♨️ Finding Warmth: Supporting Neighbors and Shaping Our City

Help us spread the word on winter resources and keep the momentum going for housing advocacy.

Author

Neighbors For More Neighbors
January 29, 2026

What's Inside

‼️ Keeping Our Neighbors Warm This Winter

It’s a difficult time of year for those in our community without stable housing, and we want to ensure no one is left out in the cold. We're asking for your help in spreading the word about local daytime warming centers. If you have the means to provide transportation or simply pass along this information, you’re helping to provide a vital lifeline of warmth and dignity for our unhoused neighbors.

Fixed Schedule Daytime Warming Centers:

  • Ypsilanti Freighthouse: 100 Market Pl, Ypsilanti.

    • Hours: Mon–Thu, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

  • Delonis Center: 312 W. Huron St, Ann Arbor.

    • Hours: Primarily serves as the daytime site on Fridays and Saturdays.

  • Washtenaw County Government Buildings: Lobbies of most county office buildings (e.g., 220 N. Main St, Ann Arbor) are open as warming sites during normal business hours.

  • Ozone House (Youth under 25): * Main Office: 1600 N. Huron River Dr, Ypsilanti (Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM).

  • Drop-In Center: 102 N. Hamilton St, Ypsilanti (Tue & Thu, 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM).

  • Alpha House (Families): 4290 Jackson Rd, Ann Arbor. Families seeking support should call (734) 822-0220.

Ypsilanti Freighthouse

A few additional warming centers have been added for the coming days, including:

  • First Congregational Church: 608 E. William St, Ann Arbor

    • Days / Hours: Feb 2 – Feb 13, 2026 / Mon–Fri: 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM

  • First Baptist Church: 517 E. Washington St, Ann Arbor

    • Days / Hours: Feb 16 – Mar 27, 2026 / Mon–Fri: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

If you aren’t sure how to help a neighbor in crisis, dial 2-1-1. 

Lastly, follow These Instagram Accounts for more real-time updates:

🌆 On the Horizon: February 2nd City Council Meeting

There is a packed agenda for the City Council meeting this coming Monday, February 2nd!

City Council will hold a Public Hearing on extending the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) through 2055 and expanding its boundaries north toward Depot Street. This proposal includes a new Tax Increment Financing (TIF) "gainshare" model that keeps 70% of tax growth dedicated to downtown housing and infrastructure.  

For those interested in the mechanics of urban growth, this funding serves as a primary tool for:

  • Infrastructure & Utilities: Funding the water, sewer, and transit upgrades necessary to support higher-density residential buildings.

  • Affordable Housing Grants: Providing the local matching funds often required for downtown affordable housing developments.

  • Expansion Area: Extending these tools to new areas, including the corridor reaching north toward Depot Street.

Council will also hold a Public Hearing while considering a resolution to remove parking spaces that currently obstruct public sidewalks. For our community to be truly welcoming, it must be accessible to everyone, yet designated parking currently creates physical barriers for neighbors using wheelchairs, strollers, or mobility aids. We want City Council to prioritize people over parking by removing these specific spots, ensuring our sidewalks are continuous and safe paths for all neighbors to move freely.

Here’s how you can get involved:

  • Anyone may speak at a public hearing without reserving time in advance. Here’s how to attend in person or online:

    • Meeting location: Larcom City Hall, 301 E Huron St, Second floor, City Council Chambers

    • This meeting will be broadcast live on CTN Cable Channel 16, ATT Channel 99, and online at a2gov.org/watchCTN 

  • Make a Comment:

    • Public commentary can be made in person or by calling Zoom at: 877-853-5247 or 888-788-0099 Enter Meeting ID 942 1273 2148 or online at a2gov.org/CouncilZoom 

    • To sign up for public comment reserved time to comment on topics that are not Public Hearings, call the City Clerk's Office between 8am - 5pm at 734-794-6140 on Monday, February 2nd.

📨 Our Voices Can Make a Difference

We want to take a moment to give a huge thank you to everyone who reached out to City Council to advocate for better zoning! Your letters have been powerful and thoughtful, and we need to continue the momentum to make our voices heard. If you haven’t had a chance to weigh in yet, it’s not too late to add your voice. Please consider using the draft below to let Council know that you’re ready for a neighborhood with more room for everyone. Here is one example of an email sent by a member last week:

I'm [NAME], a resident in Ward [NUMBER]. After attending a CLUP information session at AADL last summer, I joined Neighbors for More Neighbors because I share the concern that Ann Arbor's housing situation is at a crisis point. 

I urge you all, once the CLUP is passed in the next month or so, to treat re-zoning as an urgent priority, and to focus on quick zoning changes for the areas defined as "Hub" and "Transition" zones in the CLUP. If we wait multiple years to redefine the entire code, that is too many years that my friends and coworkers are priced out of housing in this area. 

I work for a local farm and most of my coworkers struggle to find affordable housing nearby, instead dealing with long commutes or unstable rental situations. Similarly, my mother's amazing caregivers in her final years all commuted long distances to her assisted living facility. In poor weather, sometimes one of the caregivers had to stay for hours extra while her replacement struggled on icy roads. 

I want the people growing (and cooking and serving) our food, and caring for our elders, to be able to live in Ann Arbor if they choose. I want my neighborhood to continue to include teachers and nurses. I would rather see a small apartment building built next to my house than a huge single family house. I know that re-zoning is controversial in the community, and that market solutions do not address all of our affordability needs. But waiting for the perfect solution means no solution at all. 

Thank you all for your efforts to date, and I look forward to your decisive, brave action to make Ann Arbor a truly welcoming place for all!

Want to draft your own email? Just follow these easy steps:

 🗓️ Save The Dates

Monthly Members Meeting

Join us on Sunday, February 15 at Bamboo from 1-3 PM for our next members meeting! We’re thrilled to welcome a guest speaker from Michigan Ability Partners to talk about their vital work finding safe, accessible housing for veterans and folks with disabilities. We’re talking housing, we’re talking transit, and we’re talking about how we can all be better neighbors.

Washtenaw Bike Summit 2026

Our friends at the Bike Alliance of Washtenaw are hosting the annual Bike Summit at Washtenaw Community College on March 15 from 11:30 AM-4:00 PM. Whether you’re a daily commuter, a weekend trail-blazer, or just someone who dreams of safer streets, this is your chance to connect with fellow riders and help shape the future of cycling in our county. Let's ride together toward a more bikeable community 🚴

📸 Photo of the Day

Dunbar Tower is coming right along!

Do you have a photo you’d like to share in the newsletter? Submit it to [email protected] or tag one of our social media accounts (Instagram | Facebook | Bluesky).

Thank you for being part of this movement. Together, we are making a real difference in the future of Ann Arbor.

—The Neighbors For More Neighbors A2 Team
🖥️ moreneighborsa2.org | Sign the Petition | | Donate (designate More Neighbors A2) | Order a T-Shirt | FAQs 

Questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]

Support in one Second: Forward this email to your friends and neighbors.