prepare; and

• Allowing the electronic return of tenant security deposits to modernize this process for landlords and tenants alike.

Since Sen. Anthony introduced the package, nearly 150 Michiganders have signed on as citizen cosponsors of the package, demonstrating the grassroots support for the legislation.

Following a vote by the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services on June 10th, Senate Bills 19-22 were favorably reported out of Committee. The bills now advance to the Senate floor for further consideration and future vote.

Read more on the benefits of passing these senate bills via Michigan Advance here.

This month staff from WHA participated in Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness’ Homelessness Advocacy Day. We joined Avalon Housing staff, Avalon Housing VOCAL members, and Shelter Association of Washtenaw County staff in meeting with MI House Representatives Carrie Rheingans and Jennifer Conlin who we thanked for their support in getting statewide source of income protections passed in the last legislative session as well as continuing their work to introduce and support housing-related bills. We also shared key legislative asks we need their help on.

We are grateful for the time the Representatives took to meet with all of us - they are genuinely attentive to the housing-related matters we are focused on here in Washtenaw County. In addition to reiterating the housing unaffordability and the rise in the number of people experiencing homelessness in the county, we also shared about:

• the critical need to continue appropriating in the state’s budget funds for supportive services for permanent housing at or above the current funding level.

• the pause in receiving new housing choice vouchers through MSHDA (Michigan State Housing Development Authority) and the fear of people losing their current vouchers because of funding and staff cuts at HUD.

• the opportunity to further invest state funds into cost-saving diversion and prevention programs that directly support individuals and families in finding stability outside of utilizing a shelter.

Systems change begins with informed advocacy. By monitoring state-level legislative activity, we can collectively drive progress in housing and homelessness. 

The Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness (MCAH) Legislative Tracker allows you to:

• Monitor legislative activity by viewing a current list of state bills and tracking their status.

• Understand legislation with clarity through easy-to-understand bill summaries. 

• Engage directly with policy makers using our simple click-to-send email templates.

Follow at mihomeless.org/legislative-tracker-tool

Read recent progress update here.

In July 2024 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.

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.

Over $7M in Washtenaw County’s permanent housing resources for people exiting homelessness threatened by expected new HUD provisions

A recent POLITICO report identifies how the Trump Administration plans to make deep cuts to homeless housing programs, building off of the recent Continuum of Care (CoC) Builds Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) criteria which has been challenged in court. If implemented, these cuts will drastically increase street homelessness and demand for crisis services in Washtenaw County and throughout the nation.

The two major changes to the HUD CoC Program identified by POLITICO included:

1. Permanent Housing Cap: HUD intends to cap the total amount of funding that can be used for permanent housing to only 30 percent of CoC funds. Programs that would be cut include Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid Re-Housing, both proven, cost-effective solutions for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Currently:

   94% of Washtenaw County’s CoC-funded projects are for permanent housing (and 87% nationwide), including permanent supportive housing and rapid re-housing operated by local organizations Avalon Housing, Michigan Ability Partners, Ozone House, and SOS Community Services

   
   Over 800 people in Washtenaw County could lose permanent housing financial assistance and support services

2. Anti-DEI Criteria: Organizations that previously used any type of racial preferences or recognized gender non-conforming or transgender people will have points deducted or be eliminated from applying

Here is a recent New York Times Op-Ed from Philip Mangano, the Executive Director of the US Interagency Council on Homelessness under President George W. Bush, which explains why these cuts would be a bad idea and go against bi-partisan solutions to homelessness.

Last year, HUD ran a two-year funding competition but HUD reversed course in July 2025, announcing a new CoC funding competition sometime this year!

How you can help advocate:

➡️ Click here to Act Now - Use these talking points to tell Congress to stop a new 2025 funding process. Tell your federal legislators to tell HUD, through legislative action, to honor last year’s two-year CoC NOFO competition.

➡️ Help us share the articles linked above and the information here with everyone you know!

Advocacy Action via National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC)

June 28, 2025 marked one year since the Supreme Court ruled in Johnson v. Grants Pass that cities can arrest and ticket people for experiencing homelessness. Since then 250+ expensive and ineffective bills that target and punish homeless people have been introduced across the country. In response to this alarming trend, on June 26th Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Maxwell Frost (D-FL) introduced the “Housing Not Handcuffs Act,” legislation to prohibit federal agencies from arresting, ticketing, or otherwise criminalizing people experiencing homelessness on public lands with nowhere else to go.

Demand Congress Pass the Act: take action here!

Recap on SCOTUS Ruling Last June

On June 28th, 2024 the Supreme Court of the United States announced its decision in the case of Johnson v. Grants Pass. SCOTUS ruled in favor of the City of Grants Pass, Oregon. Under the ruling, localities will be able to arrest, ticket, and fine people for sleeping outdoors on public property, even if leaders have failed to produce enough affordable housing or shelter for everyone in the community who needs it. In her dissent, Justice Sotomayor stated, "...the majority focuses almost exclusively on the needs of local governments and leaves the most vulnerable in our society with an impossible choice: Either stay awake or be arrested."

“This decision sets a dangerous precedent that will cause undue harm to people experiencing homelessness and give free reign to local officials who prefer pointless and expensive arrests and imprisonment, rather than real solutions,” said Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH). Read NAEH's factsheet for more information about the importance (and cost savings) of investing in Housing First initiatives rather than inflict punishment on those experiencing homelessness.

There are many proven and data-backed solutions to homelessness, like providing people with housing and services. Arresting or otherwise punishing homeless folks is not a solution, and jails and fines make the cycle of homelessness worse. In response to the ruling, the NHLC held a webinar to provide guidance on where we all go from here: watch here.

Advocacy Alert via National Low Income Housing Coalition and National Housing Law Project (NHLP)

Amid uncertainty about the future of mixed-status households enrolled in HUD housing programs, the NHLP released a resource with guidance for HUD tenants about sharing immigration status information with HUD housing providers. Responding to reports received by NHLP about HUD housing providers making improper requests for verification of immigration status, the Know Your Rights resource contains information for mixed-status HUD families about their rights when responding to such requests from public housing authorities, owners, or voucher landlords.  

The resource includes a review of the current law regulating mixed-status households living in HUD-assisted housing and the rights of tenants who are asked by HUD housing providers for information about immigration status. The Know Your Rights resource walks through different scenarios based on the request for information and the information a tenant has previously shared. The resource also includes example forms that household members not declaring HUD-eligible status may be asked to complete. 

A Spanish language version of the resource will be available in the coming weeks.  

Find the resource at: nhlp.org/kyrdata. 

Tenants seeking further assistance from a local legal organization can go to lawhelp.org.

Anticipating possible raids seeking undocumented immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at homeless service providers and shelters, the National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC) offers practical guidance for service providers about what to do before, during, and after any such attempted raid to protect both your staff and clients from harm.

What to do Before an Enforcement Action:

• Understand current NHLC Guidance and provide training on the basics to Staff

• Designate space as public and non-public accordingly

• Understand the difference between a judicial warrant and an ICE administrative warrant

• Understand how to handle the collection and retention of client information

• Understand how to respond to requests for information for immigration enforcement purposes

• Put up Know Your Rights poster (Exhibit to NHLC Guidance)

What to do During an Enforcement Action:

• Stay calm, treat the officers with respect, and notify a supervisor

• Document the officers’ names and badge numbers

• Inform the officers that they do NOT have consent to enter private areas

• If they claim to have a warrant to enter, ask to see it and check that it is signed by a Judge or Magistrate

• OK to Remind clients of their right to remain silent and to speak with a lawyer if detained or arrested

• OK to Videotape but do not interfere with the officers

What to do After an Enforcement Action:

• Document the actions taken by ICE

• Date/Time of Action

• How many agents/Names/Contact information

• How did the agents’ uniforms identify them? ICE or police?

• Why did they say they were at the facility?

• Did you ask to see a judicial warrant?

• Did you deny consent to enter?

• Use the ICE/Police Immigration Enforcement Report Form (Exhibit in the NHLC Guidance)

Best way to make sure your organization’s response to ICE doesn’t feel like an emergency, is to make a routine preparing all service provider staff in knowing what to do. Practice, practice, practice!

Tracking via National Council of Nonprofits

After his January 20th inauguration, President Trump signed dozens of Executive Orders (EOs) covering a broad range of issues, including diversity, equity, and inclusion programs; government grants and contracts; civic engagement; immigration; and certain nonprofit subsectors. Some of the EOs won’t take effect immediately, and many are expected to be immediately challenged in court. This chart outlines some of the EOs that may affect nonprofits directly or indirectly.

This document will be updated frequently, so please use this link to see the most up-to-date version: https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/files/media/documents/2025/chart-executive-orders.pdf

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.

Want to host your own Imagination Session with friends, family and neighbors on your visions for a National Tenants' Bill of Rights? Download the toolkit here.

Want to share how the housing crisis impacts you and your family, or what home means to you? Share your story here.

NLIHC has released the following toolkits:

1. Advocates' Guide 2025 is a toolkit to educate advocates of all kinds about the programs and policies that make housing affordable to low-income people across the country. Read more and download the toolkit here.

2. Eviction Record Sealing and Expungement Toolkit 2023 offers 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 Southeast and Mid-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 before the next Election Day on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026.

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

On October 30, 2024 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced in the 14 communities across the country which will receive federal funding towards their work with establishing plans to prevent and end youth homelessness and fund housing projects that meet system gaps. Congratulations to Washtenaw County for being one of the 14 communities selected!

This is huge for many reasons, but 2 reasons are:

• It brings in $4.3M new dollars into our community

• Project-awards like our county's are renewable grants under future Continuum of Care Notice Of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) funding cycles

The application for the grant, HUD's Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP), was made possible through 18-months of hard work by WHA in partnership with Ozone House, Washtenaw County Office of Community & Economic Development, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and members of the Washtenaw Continuum of Care Youth Advisory Board.

Take a look at HUD's press release listing all the recipients joining Washtenaw in receiving YHDP funding.

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!