🏢 Way to Show Up, Neighbor!

🧠 Why We Do This Work

Every day, our moreneighborsa2 Discord gets a flurry of messages in the Introductions Channel with neighbors sharing why they are interested in this movement. Some of their reasons for joining include:

• “I feel really strongly that our current land use is inequitable and that more flexible zoning and more variety in the types of homes would make Ann Arbor an even better place to live.”

• “I welcome more neighbors to Ann Arbor because more people here will support a more walkable and bikeable community.”

• “I'm interested in Neighbors For More Neighbors because rents are way too high and we need more housing at all income levels.”

• “I grew up in Ann Arbor and [I] want more people to be able to live here.”

• “We want walkable neighborhoods with a mixture of housing types that are affordable for a variety of income levels and living arrangements.”

• “I believe… housing is a human right…and so work to consider how the housing work itself can be as welcoming and diverse as the city I long for.”

Ann Arbor's severe housing shortage is causing significant unaffordability and hardship across our community. This crisis impacts everyone, from cost-burdened renters and middle-income families priced out of the market, to seniors struggling to downsize affordably. Data reveals that rents have surged by 54% and median home values by 88% over the past decade, while nearly 7,000 people recently applied for just 20 affordable units.

For more statistics and information to share with your friends and neighbors, explore the FAQs and Resources section on the Neighbors for More Neighbors Ann Arbor website.

📝 This Week at City Council

So many neighbors showed up in full force at Monday's City Council meeting, and many others contacted their Council members over the weekend via email and phone. We made our voices heard loud and clear on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP). It was an amazing display of community power and dedication to building a more inclusive and thriving city. Thank you so much to everyone who contacted their Council members and to everyone who turned up and turned out: we could only have done this together.

While the City Council passed with only the minimum number of required votes (6-2) this resolution recommending limits on residential buildings (like triplexes and three-story heights), we stood united against measures that would slow down much-needed housing growth.

More than that, our advocacy helped make this resolution better! Some key changes included:

• Removing language that inequitably focused on stymieing development in certain neighborhoods.

• Adding new language about ensuring the highest density is possible in hub and transition categories, including to house students.

• Directing expedited review for triplexes.

• Requiring City Council to evaluate how policies are affecting development within five years of the approval of the CLUP.

This strong show of support proves that when we come together and advocate consistently, our collective voice resonates and effects change. We are optimistic that, with continued effort and passion, we will truly be heard, and that together we will shape an Ann Arbor that welcomes everyone! Let's keep this momentum going!

🎯 Introducing the August Challenge: Sponsor A Sign

I was walking my kid to school when I first saw a Neighbors For More Neighbors Ann Arbor sign, and then another, and another. The name in itself was enough to pique my interest, but the signs also made me start conversations with my neighbors, learn more, sign the petition, donate, and volunteer. Signs do have more of an effect than you may realize, and while this isn’t a ballot measure, it is a grassroots movement that only gets stronger the more people join us. 

It is very important to our mission that yard signs remain free - and you can help with that! Please consider chipping in to help cover the costs - write “More Neighbors A2” in the Designation field. Just $20 would cover the cost of signs for you and your three nearest neighbors.

More people = more power. 

Thanks for being part of this movement. We’re building something special together—and it’s only just getting started.
—The Neighbors For More Neighbors A2 Team
🖥️ moreneighborsa2.org | Donate & Get a Sign | Sign the Petition | Order a Tee Shirt | FAQs

Instagram | Facebook | Discord

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

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

PPS: Need some tunes to listen to while you get involved? Check out our More Neighbors playlist on Spotify.