JUNE 26, 2026 AUGUST PRIMARY MAYORS from page 9 It has been hard to expand housing, but there has been an increase of 1200 new affordable units, with social services on site. Efforts are underway to help build another shelter. I'm hoping to get a full unarmed response program on the way. County Commissioner Rabhi: Everyone is dissatisfied with the state of things. We are paying more for goods and services, but the services received are getting worse. Fire and public safety don’t have enough staff and lack funding to address training as well as equipment gaps. Property owners and renters aren’t getting what they are paying for, because the city keeps giving out tax breaks to large corporations. The tax breaks are moving the city in the wrong direction, as the money goes into the developers’ pockets, and taxpayer money is spent on consultants from outside the community. In my current role, I created Washtenaw Dental Clinic in conjunction with the health department, so people with no insurance, or with medicaid, can receive dental care. As Mayor, I would like to put more into direct resources on the ground in order to increase access to case workers, to help decrease homelessness by increasing access to resources, to eliminate evictions. For example, increasing supportive services for seniors, which may promote access to addressing resource gaps such as replacing a heater, energy efficiency or funding to improve accessibility. Keeping seniors in their homes decreases the demand for subsidized housing. I would like to create a renters office, with renter advocates, where any renter having an issue with a landlord can get legal services, have an advocate, and get support with a building complaint. I would like to pass the tenant’s bill of rights. I support it fully. I’m anti-dispacement. We are seeing gentrification and displacement happening. Minority communities and businesses are facing displacement. I would create an office of anti-displacement, to push back against predatory practices. For example, addressing issues with past foreclosures or preventing foreclosures, creating payment plans, or paying off mortgages are ways of preventing displacement and keeping people in their homes. While current homeless sheltering options are not adequate, we are spending millions each year, and the money being spent on winter hotels each year could have purchased a year-round site in four years. Mayor Brown: A lot of people see a construction project and may think it was just decided on or just showed up one day. What they don't see are the years of conversations, relationship building, grant applications and advocacy that happen behind the scenes to make those projects possible. As mayor, I've spent a lot of time working with city staff and our county, state, and federal partners to make sure Ypsilanti is in a position to compete for funding and bring those dollars back home. Every outside dollar we can secure is one less dollar that has to come directly from local taxpayers. Examples include road improvements, water system improvements and park updates. If there is one thing I'd change tomorrow for taxpayers and homeowners, it would be making it easier for people to stay in the homes and neighborhoods they love without feeling financially squeezed every year. That's a goal I continue to work toward, even if I don't have all the levers to make it happen on my own. One example (related to renting) would be my work around nuisance and problem properties. I hear from renters and homeowners all the time about poorly maintained properties, absentee landlords and ongoing quality-of-life issues that impact entire neighborhoods. As mayor, I can't personally enforce ordinances or order repairs, but I can help make sure those concerns get attention. Honestly, I'd like to see a permanent shelter and more supportive housing options in Ypsilanti and our surrounding municipalities. We've brought on over 350 units of affordable housing since I've been elected in Ypsi, but it's not enough. If I had more authority, I'd accelerate the creation of more shelter beds, supportive housing and services so people have somewhere to go besides the street. Councilwoman Fellows: Dorsey Estates (newly constructed housing located behind Depot Town) is one of the developments that came out of the Community Benefits ordinance. Some of the people who live there are first-time homeowners, have fixed incomes, some are the first in their family to own a home; some are essential workers and/or municipal workers. I’m the only person on council who has been bringing up tax reform. It doesn't make sense to flat-tax everyone. There is lots of exploitation, as there is a ban on progressive taxation. I started a tenants rights committee, which had its first meeting in May. The purpose is to start rolling out policy to hold landlords accountable with more than fines for criminal acts related to management of properties. I would also like to see a more bold GROUNDCOVER NEWS 13 challenge to the state rent control ban. For the unhoused, I don’t feel we’ve accomplished enough, we should have had a shelter already. The county is holding it up. A permanent shelter should be designed by the community and integrated with other resources — harm reduction, outdoor safe tenting and response team. I have always been a community organizer, but a position on city council gives me more of a potent position. I can’t do it by myself. As mayor I would have a bigger megaphone. I could change how meetings and voting are run. Currently, leadership can push me out. I’m good at applying pressure. According to Fellows, if she wins, then her Ypsi City Council position will go to an appointment. According to one of Rabhi’s campaign representatives, if he wins, then his County Commissioner seat will go to the board for appointment within 30 days. If they decide to not appoint, it triggers a special election. In conclusion, all four candidates are very active in their community. Constituents engaged while researching this article generally find all of the candidates to be approachable, kind, caring and knowledgeable. However, these constituents are also expressing a desire to move in a new direction that better reflects active input from constituents and doesn’t promote predatory, exploitative practices. Groundcover Vendor Code While Groundcover is a non-profit, and paper vendors are self-employed contractors, we still have expectations of how vendors should conduct themselves while selling and representing the paper. 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